“Okay, here we are.” Twilight raised an eye at the sound of the voice and then turned it back down.

Sitting at the table in her dorm room, Minuette set a file folder down and flipped it open to reveal several stacks of paper. “I took the liberty of photocopying them so you can have your own to look over.” She lifted up a bundle of papers and floated it across the table to Moondancer.

Moondancer took the offering and arched her brow. “Paperclipped, efficient. I approve.”

“Thank you.” Minuette beamed. “And for Twily.” She floated the second paperclipped bundle across the room to where Twilight laid belly-down on her bed.

Twilight glanced up and the magic aura around the papers shifted. “Thanks,” she mumbled, setting them beside her.

Minuette settled herself firmly in her chair, unclipped her own notes, and took a breath. “Now, you two know Luster best of the group, so you of anypony should be able to fill in the critical details I’m missing to throw her the best birthday party ever.”

“Wait a moment.” Moondancer flipped through her papers. “Favourite activities and foods is one thing. But, estimating her ‘fatigue levels’ after physical activities?” She looked up at Minuette. “What does that even mean?”

“Planning the event!” Minuette tapped a hoof to the side of her head. “Think about it. If Luster wants to dance, I have to schedule a venue with a dance floor, obviously. But then, I also have to think about when she’s likely to dance and how long she’s likely to dance. If she’s exhausted early in the afternoon, then we ought to have other activities ready, ones that are relaxing and not physically intensive. But if she dances the afternoon away until it’s dark out, I need to make sure I schedule the venue long enough and have a long playlist for the DJ.”

“...I hate that you managed to explain that in a reasonable fashion.” Moondancer gave a small huff. “I didn’t think party planning was such a meticulous science.”

“Usually, no. But it is when you want to make sure the pony it’s for is having the time of her life.” Minuette put a hoof to her chest and tilted her head up. “It is my solemn duty, to give this lonely pony who has so rarely experienced true friendship, the greatest gesture of friendship I could imagine. It isn’t enough to just throw some candles on a cake and get a few thoughtful gifts. As the saying goes – if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly! Right, Twilight?”

She looked over at her friend for her answer.

“Uh-huh.” Twilight didn’t look up, just nodded.

Minuette peered closer; Twilight’s notes were still clipped together and her eyes were fixed at the pillow at the foot of the bed. Minuette narrowed her eyes and her horn lit up in magic. The pillow was yanked up into the air, revealing the ancient journal propped up behind it, which fell over onto the bed.

“Hey!” Twilight snapped her head up and grabbed the pillow back.

“I knew it!” Minuette thrust an accusing hoof at her. “You’re been studying while I’ve been trying to plan fun!”

Moondancer tilted her head. “But, studying is fun?”

Minuette rolled her eyes and huffed. “Real fun, Moonie. Like a normal pony has.” Moondancer gave a small glare in response but said nothing.

Twilight shook her head. “I haven’t been ‘studying’, exactly. I pulled it out planning to, I admit, but honestly the journal’s contents are fascinating on their own. I figured I’d start reading and take notes on anything of importance I’d come across, but I just kept reading.”

“Really?” Minuette tilted her head. “A Celestia-knows-how-old journal about outdated and incorrect magical theories is interesting?”

“It’s not just magical theories. Listen to this.” Twilight cleared her throat and projected to the room as she read from the journal. “I had the fortune to meet a certain pegasus today, who travelled quite a distance from the southern deserts at my request. I’m glad she did. The tales she told of her homeland were quite fascinating, and we agreed I must patron her hometown someday soon. It is my hope that our friendship could lead to an enduring alliance with the southerners and strengthen the trade and travel routes through the badlands and deserts in the region.”

“Not boring, I guess,” Minuette admitted. “Depending on how old the journal is, that could be a personal account of Equestria’s expansion into the south.”

“I think that’s exactly what it is, actually.” Twilight smiled. “I have taken some notes from past readings. And there’s a pattern that emerged. There’s stories about the journal’s author describing famous warriors and mages from across Equestria. Not in any official political capacity, but just as a matter of meeting them or knowing about them. This story in particular clicked in my head, and it wasn’t the first.”

Moondancer hummed. “Now that you mention it, that tale does sound vaguely familiar...but I can’t recall where I’d have heard something like it.”

“Me neither, but I do recall the specifics.” Twilight smiled widely. “This journal hasn’t given a name to its writer yet, but I think I can take a pretty good guess who it was. Match the stories in it to the legends we know from elsewhere, and there’s only one candidate.” She lifted the journal into the air and closed it, the swirl on the cover gleaming silver-blue.

“Star Swirl the Bearded.”

Moondancer’s jaw dropped. “What? Wait…what?” She shook her head quickly. “That can’t be. The personal journal of the single most powerful pony in the history of Equestria aside from Princess Celestia? An archmage of such obscurity and age that we’re not even sure he really existed? That Star Swirl?”

“No doubt.” Twilight nodded firmly. “There’s an apocryphal story about a great mage from Equestria and a pegasus from a desert village in the south teaming up to fight a sphinx terrorising her village. In some retellings, they call those ponies Star Swirl and Somnambula. And that’s not the only old legend that lines up with the stories of this book. But the writing style and language are consistent, so it couldn’t be multiple ponies writing in it over years, it had to be one.”

She pressed a hoof to the book’s spine. “There can be no doubt about it. Star Swirl was real, and this is his journal.”

Minuette gave a slow nod. “I mean, looking at it again, and seeing the swirl emblem with stars on the cover…in retrospect, maybe this isn’t so surprising.”

“It’s surprising to me!” Moondancer sputtered. “We assumed Star Swirl was a myth, precisely because so many stories about him exist! It’s highly implausible, near impossible, that a single mage could be that powerful, that well-travelled, and that skilled in so many fields of magic!”

Grinning, Twilight pressed on. “I know. But he had to have been, to some degree. And it would explain this book’s contents even more. Star Swirl’s legends would mean he lived over a thousand years ago, and the journal’s description of magic, the cosmos, Equestria, and so much else, lines up with what we knew or thought we knew in that time frame.”

“This could rewrite everything we know about the history of magic.” Moondancer stared off into space, not paying attention. “So many breakthroughs misattributed, innovations forgotten and rediscovered.” She slowly gazed down at the journal with a new sense of awe.

“I know.” Twilight flipped through the pages, the smile on her face growing wider with each turn. “And I’ve barely even read half the pages. There’s a font of knowledge in here on so many levels.”

“Um, not to put a damper on the excitement…” The two looked up to see Minuette holding a hoof into the air. “But I’m fairly sure Celestia won’t appreciate it if we go around upending everything ponies know and accept about history. I mean, did you ever think that maybe that book is in the restricted section for a reason?”

Twilight paused. “...Actually, I hadn’t.” She looked over the side of the bed where the enchanted bag that Celestia had given her to protect the aged text lay. “I assumed it was because the book was old.”

“For sure, but if the knowledge in it is so valuable, why not copy or transfer it over to a fresh journal?”

She pondered Minuette’s words. Did Celestia not want this book’s contents to be public knowledge? She said there was nothing in it that I shouldn’t see, but then she admitted that I know more than she would like. Dangerous magics, unknown histories, secrets of Equestria’s founding. All things she’d want to keep quiet. Maybe she’s okay with me knowing because she wants my help?

“Uh, Twily?” A blue hoof waved in front of her face and she jerked and looked up at Minuette.

“I was just thinking about what you said.” Twilight bit her lip, and after a moment lifted up the enchanted book bag. “Maybe that is enough for today.” She slipped the journal inside and folded the flap cover over. A brief gleam of golden yellow magic lit up as the protection spell took effect.

“Okay, switching to social mode.” She climbed off of the bed and approached the table.

“Glad to have you on-board!” Minuette smiled widely and sat back at the table. “So, as I was saying, we are going to give Luster the best party we can.” She lifted up her small stack of papers and fanned them out. “I think it fair to assume that Luster is not one for overly strenuous physical activities, so I’ve ruled out the likes of rock climbing, paintball, and most kinds of sports. Any objections?”

Twilight shook her head. “Sounds right to me.” Moondancer nodded in agreement.

“Good. I’m not so certain about competitive activities. Go-karts, sports, board games…”

“She’s played board games with us before,” Moondancer said.

Minuette lifted her eyes. “Yes, but did she actively enjoy them?”

Moondancer quirked a brow and thought. “...She didn’t not enjoy them.”

“Not good enough.” Minuette shook her head. “That means she doesn’t mind them, or she tolerates them. I want activities she’ll like to do that get her enthused.”

“Well…” Twilight rocked her head a little. Should we tell Minuette this? I don’t think Luster cares if it’s a secret or not. She’s never said so. She noticed Minuette looking at her expectantly and gave a slight cough. “She likes ice skating.”

“Ooooo, I can work with that.” Minuette nodded eagerly. She took hold of a notepad off to the side and brought it in front of her, and a pencil quickly scrawled across the paper. “Just casual, you mean? Or is she a fan of the professionals?”

Twilight and Moondancer looked at each other.

“I’m not sure.”

“I don’t believe so.”

“Hmm…” Minuette scribbled something else in her notes. “Okay, that’s one solid lead at least, good. What else would she want to do?”

Moondancer’s eyes lit up and she gave a small gasp. “Oh, I recall something she mentioned. Remember that night we played Caper? She told me later she thinks she had played it with her parents; they played board games regularly.”

“Excellent!” Minuette grinned and began writing. “Any specific ones?”

While Moondancer thought over her answer, Twilight looked down at the papers in front of her that Minuette had prepared – lists of activities, venues, food and drink, decorations, and more.

I was worried she would overdo this a bit much for Luster. But maybe she’s going about this the right way…and it might not be a bad idea to nudge Luster out of her comfort zone a little if it's something we all think she’ll enjoy. Right? I mean, that’s how we met. She pursed her lip. Maybe I could ask Celestia’s help the next time I see her…and hopefully, she’ll have news for me, too.

Twilight had hoped she’d be able to speak to Celestia on Friday or Saturday, but the Princess was busy throughout the weekend and was not receiving any visitors. Though she knew Celestia was the ruler of Equestria and not her personal mentor that she could call on whenever she needed her, Twilight still couldn’t help but wonder if whatever she was doing was related to her, Sunset, and the other world.

Friday’s classes had gone without incident, and now she found herself alone in her dorm room catching up on the week’s schoolwork. Twinkleshine was doing something in town, Lemon Hearts was helping a friend with something, Minuette was shopping, and Moondancer was visiting her family. Luster was likely downstairs in her own room, but Twilight had no reason to bother her and confirm.

All things considered, it was a perfectly quiet day to end her week on.

So why do I feel so anxious? Twilight squinted at her schoolwork and murmured. Perfect score on the practice test. Yet I don’t remember a single question. Is that good, though? I know these alchemy formulae so well, it’s second-hoof knowledge. She closed the textbook and wrote ‘20/20’ in the upper-left corner of her paper. That’s alchemy done. Next… she glanced at the tabs in her binder and tapped a pencil on the table. What would be the biggest workload?

A knock on the door to the room made her jump. She turned and stared. Who? Virtually nopony ever came to see Twinkleshine, her friends would just come in, and she wasn’t expecting anyone. She hopped off her chair and quickly crossed the room to the door.

The door swung open to the sight of an orange pegasus guard pony. He snapped to attention and saluted with a wing. “Twilight Sparkle?”

“Erm, yes?” Twilight tilted her head.

“I was tasked by Princess Celestia to deliver this to you personally.” The guard lifted the strap of a satchel over his neck and held it out. “She instructed me to inform you to read the enclosed letter at precisely five o’clock.”

Twilight glanced up at the clock over the door. “Well, you’re here with two minutes to spare.” She took the satchel and looked at it curiously. “What is it?”

“I don’t know, Miss Sparkle. The Princess simply said to give it directly to you.” He saluted again. “If you’ll excuse me, I must be off.”

“Sure. Thank you.” Twilight smiled and nodded, and went back inside. She raised a hind hoof to kick the door shut behind her and bounded over to her bed. The satchel was perfectly ordinary, and she unlatched the flap and reached a hoof in to physically feel what was inside.

Her hoof came out holding a small book with dark blue binding. She flipped it open and saw nothing but blank pages. When she got to the other cover she found an envelope taped to the inside. She lifted it and closed the book, and noticed an emblem on the cover; a stylized yin and yang symbol with the yin resembling the moon and the yang having the fiery arms of a sun. She shrugged, opened the envelope, and withdrew the letter inside.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I am sorry I am unavailable to present this to you myself. The duties of a ruler never cease. However, I won’t let my busy schedule deny you this gift. If my orders were followed, you should be receiving this journal at exactly five. Assuming the spell has worked properly, anything you write in it–

Twilight’s reading stopped when the journal suddenly lit up in silver-blue magic and hummed. She looked at it with new curiosity and put the letter aside. She lifted the journal and opened to the first, blank page.

There, surrounded by small glitters of light and pulsing gently with unfamiliar magic, light blue ink appeared on the page, written by an unseen hoof.

“Twilight?”

She scrunched her face. Huh? She looked up at the table and lifted her pen over to her. When she touched the tip to the page underneath her own name, she hesitated a moment. Well, the Princess said to write in it. She gently scrawled her name. When she finished and lifted the pen, the letters glowed blue for a moment. She waited as told.

The journal glowed again and new letters wrote themselves in a third line.

“Twilight? Did you write that? It’s Sunset.”

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly wrote back.

“Sunset? I’m in my dorm room. You saw what I wrote?”

Seconds ticked by at a snail’s pace as she anticipated a response. Then…

“I did! It’s like the Princess said, we can talk to each other now!”

“Princess said? Oh, right.” Twilight looked at the forgotten letter from Celestia. I guess Luna was able to give this to Sunset herself. She lifted the letter and resumed reading.

Assuming the spell has worked properly, anything you write in it will appear in an identical journal that Sunset Shimmer has. Luna and I have worked together to weave this enchantment binding them together, and we're sure it will be entirely safe for you both. Though please do not go meddling with its intricacies, this is very ancient magic and best not tampered with.

Fair enough. Twilight smiled happily. She quickly wrote Sunset back again and then read it aloud.

“This is amazing. I mean, we’ve talked in the dreams, but this is real. Well, awake, that’s probably a better term for it.”

Twilight giggled as she mentally heard Sunset’s voice reciting her message.

“I know what you mean. I don’t know how the Princesses pulled it off, but I’m glad they did.”

“Here, here!” Twilight paused as she wrote the response as easily as having actual conversation, and didn’t lift her pen. The ink didn’t glow yet and she assumed the message hadn’t yet been sent. “I guess it can detect when I’m done writing?” She tilted her head and removed the pen. Sure enough, the ink glowed soon after.

Sunset’s response made her smile all over again.

“I’m glad we can finally talk again.”

“Me too.”

Twilight’s homework sat forgotten on the kitchen table as she and Sunset wrote to each other. It had scarcely been more than a week since they had last spoken, but that last time had been when she had done her telepathy spell. The thought had crossed her mind more than once in the time since that she may have irreparably damaged whatever mental link they had forged between dimensions. Now, even if she had, a new link had been created. Tension she didn’t know she had been holding in left her.

For an hour the two chatted about what had been happening in their respective worlds. Twilight told her about her tense conversations with Celestia and the admission about the other dimension. Sunset hadn’t been quite on the same step as Twilight in the deduction, but evidently Princess Luna had filled her in to the point she seemed to know just as much as Twilight. The two confirmed they didn’t understand how the two dimensions existed, or how their connection between them worked, and neither did the Princesses. Beyond that, they had little to go on.

After the initial flurry of writing about what they had learned – coordinating responses and replies without talking over each other, so to speak, took some patience on both their parts – they settled into more casual conversation. Sunset talked about her friends, Twilight talked about hers. The two fully shared the names of their groups this time – Sunset’s friends were Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, Lyra Heartstrings, Amethyst Star, and Sunburst Ray. The fact that Sunset had five close friends at her CHS struck a chord as Twilight read off their names.

I remembered their names when I ended my telepathy spell. Did the vision I saw do that, or just me? Either way, I doubt it’s a coincidence that she has a group of six in her dimension the same as I do. But what could it mean? Celestia said she had an idea what it may refer to, but Twilight hadn’t hit on the idea yet that the ‘six’ she was supposed to find could be in either dimension. Could Sunset and her friends be those six I’m supposed to find? Do I need to find a way to get in touch with all of them?

She lifted her head as the thought came to her. I could. I could talk to any of them. They could talk to me. I could ask Sunset to let me speak to any of them. The idea lost its appeal the moment she ran it through her head. No. This journal is ours. We don’t need to keep it secret, but we’ll keep it for our use. It’s private. Just us.

A blue glow caught her eye and she looked down at the journal.

“You okay there?”

Twilight did a double take and looked over the page again; she hadn’t responded to Sunset’s last two messages. She shook her head and picked up her pen.

“Yeah. Just thinking about things. There’s so much to try and figure out, and so few clues to go on.”

“I know. I wish I could help you, but I think you know more than me. I’ve only just found out about all this over the last few days.”

Twilight tried to picture what Sunset looked like in her dorm, writing about the mystery of the two dimensions when she had only begun to grasp the concept.

“If you need to know anything, just ask. We’re in this together, after all. And maybe you know things I don’t, but you don’t think they’re relevant.”

“I doubt it, but I’ll have to get back to you on that. There’s nothing pressing on my mind now, though.”

As soon as Sunset’s response finished writing itself out, another line wrote under it.

“Actually, there is one thing I wanna ask.”

“Yes?” Twilight tapped her pen, wondering what had popped into her head.

“Did the princess ask you to take a potion for the dreams?”

Twilight twisted her muzzle. “Yes. You too?”

“Uh-huh. Princess Luna says it’s for our protection, to suppress the dreams until they or we know more about them. Dunno why they’re dangerous all of a sudden.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Of course,” she whispered. The eyes in the void. The dark voice. She doesn’t know about it. The idea that Sunset may have perceived them somehow, or not, had never crossed her mind until now. Do I tell her? I know there is a danger, of some kind, but I don’t even know what that darkness was, or what it meant. Do I worry her over nothing?

Before she had a chance to consider letting Sunset know, the page lit up in a new message.

“Hey, gotta go, my friends came by to grab me for dinner. But we can talk more tonight, right?”

Twilight hurriedly wrote out a response.

“Of course. We can talk any time. Even if I don’t respond right away, I’ll check the journal regularly to see if I missed a message.”

“Sounds good. Talk to you later. Miss ya!”

Twilight read the farewell and heard it in her head. For a brief moment, it was almost as if she was back in her dream and could actually hear Sunset’s voice talking to her.

“Miss you, too.”

There was no response after that. As she read over her own words, Twilight found herself wishing she could cross them out. Did Sunset not read them because she left? Or did she read them and not reply? She put a hoof to her head. I’m being silly, of course she missed me. That’s obvious.

The more concerning thought was the calm realisation and acceptance that she had missed Sunset more than she had thought. And as reassuring as the journal was, to make sure their connection wouldn’t be lost without the dreams now, it still wasn’t enough. It was the difference between actual conversation and passing notes in class.

“I hope I can see you again someday soon.”

She debated if she should write that in the journal or not.

Author's Note

I am so terribly sorry, I did not mean for this chapter to come out so late into the year! I've just been busy with other things left and right and haven't been in the mood to write as much. As I have said in a blog, though, the outline of the story up to the finale is done, it's a matter of actually writing it. So hopefully with the course charted, the journey there will speed up more in the future.