I Am NOT Twilight Sparkle!

A day has gone by since Zack has woken up, and when Twilight returned she came with Celestia and Cadence. At the moment the alicorn was getting one final check-up, mostly to ensure that no lingering wounds remained. As she was being examined and seeing if she needs any other medical attention, Twilight, Celestia, and Cadence were standing off on the other side of the room, all of them waiting for the alicorns exam to end while looking a little anxious, Cadence especially.

“Alrighty then dear, your all healed up now!” the nurse said to Zack as she just finished giving the alicorn an physical examination. “But I do advise you to take things easy, just in case something pops up. but if something does feel wrong, come straight to the hospital.” Zack snorted as she hopped off the bed as the nurse trotted to a table, and began filling out some paperwork.

“That shouldn’t be too much of a problem, as I’ll be under house arrest for the next few days.” Zack muttered as she turned to look at three other alicorns in the room. “Which I still think is bull shit considering I was DEFENDING myself from a trigger happy stallion.”

“Again I apologize—”

“I don’t need your “sorries” barbie doll.” Zack said harshly as she cuts off the pink alicorn.

“I want to know why I’m being punished for not trying to get killed, AND! Why the guy who attempted to murder me, because he thought I was something called a changeling, and is literally getting away with attempted murder…with only a slap on the wrist!” Celestia took a step forward as she began talking to the slightly annoyed alicorn.

“Firstly Zack, I am deeply sorry that the ex-captain of our guard attacked you, for speculating that you were a member of an enemy faction.” Zack’s tail flicked in annoyance, while she gave a somewhat irritated and deadpan look. “And you being secluded in Twilight's castle is not a punishment dear, its more of a way to prevent any further, provocations.”

“You’d think I wanted to—”

“No, no, no! that’s not what I meant Zack.” Celestia quickly said. “It’s more of a way of telling you to remain in a safe place, so that this type of situation doesn’t happen to you again.”

“It sounds more like i'm being set to glamours prison?” Zack remarked.

“I assure you Zack that is not the case." Celestia says as she's tries to reassure Zack that she is not in trouble.

"It's just that as far as any pony in Ponyville knows, you and the prince were fighting one another for some reason, and think that if you are willing to fight royalty. Then who’s to say you won’t go fighting everypony else, wither they did something to you or not. But over the past few days, we've managed to calm down the towns ponies for the most part, and they have generally calmed down, and understand the circumstances that lead to the fighting. So the towns ponies no longer think that you are threat, and have nothing to worry about, but we're also trying to make sure that you aren’t going to be pressed or fussed over by the paparazzi. Who would undoubtedly try to turn this mess into an even bigger one, especially if they find you.”

“…that…actually makes some sense.” Zack said after giving it some thought.

“And as for Shining Armor…” Celestia turned to face Cadence who trotted up to her aunts side.

“I’m not sure how much you know of our world’s law and past. But…murder is virtually un-heard of in Equestria.”

“So what?! Even if you guys don’t have any cases, or records of murders, you should know how to deal with them when they pop up.” Zack argued with the pink alicorn.

“We do.” Celestia says to the smaller alicorn.

“At this moment, Shining Armor has been stripped of his rank of Canterlot’s Captain of the Guard, and is suspended from all military affairs until further notice, and is being held in custody at the castle, for the attempted murder of an innocent individual on a baseless assumption of you being a member of an enemy faction. Until further notice, Shining Armor will be contained and be unable to see Cadence…or his daughter until I deem otherwise.”

Cadence’s eyes started to tear up as she looked away, even Twilight was starting to tear up. Zack looked at two alicorns with a soften expression, and even seemed to have a look of, regret?

Once the details of both Zack’s and Shining Armors punishments were cleared up, Celestia teleported herself and the other alicorns to Twilight’s castle, which caused Zack to get a strange sense of vertigo. But it passed after a few seconds. After arriving at the castle Celestia then told the limits of her supposedly, house arrest, while she is restrained to the castle she is able to leave. But only if she is accompanied by Twilight, as a means of assuring the towns ponies that nothing will happen, which seemed fine to Zack as she plans to just keep her distance until she can go home. Which Celestia seems to have a have a slight lead on, which made the violet alicorn actually smile and look genuinely happy.

“So, I’ll be able to go home soon!”

“I only found references of a way that might work.” Celestia corrects. “I’ll need some time to research and study, and see if it leads to anything more concrete before I have anything solid.” Celestia then bid the others farewell for now as she needs to get back to the castle.

“Well, now that everything is taken care of, and Zack is all fixed up. I’ll be heading off back to the Empire.” Cadence said as she began making her way off to the castle’s doorway. But the mare stopped as Zack spoke up.

“Hold on.” Turning to look at the violet mare, with a slightly surprised looking Twilight standing beside her, the alicorn trotted up to Cadence with an un-readable expression on her face. when the two were standing face to face with one another, the un-readable expression morphed into a more, softer looking one. “…I’m…I’m sorry.”

“Eh?” was all Cadence and Twilight could say, after Zack spoke. Cadence recovered quickly from the out of nowhere apology, and looked down at the other mare with a very puzzled expression. “What are you sorry for?” Cadence asked as her baffled look remained on her face, while Zack looked back at her while looking like a scolded puppy.

“I’m sorry for what happened between your husband and me, as well as for…injuring you when you tried to stop us.”

Both Twilight and Cadence were surprised to hear this confession come from Zack, Twilight especially was surprised by this unseen turn of events. Up until now, she’s only seen her double-ganger be either stand offish with others, be abrasive, or just simply angry. So seeing Zack be so, polite and remorse, was really unexpected for the violet alicorn. Cadence then gave a small smile and a patted the smaller mare on the shoulder with a hoof.

“Thanks, and I’m also sorry that I couldn’t be as much help, or being able to stop my husband.” Cadence said with a small amount of shame in her voice.

Twilight was just dumbfounded to see this softer side of her look alike, and see that her sister-in-law was actually getting along with Zack, or at the very least look like they’re starting to get along. Once the apologies were made, and both alicorns have given one another a forgiving hug, instigated by the pink princess, Cadence left the castle and made her way to the train station while giving one final goodbye to Zack. Who returned the gesture in kind.

“I’m…surprised.” Twilight said to other alicorn as the doors closed.

“At what?” Zack asked as she turned to face the other pony.

“You being, nice.” Twilight said as she used her wings to gesture to Zack, who just gave a puzzled look. “I mean, ever since you got here you’ve been…well…”

“An ass.” Zack’s words seemed to cause the mare to cringe as she said them, but she nodded all the same. “I already told you Twilight, I’m not here to be friends or have parties, or anything else…I just want to go home and be with my friends, especially with my family.” the alicorn dropped to her haunches as a really worried look came over Zack’s face.

“The longer I stay here, the longer that my family worry about me, and wondering what has happened to me if they find out I’ve been gone. My parents are probably freaking out, my little sister—oh god I can’t even imagine how Latina is taking this! I always pick her up after school, and it’s been a whole week!”

Zack started to mutter to herself about how everyone back home must be feeling, and was starting to look like she was on the verge of tears. Trotting up to her side, Twilight sat down next to Zack and hesitantly brought her twin into a hug, which the other mare didn’t seem to resist or shy away from. Half a minute or so Zack recovers from her little emotional moment, and thanked Twilight for the hug before stating she was going to head off to her room, Twilight asked if she needed anything but the alicorn just kept walking up the steps, and made her way to her room. Twilight watched as her look alike disappeared behind the upper floors pillar, and wondered what she could do help cheer Zack up, however anything that came to mind just seemed pointless. The only thing that would seem to make the alicorn happy, was just to go home, and be with her family.

As Twilight sat there in the main foyer the sound of somepony blowing their nose caught Twilight’s attention, causing her to look around the large chamber. But there was no pony around.

“What was that?” Twilight asked herself, before a thought came to her, as well as a small sigh. “Discord…are you spying on me again?”

The alicorn waited for the lord of chaos to make some kind of appearance, or just pop into existence…but strangely enough…Discord didn’t show up. instead, a small message on a piece of paper popped into existence, right in front of Twilight’s face. the note simply said, Discord is currently out, please leave a message after the beep, before the piece of paper rolled back up and disappeared in a small flash of light, accompanied by the sound a duck quack. Deciding not to question Discord’s strangeness, Twilight made her way to the castle doorway, and flew off to Sugarcube Corner to get something that hopefully Zack would like. But in truth, she need to think about a few things.

~~~~~

The door to Zack’s room opened as the mare trots in, still baring the same sadden expression. Closing the door behind her the mare made her way to the bathroom, where a pair of magical hands prepped the tub, a nice hot shower—or in this case bath—always helps her feel more relax. Stepping into the tub and laying down, the alicorn laid against the tubs side and waited for the water to just submerge her. little by little the tub fills with water till it reaches her withers, once there was enough water one of the magical hands turned the facets off to cut the flow of the flow of water.

Zack gives a long relaxing sigh as the hot water warms her body, her wings fluttering under the surface, causing the water to jostle a little. As she relaxes in the bath, Zack turned her head to look out the window, and just stare off into space and began wondering what to do for her house arrest. Reading is valid option, but reading could only go so far on its own, and from the initial tour around town the ponies level of technology is either steam-age, or retro-age material, so modern convenience is out of the question…

“Unless Twilight can get one of those arcade machines installed in the castle.” Zack mused as she continued to lay in the hot water.

“I guess I’ll just have to find some other way to keep myself occupied.”

While the alicorn contemplates on what to do for the next three days, her horn ignites and a naked version of her old body appeared beside the tub, and began washing the rest of Zack’s body by gently pouring water over her head. as the construct washes the alicorn down, she began turning her attention away from keeping herself occupied, and was now focused on her family.

One of her memories that came to her mind was the day that Latina was born. When she first that tiny little baby, he heart soared with joy, she was just too cute! For the next two years that Zack lived with her parents’ house, before moving out, she spent almost every day playing with Latina, keeping an eye on her, even seeing that little baby girl waddling around always brought a smile to Zack’s face. The alicorn’s construct wiped away the tears that were forming in her eyes, before going back to washing her down. Even after she had moved out of her parent’s house, Zack made it an effort to always be in her life and be there for her.

~~~~~

Twilight has reached her intended destination, and lands in front of Sugarcube Corner with a soft plop on the ground, as her wings folded against. As she walks into the confectionary the princess of friendship, seemed to be a dreary state, like something was just eating at her and she couldn’t put it out of her mind. She then spotted all of her friends off in the corner of the shop, talking to one another while eating pastries, before they stopped and walked over to Twilight.

“Twilight, how’s Zack?” Starlight asked her mentor.

“She’s alright, she headed for her room before I came here.” Twilight responded. “I’m assuming that she’s either going to be asleep, or is just wanting some space.”

“And how is she taking her house-arrest?” Rainbow Dash asked as she hovered over the group.

“She actually seems to be taking it very well, for the most part.” Twilight said to her friends, who all seemed to be surprised to hear that Zack wasn’t as, upset, as they initially thought.

“At least she’s not causing a ruckus.” Applejack said with relief. She then noticed that Twilight has a worried look on her face. “Twi, what’s wrong?” the others looked at Twilight, and saw that she does seemed to be troubled by, something.

“…” the alicorn didn’t initially say anything, which only caused her friends to be more worried.

“Come on Twily you can talk to us about anything, so tell your best friends what’s wrong.” Pinkie Pie chirped as she bounced to the mare’s side.

“…I’m just realizing…how I was taking Zack’s situation so, nonchalantly up until this point.”

“What do you mean Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

“Even after saying several times that she’s from another world, we just thought it was nothing, and that the princesses will help her out. But…we’ve never took it seriously. She’s hear all by herself, no pony she knows is here, and she’s scared that she’ll never see her friends, her family, or her little sister that made her almost look like she would have a panic attack!” the other six mare’s seemed to finally notice this fact, as their pleasant expressions devolved into, slightly concerned looks. “She has no idea why’s she here, or what even brought her here, and all of us are just treating it like it will be fixed like, that!” Twilight emphasized as she scoffed the ground with a hoof.

“And all we’re concern about is just trying to make her feel like she’s having a vacation, instead of trying to comfort her and tell her that things will work out, and she’ll be able to see the ponies she deeply cares about.”

It pained them to admit it, but…Twilight was right. all this time not one of them took Zack’s situation seriously, and thought she was just exaggerating everything, and thought this would just blow over once Celestia or Luna figure out a way to help her. none of them even considered how Zack must’ve been feeling, how it is being all by herself among strangers, and in a world that’s supposedly different from hers. They’ve all also seemed to understand why Zack always sounded so, annoyed, angry, or just out right frustrated with them, as they all treated her like somepony who just needs to relax and spend time with ponies she doesn’t know. Pinkie started to make her way to the back of the shop, but was stopped when Twilight spoke up.

“Pinkie, where are you going?” Pinkie looked back to Twilight with a determined look in her eyes.

“What I do best! Make ponies feel better…but this time, I know what NOT to do and what TO do.”

With that Pinkie trotted into the kitchen and the sound of pots, pans, and other things being collected, or moved about could be heard. The others seemed to have a slight grasp at what their friend was up to, and simply waited for Pinkie to come back to them, and that hopefully whatever it is she’s doing will help Zack feel better.

~~~~~

Zack released a very relaxed and relieved sigh as she walked out of the tub, and was starting to be dried off by her magical construct rubbing her body down with a towel, and brushing her wings with a brush. This soak in the tub was probably a bit to longer than usual, but after everything that’s happened recently, she thought a nice soak was well deserved. And it helps that the tub apparently keeps the water nice and hot as the moment its poured into the tub. Once she was done being dried off, and a little groomed Zack re-entered her room and started to wonder what she should do.

“Maybe I should just stock-pile up on a lot of books, and just read.” Zack mused as she made her way to the door. But as soon as she was about to open the door, someone knocked on the other side of the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s Twilight. The others are here with me, and…we want to talk to you.” Twilight said to the alicorn. “But only if you want to talk.”

Zack ran the request through her head for a moment. Honestly right now she doesn’t want to be around anybody, at least for the time being, but it sounded like Twilight had something important she wanted to talk about. So pushing aside her own comfort for now Zack created a magical hand to open her door, and found Twilight and her friends all on the other side, and they all looked like they’re really troubled by something. After giving the group a once over, Zack stood off to the side and allowed the seven ponies to trot in, with Pinkie being the last one to enter the room, while carrying some kind of box on her back. once the last of the ponies was in the room, Zack closed the door and turned to look at the group.

“So, what is it want to talk to me about?” Zack asked skeptically as she stood by the door. Twilight made her way to the front of the group before speaking.

“We’ve come to say that we’re sorry.” All seven mares bowed their heads in apology, which just seemed to confuse Zack.

“And what are you apologizing for?” Zack asked, now even more suspicious of the ponies.

“We’re apologizing for not taking your situation serious darling.” Rarity said to the mare. “Twilight brought to light the real depths of your conundrum, and how we thought it was just a minor thing. so please, accept our apologizes for not taking your strife more seriously, and how you must been feeling all this time.” The seven mares bowed their heads again in hoping that Zack would accept their forgiveness, but as they wait for a response from the alicorn, Zack could only think of one thing as she stares at the group.

‘…they’ve only now just realized the gravity of my blight?!’ Zack thought as she looked upon the group. ‘These mares are either very insensitive towards others…or their incredibly dense. But…’ the seven mares glanced up at Zack who is just standing there, but she seems to have a small smile on her muzzle.

“Apology accepted.” The seven mares all looked glad that Zack accepted their apologies. Pinkie then made her way over to Zack, and with a quick pop of her haunches, sent the box she was carrying up into the air, before catching it with a hoof.

“I know you said you don’t like sweets, but I made the best savory cake I could make.”

Pinkie then removed the covering over the box, and showed a really dark brown, probably a devil’s food cake. Zack was then offered a fork that Pinkie pulled out from the covering, where she used her magical hand to take it while Pinkie split the cake into eight even pieces. Once the cake was divvied out, Zack took her slice and took the first bite, while Pinkie and the others watched her eat. Swallowing the small piece she took, Zack looked down at the pink mare with a neutral expression.

“It’s still to sweet Pinkie.” The pony gave a defeated sigh, but Zack took another bite of the cake. “But it’s not too bad.”

Pinkie smile actually looked like it was going to split off her face, at how happy she was that Zack actually liked one of her creations, and is actually eating it. Pinkie then started to give the other slices of cake to her friends, as each pony was given their own slice of cake, Twilight looked over to her look alike.

“Zack. I know you don’t want to talk about you’re world, or the ponies that live there. but maybe we could just…talk.” Twilight asked Zack the alicorn, just so she and the others could help her feel not so alone in Equestria. Even if they aren’t friends. As the mare chewed on her latest bite of cake, the alicorn trotted over to her bed before hopping on it, before she levitated several pillows over to the other mares.

“We'll talk for a little a bit, but nothing to personal or—”

“About your world, yada, yada, we know.” Rainbow said as she pretty much ate her piece of cake in big bites, nosily chewing while everypony else took moderate bites. Zack gives a small sigh as she takes another bite.

‘Still as aggravating even when your trying to be chummy.’ Zack thought as she gave a slightly deadpan expression, while Applejack smacks her upside the head. “So, what is it that you girls want to talk about?”

From that point onward, till it was late afternoon Twilight and the other mares talked with Zack, all of them actually getting to know the alicorn better than just who they initially thought she was. By the time it was a couple of hours till night time, all of Twilight’s friends left the castle while giving the wayward alicorn words of encouragement that she will get home, which the alicorn was grateful for. once it was just the inhabitants of the castle, Zack decided to make dinner for the others, as a show of appreciation that Twilight and the others now being aware of the alicorns state. Things seem to be looking up for both Zack, and the seven mares, and hopefully things continue to improve for the better.

But while things are looking up for the ponies in general, someone is thoroughly enjoying the events that have been taking place, and is eagerly waiting for more spectacles to occur in the future. Although, with how everything has been going on, the individual believe they might need a buffet line, rather than a theater snack stand for this real life film!