Author's Note

Piece of Time.

Enigma

Luna led Twilight to the portal connecting the two worlds. The moon princess turned to her sister's former pupil.

"Just before the signal vanished, we managed to track its location to an isolated region in the North American continent. Based on your geographical research, it originated in a rural community in Arkansas."

Twilight gulped. A pit formed in her stomach.

"No way..."

"I assume this relates to the place in your dream?"

Twilight nodded.

"It seems my own curiosity continues to grow as well."

"What does it all mean?"

"I cannot say for certain, though one thing has become all too clear: there are forces at play beyond anything Equestria can comprehend at the present moment."

"What do we do now?"

"That's your decision to make. Earth is your domain. Your satchel suggests a desire to investigate. Am I wrong?"

"No..."

"You know what must be done."

Twilight sighed, approaching the mirror begrudgingly.

"Tell my friends where I am. The portal will only stay open for half a day. If I'm not back before then, organize a search party."

"Understood. I shall pray for your safe return."

Twilight nodded. She faced the mirror once more...And stepped through...

In a flash of light, Twilight appeared within the confines of the cottage. The humans from her dream reacted in the exact manner she expected - surprise and shock.

"W...What are you!?" the man shouted.

Twilight ignored him, looking herself over for any signs of change.

"Well, this is new..." she uttered.

"ANSWER ME!"

"I'm not your enemy," she finally replied in an attempt to calm him down, "I'm here to help. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm a pony from the world of Equestria."

The man shot her a harsh glare.

"Oh, great," he exclaimed sarcastically, "Just what we needed!"

"You're just gonna have to trust me for now."

"In case you haven't noticed, my daughter's bleeding profusely over here!"

Twilight approached the group.

"Disinfect the wound."

The man's gaze shifted from hostile to inquisitive.

"What are you waiting for!? Hurry!"

He complied, quickly cleansing the wound of debris and bacteria.

"Now stand back."

Twilight ignited her horn. A magical aura engulfed the child's forearm. Both sites began to heal simultaneously. The girl's mother and father stood inches away, twice as dumbfounded as before.

"What's going on...!?" her father muttered.

Once the wound fully closed, Twilight backed away. The girl's tears stopped flowing.

"How does it feel?" Twilight asked.

At last, she heard the child speak, albeit in an exasperated tone. Through the stuffiness, Twilight could make out a meek politeness. It sounded familiar somehow...

"Who are you...?"

Twilight smiled, trying to break the tension despite the dire circumstance they now found themselves in.

"I'll give you a hint."

She approached the twin-size bed, using her magic to levitate the black doll. The girl couldn't believe her eyes.

"A little birdie told me you were in trouble. Figured you could use a helping hoof."

The family sat together at the table between the rest area and kitchen. For a moment, they reflected in silent contemplation. Twilight waited patiently for them to process what was happening.

"So you're a pony...From another planet..." the man repeated in disbelief.

"Yes. I am the element of magic and the princess of friendship."

The man closed his eyes, raising his brows as he did so.

"Oh. Now it all makes sense."

"I understand your skepticism. I can barely believe it myself. To tell you the truth, I don't even know why I'm here..."

"Regardless, you helped our daughter. For that, we're eternally grateful."

"Of course. It's the least I can do."

"We already had breakfast, but you're welcome to grab something from the fridge if you'd like."

"I already ate, too."

"Care to join us, then?"

Twilight nodded. She approached the table, heeling next to the man's daughter.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are your names?"

"I'm Robert. The lovely lady across from me is my wife, Chelsea. Guess you've already met our daughter, Emily."

"Emily...That's a pretty name."

"It means rival. Didn't really know that when we named her." Robert chuckled.

"Interesting..."

"What is?"

"Your naming methods seem to be based on auditory appeal. Ours are related to color schemes or special talents."

Robert gave the princess a look of intrigue.

"Sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances." Lisa apologized.

"Don't worry about it. I already had an idea of what I was in for."

"What do you mean?" Robert inquired cautiously.

"I dreamt about this place, and I think I know why. Our worlds are more closely connected than I thought. The question is...How...?"

"We'll be able to help you figure that out better once we're outta this mess."

"My initial plan was to charge out and neutralize them as quickly as possible. Given their proximity though, that's no longer an option."

"Maybe we can help."

"How?"

"We know someone on the outside. She's an interesting character to say the least. She'll know what to do."

Emily's eyes lit up.

"Daddy, do you mean Maria!?"

Robert nodded.

"Maria?" Twilight wondered.

"She's a close friend of the family. That doll you picked up earlier? She designed it as a Christmas gift for Emily last year."

Twilight considered this.

"Does she know about Equestria...?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Mm? No...Nothing...Just thinking..."

"You think we should call her?"

"Yes. I'm curious now."

"You look exhausted," Chelsea realized, "Please, feel free to rest while we're waiting."

"Thank you."