Princess Twilight Sparkle was sitting in Princess Celestia’s study, enjoying some tea with her mentor. The conversation had been light so far, and Twilight had the uneasy feeling that when Celestia finally did speak about why Twilight had been summoned… that she wasn’t going to like the conversation much. She was a little lost in thought while sipping on her own tea.

Have I already failed in some way as a Princess? What am I supposed to do?

She was nearly on the verge of a silent panic attack until her eyes caught on Celestia’s movements… and noticed that she had put her teacup down and cleared her throat to finally speak. Twilight barely calmed her features before Celestia looked right at her.

“Twilight… now that you are a princess… I need you to branch out and learn more of the harder and lesser used skills of a princess. Being the Element of Magic and the Princess of Friendship serves you well… but you will also need to learn more about some of the more unsettling things that come with being a ruler. Things that a book cannot teach you.”

Twilight’s eyes brightened at the prospect of learning something new, even if it might be ‘unsettling.’ If nothing else, it felt like a chance to redeem herself from any possible failures.

“Like what, Princess?”

Celestia sighed heavily. “Many things, Twilight. The Art of Combat and War. Diplomacy. How to recognize when you are being lied to or otherwise misled while trying to choose the right path. And when times are tough… how to gather, hunt, cook and camp in the wilderness. Most of all, you need to know how to survive in an unforgiving world should the need come to pass.”

Twilight’s ears folded back unto her head. She didn’t know the first thing about how to even start learning all of that and it gave her more reason to panic.

“But… Equestria is so peaceful. Given that I don’t think I can learn what you want me to from a book, even should such a book exist… how am I supposed to learn… that?”

Celestia smiled brightly but spoke seriously. “There is a magical scroll in the library that can teach you these things… but it isn’t to be trifled with. It can transport you to a world with humans and other non-human races that is very similar, yet different, from our own world and from the world in the crystal mirror. It will turn you into an anthropoidal pony, complete with hands and feet to allow for a bi-pedal existence. Once there… you will try to survive. Make friends… gain allies. Master physical combat and war spellcraft. You will do things that you never thought you would ever do… but you will do it to grow stronger and to survive. But… be warned, my faithful student… you can die in that world and if you do… you will die here as well. There are no second chances.”

Twilight’s face paled with the realization of the danger involved.

She asked timidly. “Can I take my friends with me?”

Celestia shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”

Twilight’s voice was barely a whisper. “Why not, Princess?”

Celestia sighed tiredly. “I need you to understand something Twilight. I’ve ruled for a very long time and I’m getting tired. Now that you are an Alicorn… you very well may replace me on the throne someday… or at least be able to grant me a much-needed vacation. Your friends can help you rule if you want them too, for a time… but they are mortal. Unless they ascend, you will be left to rule alone someday, much like I had to do after Luna’s banishment. No, Twilight, this is your lesson. Your task. I need you to be as capable as I am.”

That last statement gave Twilight pause. “Have you ever used the scroll?”

Celestia nodded. “Me and my sister have both gone into that realm, one time each, when we were younger, but after we became alicorns. We went in separately, as we were instructed, and we learned a great deal. Luna took it to better than I did but we both survived.”

Twilight cocked her head to one side. “How many other ponies have survived that have tried it?”

Celestia winced at the expected question. “I have sent seven others over the years. None have survived. Of course… none of them were Alicorns. I had considered sending Cadence but now that she rules the Crystal Empire… that is no longer possible. You don’t have to go… but I’ll never be comfortable letting you help me with my duties, let alone ever rule Equestria, if you don’t.”

That… was the one thing that Twilight couldn’t allow to happen. The worst possible thing… She couldn’t afford to lose the trust of her mentor. Twilight may not have been brave in the same way as a Royal Guardsmen or a Knight, but neither was she a coward. She knew a great number of spells but had almost intentionally not learned military grade combat magic, leaving that to her brother. She never expected to become a Princess so not knowing how to defend herself or the kingdom was now something she was starting to regret.

Thinking back onto it… she had a book about camping and sleepovers, and while she did manage that one sleepover, she had never went camping… unless the tree in her bedroom counts. She never did figure that out. Hunting… well… hunting suggested killing an animal for its meat… but she would never need to do that, right? Even as an anthropoidal pony that could eat meat… would she ever actually do so?

Twilight cleared her throat… “About the hunting…”

Celestia cut her off, her voice with a slight edge to it. “The place the scroll will send you is very harsh. Similar to the Crystal Empire, it is cold all year round, even in the summer. As a result, not a lot of food grows there but there is a decent amount of wildlife. It is entirely possible that you will need to eat meat to survive. Even if you don’t eat the meat yourself, you will need the furs and other supplies you can harvest from what you hunt to craft weapons, armor and alchemic potions. The food itself shouldn’t be wasted either and can be sold or traded if you don’t want to eat it yourself. However… learning how to hunt and camp and generally survive is also important because a Princess should understand what her people and the common citizens of other nations have to do to survive. It grants us the understanding we need to be merciful in situations that are sometimes hard to judge.”

Twilight withered under the cold but honest tone and nodded absentmindedly, considering all of her options, while sipping on her tea trying to warm herself up. It didn’t take long for her to realize that there was only one choice.

“When do I leave to use the scroll? And where do I to go to use it?”

Celestia smiled at Twilight’s choice. “The scroll is in the castle library. The head librarian will fetch it for you when you had her this parchment.”

Twilight took the parchment and asked one final question. “Is there anything else you can tell me about where I’m going?”

Celestia nodded. “It is a realm with 10 major accepted races and about 4 other acknowledged sub-races. Ponies like us don’t ‘exist’ in their world but the scroll will give you a general magical acceptance amongst their people. When you tell people that you are a ‘pony’, they will acknowledge that you are from a rarely seen race that came from a different continent. I hope that your time in the crystal mirror will allow you to remember how to live in a bi-pedal lifestyle. It is a dangerous place, and you will have to kill to defend yourself… unless you are comfortable with being robbed daily and raped weekly. The weak do not survive there. I know that you are kindhearted… but you are too kind to rule. I need you to learn the hard truth of the law of tooth and fang. I will understand if you can’t do this.”

Twilight blanched while still holding the parchment.

Raped? I’ve never even had a colt friend… how could I allow my purity to be stolen?

“I honestly don’t want to do this, Princess… but I also feel like that I have no choice. I want to help, and I admit that I’m a little soft. I expect that this will be a hard learning curve for me, but I also expect that when push comes to shove… my desire to not die or be raped will kick in and give me what I need to push through. I just have to remember to not be afraid to reduce people to ash.”

Celestia smiled widely. “That’s the spirit. Now. The library awaits you.”

* * *

Twilight entered the library with a sense of dread that she had never previously experienced. The librarian was chirper, having recognized Twilight from years of her staying at the castle.

“Good afternoon, Princess. What can I help you with today?”

Wordlessly, Twilight magicked over the parchment. The librarian looked at it and her eyes widened. With a curt nod, she walked away to fetch the requested item from a locked back portion of the library. Twilight took a moment to look around the library that she had practically lived in growing up in the castle when she wasn’t self-confined to her tower.

Gosh… I’m going to miss this place. Will I really never see it again?

She shook off those thoughts and steeled herself.

No… I will survive. I will learn the lessons I was meant to learn, and I will come back and read every book in this library!

Her promise to herself seemed to help calm her down until her thoughts were shattered by the loud thud of a wooden box placed on the counter. Twilight turned to look, and her jaw dropped.

In front of her was a beautiful rectangular dark oak box with gold hinges and a symbol that she had never seen before burned into it. The librarian opened the box to reveal a scroll that seemed to be made of ivory and gold. In a tone of whispered awe, the librarian said…

“Behold… the Elder Scroll.”

Twilight nodded and reached out to touch it. “I will return… I swear.”

With a light tap on the scroll… she was teleported to a distant land…

* * *

Twilight slowly came back to consciousness, the teleport knocking her out from the power it used. A human she had never met before spoke to her.

“Hey, you. You’re finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there.”

Twilight looked over at the indicted thief with a frown. She was distressed to find that her hands were tied behind her back, but she was dressed and otherwise modest, although the clothes were just worn-out rags that did little to keep out the cold as they traveled by wagon.

“Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn’t been looking for you, I could’ve stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell. You there. You and me — we should be here. It’s these Stormcloaks the Empire wants.”

Twilight wasn’t comfortable with the so-called thief talking to her and was saved from having to reply by the first human. “We’re all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief.”

The driver of the wagon called back in a harsh tone. “Shut up back there!”

The thief looked over at a gagged man wearing what seemed to pass as a noble’s attire. “What’s wrong with him?”

The first human seemed offended at the thief’s words. “Watch your tongue! You’re speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!”

Twilight’s eyes were drawn to the gagged man while the thief spoke in hushed worry.

“Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You’re the leader of the rebellion. But if they captured you… Oh gods, where are they taking us?”

The first human sighed. “I don’t know where we’re going, but Sovngarde awaits.”

The thief started to panic. “No, this can’t be happening. This isn’t happening.”

The first human replied with a comforting tone and asked a question. “Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?”

The thief sounded angry. “Why do you care?”

The first man seemed to sigh, a little lost in thought himself, his tone a little melancholy. “A Nord’s last thoughts should be of home.”

The thief almost seemed to accept his fate. “Rorikstead. I’m…I’m from Rorikstead.”

An Imperial Soldier called out to his officer, “General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!”

General Tullius nodded. “Good. Let’s get this over with.”

The mood in the wagon was somber with those words. Twilight’s eyes narrowed to pin picks.

I’ve been here five minutes and I’m already about to die? What! There is no way my luck is that bad… well… there have been a few times…

The thief rattled off a hasty prayer. “Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Divines, please help me.”

None of the other humans could feel it, but Twilight could feel a magical response to that prayer. However… it also felt… ominous.

The first human scoffed. “Look at him, General Tullius, the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this.” He continued softly. “This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in. Funny…when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe.”

Twilight’s eyes caught onto a child and what looked like his father.

“Who are they, daddy? Where are they going?”

The father replied softly “You need to go inside, little cub.”

The child protested. “Why? I want to watch the soldiers.”

Not having any of it, the father replied sternly. “Inside the house. Now.”

The Imperial soldier driving the wagon pulled back on the reins. “Whoa.”

The panic in the thief’s voice still managed to build. “Why are they stopping?”

The first human scoffed again. “Why do you think? End of the line. Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us.

The thief’s panic was now fully apparent. “No! Wait! We're not rebels!”

The battle hardened first human rebuked him “Face your death with some courage, thief.”

Twilight jumped out of the wagon with the rest of the humans while the thief was still trying to talk his way out of this.

“You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!”

A female officer in steel armor called out a command. “Step toward the block when we call your name. One at a time!”

The first human quietly scoffed. “Empire loves their damn lists.”

A lower ranked soldier started to read off of a scroll. “Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm.”

The reverence could be heard in the first human’s voice. “It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric!”

The soldier continued. “Ralof of Riverwood.”

Twilight looked at him. Ah. Ralof… now I know his name.

In a bored tone, the soldier continued. “Lokir of Rorikstead.”

The thief lost it. “No, I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!”

Hands tied behind his back; he never stood much chance. Even if he managed to outrun the soldiers he could very well die in the wilderness. He makes a break for it anyways.

The female captain was angry at the attempt. “Halt!”

Lokir called back breathlessly. “You're not going to kill me!”

The captain was not amused. “Archers!”

The archers drew their bows with practiced precision. Lokir was downed with one bowshot. Twilight gulped as the bile started to rise in her throat. The captain’s next words destroyed her shaky train of thought.

“Anyone else feel like running?”

The soldier frowned at Twilight. “Wait, you there. Step forward. Who are you? What… are you?”

Twilight put on her best winning smile. “My name is Twilight Sparkle… and I’m a pony from a faraway land.”

* * *

Author's Note

Okay. Vote as to if Twilight should join the Empire or the Stormcloaks.