"So, Sunset…" Twilight ventured, looking over at her friend, who was laying on the couch while she waited for her clothes from Earth to dry. "How do you think today went?"

"I'll get back to you in a bit on that one." Sunset sighed in reply. "I'm just glad we were able to work out housing so quickly. Not to mention that I finally feel safe for the first time in months."

"I agree." Twilight nodded. After washing and drying several loads of laundry from each of the human Elements, the Equestrian Elements came over to get to know their counterparts, and decide who would be staying with who. As much as Twilight wanted to host the humans, there simply wasn't enough space for seven to sleep and live comfortably at a time in her castle.

At first, the human Elements wanted to stay with their counterparts, but Sunset wisely suggested they not, as it would raise way too many questions and unnecessary drama in town. Zecora's arrival and its aftermath, for one, was a perfect example of this.

Eventually, the housing situation was figured out, and the Elements were split as follows; Applejack and Rainbow Burst, Fluttershy and Elusive, Rarity and Apple Jay, Pinkie Pie and Gentle Breeze, and Twilight would host both Sunset and Eventide Sparkle.

Everything seemed to be planned out perfectly, until a second, unforeseen opening of the Mirror portal drew everyone's attention. To their surprise, it was the human world's version of Spike who had come through. Just as the canid-Spike was settling in, the dragon-Spike walked in with a message from Princess Celestia, saw his doppelganger, and immediately passed out.

Once the young dragon came to, and after a rather awkward conversation about how he had made it to Equestria, and why his doppelganger was a dog, and not a dragon or human, the two Spikes headed to a separate room to work things out between them.

It didn't take all that long, Twilight had to admit, before both Spikes found common ground over comic books, their own experiences as a dog and dragon, and to both Twilights' chagrin, having to deal with their older sisters' habits and quirks. The Equestrian-Spike even gave the human-Spike his new name…"Spur".

"What? It sounds cool, and it's kinda close to my name, yet far away enough that we won't get confused." Spike had stated when asked about his reasoning for his choice.

After sending another letter to Princess Celestia about this development, all of the pairs of Elements decided they should tell whoever they lived or worked with about the "Twinzies-issue", as Pinkie Pie decided to call it, because "Saying or calling it "our alternate selves from a parallel world came to Equestria and need a place to stay-issue" would take too long!"

The introductions, which happened at the Castle of Friendship, went as smooth as one might have hoped, although the Cutie Mark Crusaders had to be strictly warned that they were "distant relatives", and telling anypony that didn't need to know the full scale of what was going on was an enormous no-no.

Granny Smith, on the other hand, once she found out that there was not only a parallel Applejack, but a parallel version of herself, Applebloom, and Big Mac, wondered something out loud that made everyone present drop their jaws and laugh till their sides ached.

"If there's an entire Apple Family here, and another entire Apple Family there…cripes, we'd better book a hotel or something, or we're not gonna have enough room at our next family reunion!"

Once the laughter settled, and everyone calmed down, it was now getting quite late, so the pairs of Element Bearers headed out to get some proper sleep. Eventide Sparkle and Spur soon headed to the upstairs guest room, leaving Twilight and Sunset as the last ones awake.

"It's been quite a day, hasn't it?" Twilight said, trying to stifle a yawn and only managing to suppress it in her voice by about half. "I guess we should see if we hear more from Celestia or Luna in the morning."

"Yeah, hopefully." Sunset replied, lying down on the couch to stretch her legs. "I'm still a little worried, though. What'll the plan be when we get back to Earth? Or, what if somepony brings the Green Poison back to Equestria? Twilight, that stuff practically ended the world as we knew it on Earth. I'm scared to think about how we'll handle it here if that happens."

"Sunset, listen." Twilight said, placing a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Those are good questions to ask, and there'll be a time to ask them properly. Now's not that time, and I'm certain that we'll deal with any problems when the time comes. So…don't worry, alright?"

"Sounds good." Sunset nodded. "I'd better turn in. See you in the morning."

"See you then." Twilight replied, and she turned the light out as she exited the room. Sunset gave a sigh of relief, and was soon sound asleep and feeling better than she ever had in the last seven months.

====

At the same time, in Canterlot, Princesses Celestia and Luna looked at each other in a frustrated and tired manner, best described by the words "I really wish he would stop talking right now".

This was so because after the two of them officially told their ministers of the situation on Earth, and of how they intended to mobilize an expeditionary force to support what remained there…to their relief, many were open to the idea, while others needed more convincing. After a very long discussion, the matter was presumed to have been agreed upon. After finalizing a letter to be printed in the morning papers, the attendees were ready to retire as they got up from their chairs.

Then, they promptly had to sit back down as Prince Blueblood and his posse of supporters barged in against both verbal and physical methods of prevention from the Solar and Lunar Guards stationed outside.

"Again, I must ask you, Princesses, why should we care at all? These matters on "Earth" are of no importance to us, and we'd be wasting resources and time that could be better spent on far more pressing matters!" he concluded. "This whole "Expeditionary Force" is just a smokescreen to take us to war, and I will not stand for it!"

"Unfortunately, nephew…" Celestia spoke in a dark tone that made everypony present back up slowly in anxiety, her nephew included. "The minds of my sister and I are made up. Equestria will not sit idly by while others are in need of aid, whether or not they come from our realm or another."

"Furthermore, you know nothing of the matter at hand, yet you speak as if you do. Which I assure you is not the case in the slightest. My former student, a Canterlot-born Unicorn, has lived in that world for years, and in their hour of need…she came home to ask for our help in saving her home."

"Would you have done the same for her, Blueblood, if you were in my position?" Celestia asked.

"Well…of course! I would…" Blueblood started to speak, only for Celestia to scoff loudly in response.

"You're lying, Blueblood." she said. "For all the years you've been alive, you have done nothing but grow fat on luxury and the tidings of the nobility. If there ever was a moment that you actually did something beneficial to anypony other than yourself, it would be news to me."

Blueblood opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it.

"Listen to me very carefully, nephew." Celestia said, her tone relaxing in his severity. "I don't want to hear any more about this from you or your cadre, and before you see yourself out…allow me to explain my position on this, so that you might better understand my point of view."

"Luna, Ministers, Guards, and…visitors…you may leave as quietly as you can, and you are not to speak a word regarding any of this, until an official statement can be made by my sister and I in the morning."

As the Guards showed everypony out and closed the doors, followed by Princess Luna teleporting out, Celestia sighed and looked at her nephew, who sat down to listen.
"When I reunited with my former student, Sunset Shimmer, I looked into her memories without her noticing. What I saw scared me, Blueblood. It scared me beyond what has ever frightened me before. A once prosperous, interconnected world that I had once hoped to visit…was reduced to a shadow by a rampaging plague, all overseen by one person."

"Now, look out the window, Blueblood. Describe to me what you see."

"I see Canterlot's middle section, full of activity. The lamplighters are going around, some of the citizens are heading home or to nightly entertainment…" Blueblood replied, unsure of where this would lead to. "Among many other things."

"Good. Now, imagine that lovely scene like this." Celestia sighed. "There are abandoned carriages lying broken in the streets, with bags of refuse and waste stacked so high they reach the windows of buildings on the first story, because there is no one left to collect and dispose of it. There is debris and wreckage everywhere you step, from wood to broken glass."

Now, imagine that Royal Street Park in the lower district of Canterlot, has been converted into a burial ground because of the sheer numbers of the dead, who lie unmourned in body bags."

"Those that did survive have turned on their fellows in order to keep themselves alive. Armed rioters and thugs patrol the streets, taking by force what they cannot collect themselves. Those that resist their actions are often killed without mercy."

"There is little to no presence of the government or any kind of law enforcement. The lights are perpetually dark, and basic utilities such as water are cut off. The citizens must scavenge to survive and live another day."

Blueblood's jaw dropped in horror at the image in his head.

"Are things really that desperate there?" he whispered.

"Yes, and that was only one city, a small taste of what happened. Their world was far more developed, populated, and advanced than ours. Imagine the consequences if that were to happen here." Celestia continued. "However, even in the darkest of nights, the dawn still comes."

"Sunset has told me that since the plague began to recede, for about seven months, their world has slowly begun to put itself back together. Then, there are those that are brave enough to defend their fellows against whatever threatens them. They are strong, swift, skilled, and brave…but they need our help, for they cannot fight their battles alone."

"That is why we are going to aid Earth, my nephew." Celestia finished. "To show that there are those that will help when one asks for it. To show that they are not alone in their struggles. To bring healing to a broken world."
"Do you understand now, Blueblood?" she asked, and Blueblood nodded slowly. As he stood up to leave, he sighed and spoke quietly.

"If that is the case…then I shall do what I can."

"That's all I can ask of you." Celestia replied. "Now, I am very much in need of rest, and I must prepare the announcement for the Day Court in the morning. For now, please keep this discussion to yourself."

"As you wish."

As Blueblood left without another word, Celestia breathed a sigh of relief and she teleported out of the room to her bedchambers for some much-desired sleep. After all…tomorrow would be a very busy day.

Author's Note

Update!

Next time - A preview of the Division's side of things at the White House, and the Equestrians prepare to deploy.