Sunset was staring at me with a worried expression. Even though she was unable to fully express it, her eyes appeared to show that she understood my inner conflict. My throat was dry from swallowing so forcefully while my mind was racing with ideas. “Do you think she’ll will tell us about her?”

“She definitely will.” Although she spoke with assurance, there was hesitancy in her eyes.

The journal in Sunset's lap started to sparkle, its pages glimmering with golden light, as if it had been waiting for her to open it. Sunset's palm tightened on the cover as my breath caught. She had written a lengthy, in-depth description of the odd green-eyed pupils, the discord that was erupting in our school, and even a brief account of me. However, neither of us had anticipated it when the lighting faded and the words started to form on the page.

We leaned in close, holding our breath as the response gradually unfolded across the page. It wasn't very long. It was vague. There was only one straightforward question.

“How do you know that name?”

Was that it? Only that one, sharp question no confirmation, no acknowledgment, no background. What was the reason for her question? Was she aware? Was she upset? Are you afraid? Startled?

With wide, doubtful eyes, Sunset turned to face me. A silent query that she dared not ask had taken the place of the confidence she had displayed earlier. She picked up her pen slowly and began writing again, each letter quivering a little.

Galaxia is my friend’s mother.He told me her story, that she was from equestria and you knew her.

We exchanged glances once she was done, anxiety and bewilderment pervasive. As we waited, the silence seemed oppressive.

The journal glowed again. This time, we both leaned in closer.

But this wasn’t what we expected.

There was no signature to indicate Celestia's prepared tone, nor was there any meticulous language. Rather, the phrases appeared hurried, almost desperate, as though she had penned them in a hurry.

“This journal is no longer a place to have this conversation. We need to talk about this hoove to hoove. I'll assemble the top magic users in Equestria, including Twilight, and we'll work to open the portal. We should be able to use the diary as a focal point to build a gateway if the magic flows through it. Please wait for us to be done. .”

Sunset turned to me, her face pale but determined. “Well, i didn't expected that.”

“Do you think they will be able to open portal?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Sunset hesitated before nodding. “If Celestia says they will try, then maybe? But... it won’t be easy. Portals like this require an incredible amount of magic.”

Notebook gleamed dimly, serving as a reminder that Celestia was attempting to provide us with answers somewhere else, on the opposite side of reality.

We could only wait for the time being. There was a lot of silence in the room, the kind that made you tense and kept you enmeshed in your own whirlpool of thoughts. Periodically, Sunset and I would exchange glances, each one brimming with unsaid anxieties, concerns, and a strange, brittle sense of unity. Neither of us said anything. What could be said?

Each minute seemed to drag into an eternity as time passed slowly. Then, after what must have been a few hours, the diary on Sunset's lap started to glow again, the room's silence broken by the slight glimmer of golden light. Sunset's breath caught as she opened it and looked over the new message, her fingers shaking.

Her voice wavered as she read aloud:

“ It's done. The portal is now active, stabilized by the journal’s magic. Sunset and your friend, I know this is a lot to ask, but I need both of you to come to Equestria immediately. This is an urgent matter.”

Both of us paused, gazing at the journal as though it had just told us that we were supposed to venture into a volcano's interior. My mind was racing, with a thousand ideas coming together at once. Visit Equestria? Now? On the other side, what awaited me? Would I be... me at all?

Sunset appeared equally startled, her customary self-assurance eroding as a result of Celestia's words. It was one thing to write to her old mentor, but it was quite another to enter a mystical portal and meet her face to face.

“Wait... wait... wait. This is too fast. We—we can’t just... go! I don’t even know what I’m going to be over there! What if I turn into... I don’t know, some kind of weird... lizard thing? Or a rock? Or what if—”

My words came out in a desperate rush, each one tinged with increasing anxiety. I had trouble breathing, and my chest felt constricted. This was no ordinary journey. This was an adventure into a world I didn't know existed, with unpredictable rules.

Sunset stared at me abruptly after glancing at the journal indifferently. Her hands gripped the book as though it were the only thing keeping her grounded, and her face was pale. “I... I don’t know if I can do this, meeting her? In person? That's to much"

Sunset was carrying her own mountain of fears, despite my dread about what I might become. For her, this was about more than simply entering a new environment. This had to do with confronting her past, her errors, and the person she used to be.

She spoke quietly but steadily, with a hint of strength in her voice. She said, "We can do this," but it seemed more like she was trying to persuade herself than she did to persuade me.

I turned to her. “You really think so? It's big, its really fucking big for either of us haha. Oh we are fucked”

“Yeah. I mean... we have to, don’t we? Celestia wouldn’t ask us to come if it wasn’t important. ” She picked up the pen and scribbled a response in the journal:

“We’re coming.”

The words gazed back at us, irrevocable and final.

The enormity of the choice hung over us like a thick mist as we sat there for a second time. Then, gently, Sunset shut the notebook and got to her feet, her steps solid and purposeful in spite of the horror on her face.

“Alright,” she said, turning to me with a faint, nervous smile. “Now or never.”

Even though my legs felt like they may buckle under me, I nodded. Hesitancy was no longer an option. After sunset, I got back on her bike and we drove back to the school. The darkness was weighing down on us, and the streets were disturbingly quiet. A thousand questions and anxieties ran through my head, but I made myself keep quiet. Sunset appeared to be as absorbed in her thoughts as the lamps were, her face unreadable.

The school grounds were empty and dark when we got there. It felt like a whole new universe from the one we had left hours before, with the gates sealed and the place imposingly motionless. We had to enter.

“Guess we’re climbing,” Sunset said.

I walked over to the fence and nodded. I pushed her as she reached for the top, helping her over since Sunset was up first. I briefly feared she may slip as her boots scratched against the metal, but she landed on the other side with unexpected ease.

“Your turn,” she whispered loudly, gesturing for me to follow.

With the icy metal digging into my hands, I followed her up. By the time I fell to the other side, my heart was racing, but the impact was mild. Without saying a word, we exchanged glances and walked over to the statue.

The massive stone structure towered over us, creating lengthy shadows in the moonlight. Its glossy surface concealed the portal to Equestria. To us, it was the entrance to a another realm, but to others, it appeared to be just another statue.

Without a word, we came to a halt a few feet from it. I couldn't quite put my finger on the intensity that made the air feel thick. Sunset was standing next to me, her breathing shallow, her hands balled into fists at her sides.

We remained there looking at the statue for a whole minute. Like a dense mist, the weight of what we were going to accomplish descended upon me. My palms were sweating, and my legs were wobbly. I wasn’t ready. How could I be?

Then I felt Sunset’s hand slip into mine.

She was staring at me when I turned to face her, her teal eyes glimmering with what appeared to be a combination of dread and resolve."We can do this"

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Together," I said, firmly holding her hand.

We stepped forward.

The statue rippled like water as soon as we touched its surface. The world around me vanished before I could respond.

It was like someone was taking my body apart and reassembling it all at once. I had never felt anything like it before—like plunging through an infinite emptiness while being compressed, stretched, and twisted in ways that shouldn't have been conceivable.

I tried not to close my eyes, but the magic's pull was too strong. I briefly believed that I would never stop falling as streaks of color and flashes of light burst behind my eyelids.

Then everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I was met with a sight that took my breath away.

The gentle illumination of the castle's great hall lighted the tall, majestic figures of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna as they stood in front of us. Their emotions were a mix of astonishment and amazement, and their eyes were wide. But they weren't well they weren't humans, they were ponies.

Behind them, I saw the counterparts of the girls from my world. There was Twilight Sparkle, her wings folded neatly at her sides, standing just ahead of the others. Together, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stood staring at us with a mixture of incredulity and interest.

And they were all looking at me.

I tried to take a step forward, but my legs wobbled beneath me.

Where my hands should have been, I saw hoofs as I looked down. As I absorbed my new shape my body now that of a pony my pulse raced. My body automatically went to all fours as I stumbled once more. It was an odd, foreign feeling, but not as scary as I had expected.

Sunset caught my sidelong glance. She was beautiful even as a pony. Her teal eyes still had that same glimmer of resolve that had gotten us through, and her fiery mane and tail shone in the gentle hall light. She took a tentative stride forward, her movements smooth and natural, as if she were more at ease in her form.

Celestia’s gaze shifted from me to Sunset, her expression softening slightly. “Sunset Shimmer,” she said, her voice warm yet laced with an edge of uncertainty. “You’ve returned.”

Sunset lowered her head a little, her cheeks beginning to flush a little. Her voice was firm yet low as she answered, "Princess Celestia."

"And..." Celestia looked back at me, studying my features with a furrowed brow.

I could see the glimmer of hesitancy in Sunset's eyes as she looked at me. She said, her voice quivering just enough for me to hear, "This is... my friend, the one i writed about."

Luna took a step forward and met my eyes with her sharp eyes.

I thought for a second that her eyes were reading every inch of me, looking for something that I couldn't express. Her countenance, which had been so calm and majestic only minutes before, changed to one of utter disbelief. She took a reflexive step closer, her lips slightly parted. She was thrilling even as a pony, but her wings were tingling ?

“You…” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her midnight blue face softened with a mix of wonder and disbelief. “You look just like her. You are truly her son… she- no, its good to see that she was happy in the end.”

I was astounded by what I saw when I looked at my reflection on the floor.

The face that was staring back at me seemed strange and familiar at the same time. Deep indigo and black glistened on my coat, dotted with tiny, star-like sparkles of light. I had a flowing mane. Similar to Celestia's and Luna's, it swirled in cosmic hues that changed with each glance—deep blues, purples, and golds—rather than just hanging down. It like gazing into a nebula's core. My side had a mark from what looked like a judge's hammer.Or something like that.

Gleaming dimly with the same cosmic force as my mane, a long, thin horn sprang elegantly from my forehead. Additionally, there were wings—big, strong, and exuding a feeling of something huge and old. These felt... genuine, unlike the wings I'd acquired during that transformation in my universe. Like breathing, they seemed to be a natural part of me.

I looked at them more closely, the feathers glimmering with the same cosmic colors. I thought about them instinctively, about how they ought to move, and they did. Their breadth was wider than I had expected, and they suddenly stretched in a smooth manner. The action caused a gust of wind that pushed me back a little.

The power of it startled me, and I stumbled, trying to regain my balance. “Ouch,” I muttered. “So… I’m not a rock. Cool.”

The charm of sunset surrounded me; it was a soft, pleasant glow that was like a warm hug. Her eyes were wide with wonder and worry as she steadied me. She murmured quietly, "Take it slow," bringing me back to the present "Woah you are really a alicorn, and a handsome one too"

“T-thanks” I guess by pony standars i looked good? Hm i took another looked at her, then back at my reflection.

I couldn't take my eyes off of it. This hadn't been me. However, it was. It was, somehow. My head was full of questions, each louder than the previous, and my heart was pounding. I looked in the direction of the princesses. Luna and Celestia were both looking at me, their faces displaying a range of emotions that I was unable to fully interpret. Awe. Pain. A ray of hope.

“You knew her. My mother. Galaxia.”

Celestia stepped forward now, her tall, regal form seeming somehow smaller as her eyes softened. “We did. She was… she was like mother to us. Our guide. The one who taught us about harmony, leadership, and magic. She was a unique queen who was incredibly smart, compassionate, and powerful beyond measure.”

Luna nodded, her expression wistful. “She shaped us into who we are today. Without her, Equestria would not have known the peace it enjoys. But one day, she vanished. She told no one why, left no explanation. We searched for her, begged the stars for answers, but…”

Celestia continued, her gaze never leaving mine. “And now, after all these centuries, we learn that she not only lived… but had a son.”

I felt Sunset’s hoof on my shoulder, grounding me as my thoughts threatened to spiral. “Why?” I asked, my voice cracking. “Why did she leave? Why didn’t she ever tell me any of this?”

Celestia and Luna exchanged a look, their expressions unreadable. Luna finally spoke, her tone hesitant. “We do not know why she chose to leave. But if she hid her past from you, it was for a reason. Galaxia would not have done so lightly.”

Celestia’s gaze lingered on her sister for a moment before shifting back to me. Her expression was torn, a mixture of anguish and resolution. She took a step closer, her wings slightly unfurling as if to shield me from what she was about to say.

“I know the truth,” Celestia said, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

Her words hit me like a hammer. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath catching in my throat. Every muscle in my body tensed, as if bracing for impact.

“You… you do?” I managed to stammer, my voice cracking under the weight of the moment.

Celestia nodded, her gaze unwavering, though the pain in her eyes was undeniable. "I fear what it would mean for you, for all of us. But you deserve to know truth.”

The room seemed to grow quieter, the air heavier, as if the entire castle itself was holding its breath.

“Your mother, Galaxia… she did not leave Equestria because she wanted to,” Celestia began, her voice steady but filled with a deep ache. “She run… because she was being hunted.”

“Hunted?” I repeated, my mind struggling to grasp the weight of her words.

Celestia gave a serious nod. "Galaxia was more than simply Equestria's queen. She served as a protector and the guardian of a vast and ancient force that predated our own. It was a force that could create or destroy entire universes, a magic woven into the very fabric of existence. She was its guardian and its vessel. And there was a lot of risk associated with such authority."

I felt my legs weaken beneath me, but I stayed standing, driven by the gravity of her words.

“Centuries ago,” Celestia continued, a terrible being an ancient force of destruction sought to claim that power for itself. It called itself Umbra, a shadow entity born of chaos, disharmony and malice. It desired the magic within Galaxia, for with it, it could shatter the balance of harmony and bring eternal darkness to all realms."

“Galaxia fought to protect Equestria, to shield our world from Umbra’s grasp. For many eons, but even with her immense strength, she knew she could not hold it off forever. And so, she made the greatest sacrifice one could imagine.”

Celestia’s voice wavered now, her composure cracking. “Celestia’s voice wavered now, her composure cracking. “She completely left this world behind. In order to safeguard the power she possessed as well as to get out of Umbra, she entered the human world and sealed her identity and magic. She started a new life there."

My heart thundered in my chest. My mind raced as I tried to process her words. My mother—this legendary figure, this queen of unimaginable power had walked away from it all. For what? To hide? To live an ordinary life?

“But… why didn’t she tell me?” I asked, my voice breaking. “Why didn’t she explain who she was? Who I am?”

“She didn’t want you to bear the weight of her choices,” Luna interjected, her voice softer now, almost tender. “You were her son, born into a world untouched by the magic and chaos of Equestria. She wanted you to live free of the shadow that loomed over her. But in doing so, she carried that burden alone. And now… it seems it has found its way to you, half of her power is in you, rising at every moment”

Celestia’s expression grew graver. “Umbra is not gone,” she said, her voice low.

I felt a chill run down my spine. “Then it will come for me,”

Celestia nodded solemnly. “Yes.”

Silence hung between us, heavy and suffocating

“We’ll figure this out,” Sunset said softly but firmly.Her words were a lifeline, pulling me back from the abyss of fear and despair threatening to swallow me whole.

“I… I don’t know what to do,” I admitted, my voice shaking. “I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of it.”

“No one asks for the destiny they are given,” Luna said, stepping closer. “But it is yours, and it is tied to all of us. You are not alone in this fight. We stand with you, as we once stood with your mother.”

The two royal sisters, who had previously been my mother's pupils, stood before me and promised to help and mentor me. Sunset's steadfast devotion was evident in her eyes as I gazed at her. At last, I glanced down at my image once more.

I saw more than just an extraterrestrial shape staring back at me. There was more that I saw. A legacy. An obligation. A fragment of the woman who had given up all for me.

Author's Note

Pretty short chapter right? We got a glipse of Galaxia past? But is that everything? Did she just leave to keep equestria safe? Will mh have to face umbra so fast?