Through the Mirror

by G. M. Berrow

  “The princess of this year’s Fall Formal is…” Principal Celestia tore open the golden envelope with a flourish. “Twilight Sparkle!”

  The gym erupted in cheers. We did it!

  “Omigosh, I was so nervous,” Fluttershy squeaked.

  Pinkie Pie blew into a noisemaker. “Wahoooooooo!”

  Celestia motioned to Twilight, and she walked up the steps carefully. This would be the worst time to fall, even if it was called the Fall Formal. She reminded herself to smile, too. Everyone seemed so happy for her. Down below, her friends were all clapping. Twilight didn’t see Sunset Shimmer, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t still sulking in some dark corner of the gym right now.

  “Congratulations, Twilight!” whispered Principal Celestia as she took the crown from the wooden box and placed it atop Twilight’s head. The second it touched her hair, Twilight felt an instant wave of relief wash over her. Everypony was going to be safe now. She would go back through the portal tonight and home to Equestria as planned. Harmony would be restored.

  But the good feelings didn’t last for long.

  “Twilight! Help!” a familiar voice rang out through the gym.

  “Spike?” Twilight said, scanning the crowd for him. “Is that you?” It wouldn’t make much sense for him to be speaking right now. In this world, dogs weren’t supposed to talk, and in a big crowd like this, everyone would hear him! So why was he causing a commotion? This wasn’t the best time.

  Then Twilight saw. Snips was cackling as he ran out of the gym, holding Spike under his arm. Suddenly, the world melted away. “They’ve got Spike!” she called out to her friends. Twilight jumped down from the stage and ran after them, parting the crowds of confused students.

  “Spike!” she called out. Spike squirmed and reached out for Twilight, but Snails followed close behind his partner and blocked her. Twilight rushed out the door after them. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity were all on her heels.

  Once they were all outside, Twilight spotted Snips and Snails tearing across the Canterlot High front lawn. “There!” she shouted. They were going straight for the statue of the Wondercolt. Straight toward the portal!

  “That’s close enough,” Sunset Shimmer said, stepping out from behind the statue.

  “Don’t hurt him,” Twilight pleaded. Spike looked really scared. Now she understood the meaning of the phrase puppy-dog eyes.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.” Sunset began to pace back and forth. “I’m not a monster, Twilight.” She whipped around and barked at Snips, “Let him go.”

  “What do you want?” asked Twilight.

  “I just wanted your attention so I could say congrats on your big win.” From the tone of Sunset’s voice, Twilight didn’t think she meant it in the slightest. “Too bad you won’t be able to take your crown home with you.”

  Sunset Shimmer turned on her heel and bent down to pick something up. It was a long silver stick with a knob on the end of it.

  “A golf club? Oooooh, is this a secret night golf party?!” Pinkie Pie couldn’t help herself. “Or is it like a golf club club? I don’t like the game much, but I suppose I could join.…”

  Sunset Shimmer shot Pinkie a look, and the girl clammed up. This was no time to annoy Sunset.

  Sunset held the stick high above her—right above the portal and perfectly poised to destroy it. Sunset smiled deviously. “Say good-bye to Equestria, Princess,” she cackled.

  This couldn’t be happening. No, no, no! A moment ago, back at the dance, everything had been perfect. Twilight had been voted Fall Formal princess, received her crown, and was all set to return home to Equestria tonight, just in the nick of time. Now Sunset Shimmer was threatening to destroy the only way she could get back home… forever. Twilight had to do something.

  “You don’t belong here. Give me back the crown and you can go back to Equestria tonight.” Sunset Shimmer tapped the base of the statue with the golf club. “Or keep it and never go home.”

  Twilight didn’t know what to do. Neither option was going to work. If she handed the crown over, the Elements of Harmony would be rendered useless. They needed one another to work. But if she kept the crown, Twilight could never return home. Which would also be useless. And then she’d never see her Ponyville friends again!

  “Ticktock, Twilight. We haven’t got all night. The portal will be closing on its own in less than an hour,” said Sunset. She looked at her wrist, even though she wasn’t wearing a watch. “So… what’s your answer?”

  Something snapped inside of Twilight, and she stamped her foot. This was ridiculous. Sunset Shimmer couldn’t get away with destroying everything that mattered just because she was upset about being unpopular.

  Twilight narrowed her eyes. “No.”

  “What?!” Sunset squawked, her eyes fiery. “Don’t you see what I’m about to do to the portal?”

  Twilight stood tall. She knew that her Canterlot High friends were right there with her.… She might not be at home with all the Elements of Harmony, but she still had the most important thing—friendship. “Yes, but I’ve also seen what you’ve been able to do here without magic. Equestria will find a way to survive without my Element of Harmony. This place might not if I allow it to fall into your hands.” Twilight took a few steps closer to Sunset. “So go ahead. Destroy the portal. You aren’t getting this crown.”

  “Fine.” Sunset Shimmer dropped the golf club to the ground, defeated. “You win. Come on, Snips! Snails!” she snapped, and the goofy pair fell in line. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. The portal was safe, and she still had her crown.

  “Can’t believe you were gonna do that for us!” said Applejack.

  “It’s no wonder you’re a real live princess,” added Rarity.

  “Yes, she’s so very special.” Sunset Shimmer leaned in close to Twilight’s face. “Take your crown back to Equestria, Princess Twilight. See if I care.”

  And in one swift motion, Sunset Shimmer reached for the crown. Fortunately, Twilight’s reflexes as a two-legged creature were getting better. She dived out of Sunset’s grasp and went tumbling onto the grass. The crown flew off Twilight’s head and landed about two feet away, jewel-side down.

  Sunset lunged for it, but Spike was quicker. He snatched the crown and took off across the lawn, carrying it in his little dog mouth.

  “Grab him, you fools!” Sunset Shimmer yelled at Snips and Snails. “He’s headed for the gym!”

  The two boys ambled after him, tripping several times along the way. Twilight and her friends followed, though it wasn’t easy to move fast in their high heels and dresses. Rainbow Dash shot forward. She didn’t let anything hold her back.

  “Over here, Spike!” shouted Rainbow from inside the front doors of the gym. He darted through the legs of the students and attempted to fling the crown in her direction. Rainbow caught it perfectly and jumped up onto a large speaker. Snips was right below!

  Rainbow Dash hooked her arm through the crown and reached for the nearby basketball hoop. She swung on the metal ring and flung her body onto the stage like an acrobat. The satisfied smirk on her face vanished as soon as Snails popped up beside her.

  “Heads up!” she shouted as she tossed the crown to Spike again. He jumped high and caught it in his mouth. Before he could run back to Twilight, he was lifted into the air.

  “I’ll take that,” Sunset Shimmer said, grabbing him around the belly and stealing the crown straight out of his mouth. She dropped him on the ground and closed her eyes, relishing her final victory. “At last! More power than I could ever imagine!” She marveled at the crown glinting under the light of the disco ball.

  Throngs of confused students stopped dancing and started to back away from the crazed Sunset, creating a circle around her. Her eyes turned fiery as she stared at her precious prize.

  PHZAAAM! A bright flash suddenly flooded the gym with red light, temporarily blinding the crowd.

  When everyone’s vision returned, some
thing that was neither girl nor pony stood before them. And it was terrifying.

  The True Colors of Sunset

  The frightening creature paced around the circle, laughing at the crowd of scared students. Her hair and tail seemed like they were made of fire, with flames licking up around her and the gnarled horn on her head. Her massive dragon-like wings extended out behind her, and her skin was tinted red. As she looked around the gym, an expression of contempt flashed across her sickly green eyes.

  The creature threw her head back and cackled.

  She raised her clawed hands and shot two fireballs out. They hit Snips and Snails—instantly transforming them into hybrid creatures as well. They each sprouted wings, giving them a sort of an evil boy–Pegasus look.

  Chills went down Twilight’s spine. Was this Sunset Shimmer’s true form? All this time she’d thought Sunset was just some pony from Canterlot, which was clearly not the case. Whatever she was, she was not friendly. But she had the crown and now she was terrorizing the school for real.

  There was only one thing left to do.

  Twilight lunged for the Sunset creature, but the thing shot two more fireballs in Twilight’s direction, both of which she narrowly avoided by ducking. Sunset laughed.

  “I have to say, I am really disappointed in all of you. I’ve had to jump through so many hoops tonight to get my hands on this crown and it really should have been mine all along. But let’s let bygones be bygones. I am your princess now.

  “And you will be loyal to me.”

  The girls watched in horror as Sunset approached a group of students who were cowering in the corner of the gym. She shot a few more blasts of fire, and suddenly they were all like zombies. Their bodies looked stiff, and their eyes were glazed red.

  Sunset turned to Snips and Snails. “Round them up and bring them to the portal!” Then she turned to Twilight and her friends, a big smile on her face.

  “Spoiler alert: I was bluffing back there when I said I was going to destroy the portal. I don’t want to rule this pathetic little high school! I want Equestria! And with my own little teenage army behind me, I’m going to get it.”

  “No.” Twilight stood up. “You’re not.”

  “Oh, please. I have magic, and you have nothing.”

  Rainbow Dash was the first to stand up behind Twilight, arms crossed.

  “She has us,” Applejack joined in, followed by Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy.

  Sunset Shimmer feigned shock. “OMG! The gang really is all back together again. It’s just like freshman year.” She walked up to Pinkie Pie, who was doing her best to put on a tough face. “Now step aside. Twilight has tried to interfere with my plans one too many times already. She needs to be dealt with.”

  If they were anything like her Ponyville friends, Twilight knew that they wouldn’t abandon her now. Sure enough, Sunset Shimmer fired a blast of fiery red light at them, but the girls all clasped hands and braced themselves for the worst.

  “What is happening?!” yelled Sunset Shimmer as the six girls rose up into the air. They became enveloped in a bright white light. When they landed on the ground again, each girl’s hair had grown out into long pony tails and they had real pony ears. Plus, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash now had wings. And Rarity was sporting a Unicorn horn.

  The white light then passed through Twilight. She also rose up into the air, spun around, and landed with her own horn and wings. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. Even though Twilight wasn’t completely transformed to her pony self, she already felt better. Well, as good as she could feel for someone in a gym full of zombie-students and a scary fire monster.

  “I don’t understand!” Sunset Shimmer cried out in despair.

  Twilight stepped forward, head held high. She gestured at her friends, who were looking at one another in awe. Rainbow Dash was trying to flap her wings, but the rest stood frozen.

  “The magic contained in my Element was able to unite with those that helped create it. The same Elements that exist in Equestria can be found in this world—Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, and Loyalty. Together with the crown, they create a power beyond anything you could imagine. But it is a power that you don’t have the ability to control.”

  Twilight pointed to the monster. “The crown may be upon your head, Sunset Shimmer, but you cannot wield it, because you do not possess the most powerful magic of all—the Magic of Friendship. It is the only magic that can truly unite us all.”

  Apparently, they were magic words, because as soon as she’d said them, Twilight and her friends rose up together once more. A powerful blast of rainbow light surged from them, striking Sunset Shimmer. The crown tumbled off her head and onto the ground. And the spell was broken at last.

  After the Sun Sets

  It was as if they’d all awoken from a strange dream. Students rubbed their eyes as their senses returned to them. They were unharmed, but confused and groggy nonetheless. Even though the Equestria Girls still had their long hair and pony ears, everyone else was back to normal, including the one who had caused it all.

  Sunset Shimmer lay curled up on the gym floor, transformed back to her former girl self. As she blinked herself awake, Sunset looked around at her fellow students. They stared down at her with disdain. She shrank back and hugged her knees, as vulnerable as ever. Twilight felt sort of bad for her, but that didn’t change what she had just done to Canterlot High School.

  “You will never rule in Equestria,” said Twilight, approaching Sunset. “And any power you may have had in this world is gone. Tonight you’ve shown everyone who you really are. You’ve shown them all what is in your heart.”

  “I’m sorry.” Sunset Shimmer shook her head and began to cry. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know there was another way!”

  “The Magic of Friendship doesn’t just exist in Equestria. It’s everywhere.” Twilight motioned to the vast gym around her, filled with students. Filled with potential friends. “You can seek it out. Or you can be forever alone. The choice is yours.”

  Sunset sniffed. “But all I’ve done since I’ve been here is drive everyone apart. I don’t know the first thing about friendship.”

  Luckily, there were five girls who would be willing to teach her a thing or two. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all approached the sad girl and began to help her up. She looked up at them, wide-eyed. Like she couldn’t believe people could ever be kind to someone just because it was nice to be nice. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

  Principal Celestia approached Twilight. She had the crown in her hands. “I believe this belongs to you,” she said, placing the crown atop Twilight’s head once more.

  Vice Principal Luna nodded her agreement. “A true princess in any world leads, not by forcing others to bow before her, but by inspiring others to stand with her. We have all seen that you are capable of just that. I hope you see it, too, Princess Twilight.”

  “I do,” Twilight replied as regally as she could. Once she got back to Equestria, she would need to take some time to really let the events of the past three days sink in and—

  “So would now be a completely awkward time to ask you for that dance?” Flash Sentry popped up, completely interrupting Twilight’s train of thought. He bit his lip nervously as he waited for her response.

  Twilight smiled. She supposed there was time for at least one dance.

  Back to Equestria

  It was going to be sad to leave them, but Twilight was glad that her new friends were all back together again. They had one another, and that was what mattered! And now they also had an unexpected new friend as well—Sunset Shimmer—who seemed to be already embracing the idea of being nice instead of evil.

  “You’ll look out for her, won’t you?” Twilight said to her friends. They were standing out front by the statue. Their faces were only lit by moonlight, but Twilight could make out that they were going to miss her, too. Pinkie Pie’s bottom lip jutted out and began to quiver.

 
“Of course we will,” answered Rarity. “Though I do expect some sort of apology for last spring’s video debacle.”

  Twilight patted Rarity on the back. “I have a feeling she’ll be handing out a lot of apologies.”

  They’d all been busy dancing, but Twilight had noticed Sunset going around the gym, apologizing to several students. Luckily, most of them had no idea what she was talking about because they’d been in a trance during her little fiery tantrum. But it still showed that she wanted to change.

  Spike barked and wagged his tail. “We’d better get going,” he said, gesturing to the portal. “We don’t want the others to worry.”

  He was right. Twilight couldn’t put it off any longer, or else risk missing the portal altogether. Being stuck here for thirty more moons no longer felt like it would be the worst thing in the world, but everypony back home needed her.

  “I’ll miss you girls!” Twilight enveloped her friends in a group hug. Then she reached out to Spike. They stepped up to the statue. The surface of it glimmered and gleamed just as the mirror had back in Equestria. It was now or never.…

  She turned to Spike. “Ready?”

  The purple pony and baby dragon were blinded by white light as they stepped out of the frame in the Crystal Castle. They couldn’t see anything, but they could hear lots of voices.

  “Twilight!” shouted Pinkie Pie.

  “You’re back!” cheered Applejack.

  “You got your crown!” Rarity sighed.

  “Psht, I knew you could do it,” stated Rainbow Dash.

  Twilight blinked her eyes and sure enough, there they all were. Her pony friends! They looked like they hadn’t left the mirror’s side since she’d gone through the portal. But their relieved faces told her everything she needed to know. She was back, and Equestria was safe once more.

  “Sunset Shimmer,” said Princess Celestia, approaching the weary traveler. “Is she all right?”