Through the Looking Glass - A My Little Pony Fan-Fiction (Mature 16+)

Prologue - Rainbow Dash (Pony)

- Rainbow Dash -

I looked out of the window as the train jostled and jolted along the tracks, heading towards our glistening destination. Twilight had been called to a princess meeting in the Crystal Empire, and Celestia had allowed us all to come along. Something about our newfound rainbow powers only working when we were together.

"Pinkie! Get yer head back in the train b'fore a tree comes and knocks it off!" I heard AJ holler. I turned and saw that Pinkie Pie's head was dangling out of the window. I rolled my eyes and flew over, grasped her by her mane, and dragged her back inside. Rarity used her magic to close the window. AJ seemed to relax a little.

"Aww!" Pinkie shouted. "I was having FUN!"

"I'm not usually one to shoot down danger," I said, hastily. "But you could have gotten seriously hurt! Fun is only fun if you know you wont die."

"Party pooper- OOH! LET'S HAVE A PARTY WHEN WE GET TO THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE! I'M SURE-"

"NO PINKIE!" We all shouted in unison. 

I glanced around the carriage and noticed that Twilight was missing. Spike saw me looking and pointed at the door to the next carriage, then shrugged. I shrugged in response and turned back to AJ, who looked as though she was about to clobber Pinkie with a pointy stone.

I tuned out their bickering and looked back at the fast-moving landscape. After a short while, narrated by Pinkie's incessant party planning, we arrived safely at the Crystal Empire. Twilight rejoined us on the station platform, smiling. She looked out of breath, as though she'd been running - or flying.

"Hi everypony!" She said breathlessly. "Sorry I disappeared, I was feeling a bit faint and I needed some air."

I narrowed my eyes. "Air?" I said suspiciously. "Have you been flying?"

"Uh..."

"Twilight!" We turned to see Princess Cadence and Shining Armor standing on the platform, surrounded by armed guards - one of which Twilight glanced at nervously.

"Cadence! It's so great to see you!" They stepped forward to embrace each other.

"Ahem." Shining Armor cleared his throat loudly. "What? No hug for your big bro?"

Twilight smiled and embraced her brother fondly. "How could I forget my BBBFF?"

He chuckled. "It's great to see you, Twily. Come on, let's get you to the palace."

---

It was evening. The princesses had all sat down to discuss their princessy matters and given the rest of us free reign of the palace. Somepony had suggested the smart idea of playing hide and seek - that 'somepony' had been Pinkie Pie, and she'd left Fluttershy as the finder. After about an hour of hiding in the kitchens with AJ, I'd decided to go off exploring on my own.

I'd almost reached Twilight's bedroom when I saw another door out of the corner of my eye. I turned and recognised it as the storage room that Princess Cadence kept the magic mirror in, the one that Twilight had traveled through moons ago.

Curious, I slipped through the slightly open door and into the room. It was dark, but the mirror was illuminated by a shaft of moonlight peeking through the half-open curtains. The surface of it seemed to shimmer and change, as if it was made of a liquid substance.

I reached out my hoof and poked it tentatively, watching ripples form in the aqueous glass. I sat back on my haunches. What was through there? Twilight had mentioned hands. What were they? There were so many questions that needed to be answered. 

I shrugged and turned to exit the room, then heard the echo of a voice. I whipped back around and looked at the mirror. Right in the middle, right where I'd touched, there was the image of something - someone - me. It couldnt be anypony else. The rainbow coloured mane and blue - what was that? It certainly wasnt a coat. She stood on two hooves, and had long slender...things where her hooves should be. 

She stood with somepony else. They had their back to the mirror, but from their hat I could recognise her as AJ. When she turned, her freckles and straw-like mane were unmistakeable AJ.

The image started to fade as the moon went behind the clouds. I sighed and stood back up, but inside I vowed to return tomorrow night. I needed to know more about these things on the other side of the mirror.

I had to find out what existed...

Through the looking glass...