Twilight Sparkle paced throughout her library, muttering about quantum waveforms and other such buzzwords, and calling out to Spike occasionally.

"Where's that spellbook? I need to find that copy of 'Universal Universes'..."

Spike quickly pulled the book out of its hiding place-he often wondered how Twilight forgot where she threw these books, a detail which he could recall immediately. A purple glow surrounded the book, and Twi quickly yanked it out of his hand, flipping the pages until she reached a dog-eared chapter labeled "Travelling in Five Dimensions".

"Found it! Spike, get the girls in here. We're going on a trip!"

"Ah don't get it. Wha's all this got ta do with travellin' again?"

"We're going to travel to other universes!"

"Don't you mean 'dimensions'?"

"No, Rainbow Dash. Dimensions are just directions that are perpendicular to other dimensions. Universes are entire other worlds."

Twilight ushered her friends into the magic-channeling circle she had drawn on the floor. "I'm gonna teleport us all into some alternate universes, and maybe we'll find something interesting."

"Why would we find anything interesting in another universe?" Applejack asked, eyebrow raised. "Ah don't think there's much that could be different from the stuff in ours."

"Well, according to my calculations, there's an infinite number of these universes-and each one is different! We're bound to find something that's useful at some point."

"Ooh! OOH! I bet we could throw a welcome party for OURSELVES. Wouldn't that be CRAZY AMAZING SPECTACULAR-"

"I don't think there's any other universes where we exist, Pinkie," Twilight explained, "And even if there was, meeting ourselves would be bad. Probably."

"On the other hand, perhaps there are some incredibly fashionable aliens who will give me the inspiration I need."

"uh, are you sure it isn't dangerous?"

Twi nodded, trying to reassure Fluttershy. "We'll be fine. Between my magic, Rainbow Dash's speed, and AJ's strength, we can handle just about anything that could be on the other side of this portal."

Rainbow Dash nodded proudly, smiling confidently. Applejack simply adjusted her hat and said "Let's get this hoedown over with."

Fluttershy nodded back to Twilight, still a little scared. Of course, any pony would be afraid of something completely unknown.

Twilight charged the circle with magical energies. Lightning arced and crackled across the points of the hexagonal symbol within the circle, dancing along the letters etched into its surface. Fluttershy backed toward the center, as did the other ponies. The circle began glowing gently, and that glow became a bright, pulsing light. Soon the world around them blurred...and changed...and became Twilight Sparkle's library.

"um...i don't think it worked."

Twilight blinked. "I cast the spell exactly right, didn't I? We should be in some fantastic realm-"

A sound came from the bedroom, a haunting, disturbing moan.

"Maybe this wasn't tha best idea, Twi," Applejack said as she began shaking.

Fluttershy was already hiding behind Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie...where was Pinkie?

The bedroom door creaked open, as Pinkie peeked inside-and was nearly thrown against the wall by Trixie!

"What are you doing in the Great and Powerful Trixie's house?! You interrupted my beauty sleep-What in Luna's name?"

The Great and Boastful Trixie stared at the six ponies now standing in her living room, her jaw agape. "Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, and-Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy? I thought you two were on your anniversary dinner date!"

There was an awkward pause. Then there were two soft "pomf"s and a "oh my".

Then there was another pause-and then Twilight finally spoke. "We're actually...how do I put this...from another version of Equestria. One where this is my house."

"Although I must say," Rarity mentioned, "Your version of this place is much better. I like what you did with those curtains!"

Everypony stared at her.

"Did you really just say that?" Rainbow Dash glared at Rarity, her embarrassment replaced with indignity.

"It seems kinda insensitive," Applejack commented.

The Great and Sensitive Trixie simply smiled. "I think it was just a well-meant compliment, really. By the way, Twilight-you should stick around until this universe's Twilight gets here. It'll be interesting, finding out what two of you can do-"

"NOTHING TO SEE HERE BYE!" And they were gone in a flash of purple.

They found themselves in the library-again-but this time, the shelves were different, and the table was higher, and the door was twice as tall.

"Did y'all just accidentally shrink us?"

"No, there wasn't any shrinking elements to the spell."

"Perhaps the room simply is bigger than we remember?"

"i have to fly to reach the door handle now..."

As Fluttershy reached pitifully for the door, it opened-and a strange creature walked out. It stood on two legs, and was twice as tall as the ponies. It wore a flowing robe, emblazoned with stars and constellations-all in the right places, Twilight noted-and a familiar symbol on one shoulder.

"What in Equestria?!" shouted Twilight-or should I say, both Twilights.

Twilight (the pony) immediately began charging the spell again-this monster thing scared her, she didn't know why, but it incited fear in the very depths of her soul. Something about meeting yourself-but-not-yourself just...unnerved her.

Another flash of violet light, and they were home. They were in their real home this time, Twilight was sure of it.

The next morning, Pinkie had organized a party to celebrate their first cross-universe travel, filled with oddly-shaped balloons, crazy music, and candy shaped like other foods (Pinkie figured that there simply must be a universe where broccoli tastes like gummi bears) along with DJ PON-3's trademark "hoofstep" music. As Rarity made small talk with some of the party guests, and Rainbow Dash chatted with Fluttershy, Twilight walked toward the edge of the partygrounds to get some fresh air.

She was the first to notice the strange guests.

They were bipedal, and wore strange metal armour, which covered their entire bodies. When one spoke, it was with a distant quality, like some of PON-3's favorite special effects, and they all carried oddly-shaped bits of metal in their hooves.

What could they possibly want? Why were there more of these things?

Out of the corner of her eye, Twi saw a pink blur. Oh, horse apples-

"Hi! What's your name? I'm Pinkamena Diane Pie, but you can call me Pinkie, which is what my friends call me, but you should call me that too because YOU'RE MY FRIEND NOW! WHEE! I should go get started on your 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. Ooh, I almost forgot the song! My name is Pinkie Pie,/ and I am here to say..."

The world moved in slow motion as the creature held the weird metal bit up, pointed it at Pinkie, and pressed a lever set into the handle.

Pinkie fell with a blood-curdling scream, and the world around Twilight erupted with panic.