Special thanks to MarkKB and Chewy Card for beta reading this chapter.
My head hurts. Oh my god how I hate hangovers! Why the hell I had to drink? I am not even the legal age! Maybe it was because I was tired of being called 'Little Miss Bookworm' and of being teased for always studying and having no fun. No, that's not it, to be honest I just needed a break, I had to study for two weeks for the exams we had last week, and then this week we didn't have any exam yet I was still studding.
Never mind, I have to, getting a scholarship is the only way I can afford to go to university.
So, my parents told me we were moving, and the only friend I had makes me a surprise goodbye party, then guilt trips me into drinking. So here I am, on a Sunday morning, waking up with my head hurting, everything looks like a blur and...
This isn't my room!
Heck, this isn't even my friend's room, or her guest room, or the room of anyone I know! I mean is so big, the bedroom I am in huge, and as my friend would say, everything looks so fancy! Basically if you ever seen a luxurious Princess room in an animated movie, this basically looks like that. Since nothing in real life uses this kind of pastel colors unless is Disneyland.
I groggily get out of bed. Man, I must be worse than I thought! I have to crawl instead of walking, and I feel kinda funny. I look around once more and notice a big decorated mirror.
Then I look at it, and despite my vision being blurry, I see a purple unicorn in the mirror instead of my reflection. Am I dreaming? No, it hurts too much to be a dream. I give the pony a strange look of confusion and the pony does the same.
I still can't stand up, but as I raise my hand in front of the mirror, the unicorn raises her hoof. I must be hallucinating, right? It's not common, but maybe I am one of those people whose head becomes really messed up when they drink a lot.
Yes, that's it! I should just return to bed and hope I get out of this hallucination.
Then I hear knocking in the door "Twilight Sparkle, may I come in?"
"Uh... okay?" I say, I don't know the voice, but if this isn't real, why panic? And if it's real, panicking can come later.
The door opens and what enters the room is... a dark blue unicorn with wings? Okay, a horse with wings is called a pegasus but how do you call a horse with both wings and a horn? Wait, Why I am seeing this? Sure I like unicorns like a lot of girls, but I am a teenager now, I am supposed to reject those childish things!
"Twilight Sparkle, what happened to your wings? Did you try a new spell?" asks the unicorn pegasus (or should I call it winged unicorn?) with worry.
"Wings? You mean that besides looking like a unicorn out of a kid's book, I am also supposed to have wings?"
Okay, I shouldn't have said that, it was a really bad idea. But try to see things from my point of view, it is not easy waking up with your first hangover ever. Add to that the fact I woke up in a strange place that looks like some kind of vaguely-European castle. Where was I? Ah yes, and to top it all, I can't even stand up and my reflection looks like a unicorn…
And then I looked at where my hands where supposed to be and realized that's not the only thing about me that looks like a unicorn.
"I don't understand, what are you talking about? Are you saying that you aren't Twilight Sparkle?" The creature looks at me right into the eyes, scary!
"Yeah, I guess so." Then the creature continues to stare, as if this was still rather dubious, looking angry and distrustful. "Uh... if I was bad, wouldn't I be trying to pretend to be Twilight instead of being honest?" The way I am shaking in fear seems to relax the bigger... pony? horse? Somewhat.
"I guess I can give you the benefit of the doubt... for now."
Well, I am very lucky this creature didn't react in a violent way, but how it knows my name? Does this unicorn I have become also respond to the name 'Twilight Sparkle'? Of course it does! Stupid hangover!
"Sorry for causing you trouble, I was never a unicorn before so I am quite confused. You can call me... Tara?"
Look, I technically didn't lie, I just told her I'm not her Twilight Sparkle and that she could call me Tara. I never said my name was Tara, did I? And where I got the name? I heard it somewhere and it sounded like a nice name,
"Tara, I understand you must be confused and hurt, but may you please come with me to see my sister?" The unicorn pegasus says trying to sound nice, but I bet it must be because she is worried about HER Twilight Sparkle, after all why would she care about a stranger she just meet?
And what about me? Why I aren't I screaming in panic? Or crying? This should be freaking me out! I blame booze.
"OK." I follow the creature, walking as fast as I can in four legs. My balance is way off and I trip more than once. Soon she loses patience and her horn glows in a white color, so does me body, and she carries me floating around trough the hallway. Hey, I'm flying! Well, floating.
I did not just think that, did I? How the hell could I be okay about being in a world of colorful unicorns? Again, I blame the booze.
We finally arrive to a big throne room, there are two thrones there, and in one of them is sitting a different unicorn pegasus, She, because it looks like a female, is white with a colorful mane and tail. I did not notice it before, but these two are way bigger than I am now; that makes me feel somewhat scared.
"Eh... could you... please put me down, miss?" I say in a squeaky voice. Thankfully she does that, the white glow fading away.
The white unicorn pegasus looks at me with curiosity and interest, but I guess that since I look a lot like someone she knows it makes sense.
Now, what I wasn't expecting was the white unicorn pressing her face with the side of one of her own hooves and saying "Why me?"
Luna looks at her sister with worry, whatever she was about to say forgotten. She is probably confused about Celestia's face-hoof.
"Excuse me..." says the unicorn Twilight "I'm Tara ... I woke up like this and... could you help me? I am not really a unicorn and I want to go back home."
"I see. Are you hungry?" Celestia asks.
'Tara' was probably about to protest that she has no time to eat and wanted to be back into her own body and home as soon as possible, as she looked like that was just what she wanted to do. But then her stomach starts to grumble.
"Uh... yes, I guess I am." Tara says blushing in embarrassment
I find myself eating a lot of pastries instead of talking, so the white one does the most talking instead. Eating with just your mouth is difficult, and I am forced to do that because I have no idea how to float things like I had seen the blue pegasus do to me.
I am told the two creatures are sisters, princesses who rule together a land called Equestria, and that they call their own species ponies. The blue one is called Luna and the white one Celestia. They tell me Celestia raises the sun while her sister Luna raises the moon, something I do not believe at all, because even if I am in a magical land full of colorful ponies, that's just ridiculous.
Apparently I had been found two days ago asleep in front of a magic mirror, and they were so concerned, probably because they thought I was their Twilight, that they first missed the fact I had no wings or cutie mark. Then they assumed it some magical side-effect of using the mirror. A cutie mark is some kind off drawing that appears in a pony flank when they discoverer their special talent, and there is some discrimination to ponies that don't have one.
Princess Luna had just arrived today from a diplomatic mission to a foreign country, she didn't say which one. I can clearly see the distrust in the so called moon princess eyes ('so-called' because for all I know they could be lying about being princesses, after all).
Her big sister is a lot better hiding it, but I know it's there. Apparently there had been an invasion of shape-changing insect-like monsters called changelings not too long ago. An invasion Luna had SLEPT through. Yes, I ain't joking about that. She is clearly thinking I might be one of those creatures even after Celestia assures I am not.
And how they found out I wasn't one of those changelings? They took a blood sample, it seems a changeling blood is different from the blood of a pony. - I'm not sure how, and my request for more details is politely denied.
Oh, by the way, humans don't exist here, so I am stuck as a pony as long as I stay in this world. And where is THEIR Twilight? It seems that while I am stuck with these ponies the other Twilight is stealing MY LIFE, but that isn't the worst news.
"Thirty moons? I have to wait thirty moons to go back home?" I say. They're kidding, right? Assuming this planet had a close enough rotation to Earth that's... almost two and a half years! I can't be stuck here for that long!.
"I assure you Tara, we will try to make your stay in Equestria as comfortable as possible." Celestia looks at me with kindness in her eyes, and I start crying.
"I want to wake up! Why I am still stuck in this nightmare?" I say, and now even Luna looks at me with pity. I don't want their compassion! These... these MONSTERS are clearly responsible for me being stuck in their world.
I cry for what it feels like hours, then finally notice someone is hugging me, it feels warm and nice. To my surprise, it's Luna who is doing it, not Celestia. The princess of the sun is looking at her younger sister, who is hugging me, with an expression that I would call surprise if she wasn't trying so hard to hide it.
Then, as if to make the day complete, my new body decides to give me a nasty surprise.
"Uh... Princess Luna?" I say in a soft voice
"Yes dear Tara?" Did she just call me "dear Tara?" Just not long ago she was accusing me of being a changeling! Is she bipolar or something?
"I need to... uh... well... use the toilet?" My voice sounds even lower
"Toilet?" Luna asks with confusion, then I blush and try to explain "Well, is the place you use when you need to, um, when you need to get rid of bodily waste."
"Oh, you mean an outhouse?" Luna says understanding. Just great, not only I am stuck as an unicorn, I can't even have decent plumbing!
"Yes... where is the..." Just then, Luna horn glows a dull white and before I can ask what's going on all I see is white and find myself inside an outhouse. Yes, there is definitely something wrong with her.
"Sister?" Celestia looks at Luna "Wasn't that a bit rude?"
Luna laughs nervously "Did you want me leading a pony that looks like Twilight Sparkle but has no wings or cutie mark to one of the castle outhouses myself? Oh that would have looked great, don't you think?" Luna giggles, maybe to annoy her sister a bit.
"And what's about when she is done?" Celestia gives her sister a hard look.
"Oh I added a spell that will teleport Tara to my personal bathroom after that. Or didn't you want to keep this as a secret for now? If there is a thing that haven't changed during my exile is the servants tendencies to chit-chat about anything odd that catches their notice."
Celestia blinks, then blinks again. "How come you went from thinking she was as changeling to hugging her?"
"I noticed you weren't going to do it yourself. And I do know a thing or two of being in a situation you don't want to be." Luna expression then becomes serious "As they say nowadays, we are royally screwed, aren't we? I am surprised Discord isn't already on a rampage of chaos with both Twilight Sparkle and the element of magic missing."
"I am surprised about that too, I guess that he really values his friendship with Fluttershy or..."
"Or what?" Luna didn't like where this conversation was going
"Or he is responsible for Tara being here in the first place." Princess Celestia then looked around, kind of expecting Discord to suddenly appear to confirm or deny her accusations. But for better or worse, that didn't happen.
After I am done with my 'business', I see white again and find myself in a bathroom, one that of course lacks a toilet. I fall down to the floor, feeling dizzy; I am getting tired of Luna using her magic on me without even asking. What I am, her pet or something?
Yes, that's right, I am her pet; I get dragged around from one place to the other without being able to say "no". I have no choice about what to do, and even if I wanted to escape, where can I go to escape?
No, I am NOT her pet! I may be a human in mind and spirit, but I am a pony in body, sure I have some rights they have to respect?
"What rights? This is a monarchy ruled by magical pony princesses, who are supposedly able to move the sun and the moon. Do you think they even give any thought about your fate? You are not THEIR Twilight after all."
"Who... who is that?" Just great, as if this technicolor world filled with magical hor… er, ponies wasn't insane already, I am now hearing voices; the voice sounds like the typical seductress villain voice used by femme fatales on TV shows and movies.
"Not 'voices' dear, just one. And about who I am, well, you can call me the little devil over your shoulder, even if that would look weird on a pony; like seriously, can I even sit on a pony's shoulders, let alone if they even have shoulders."
"Then isn't there supposed to be an angel voice somewhere? Please, if there is someone up there listening, I will try to get used to being a pony, just make the evil voice go away."
"There is no angel up there watching for you dear; no one that cares about you but me. Your parents aren't here to protect you, your friends aren't here to save you, and since they can't pass you as their Twilight, they will probably lock you away."
"Know what? I don't bucking care, go away. I am not in the mood for mind games and manipulations."
"Lets see if you think after a few days in a golden cage."
"GO AWAY!" I honestly hope the bathroom is soundproof, I don't want them to think I am going insane.
"Fine, you will soon be begging for my help... unicorn." The voice says the word 'unicorn' as if it was an insult.
I may not be a very sociable person, in all my life I've never had more than one or two friends, even when I was little; but I have read enough fiction and watched enough TV to know not to trust an evil voice that talks in my head. I wait a few minutes and thankfully the voice doesn't come back. I finally get a chance to see my surroundings after brawling with my subconscious. The bathroom was a very spacious, it takes about thirty hoofsteps to cross the floor wall-to-wall. The walls are lined with beautiful wall-lights, casting snowflakes of light against the pearly walls. The tiles were a very crystalline pearl, acting as a mirror when I peer at it, except the reflection is slightly warped and blurry. My hair looks like a flock of birds nested in my hair, each strand seemed to interlock and spring outward.
Now, since I am in a bathroom, a bath sounds like a wonderful idea; after all, I was at least two days without taking one.
I look at the tub, I never seen one so big, you could probably fit the two princesses inside and still have plenty more room for more ponies! First, I open the hot water faucet; next, I open the cold one slightly; using my hoof, I test the temperature of the water. I am not in the mood to touch the drain cover with my mouth, so I just enter inside the tub and do my best to clean myself using the warm water and a sponge. No way I am using soap or shampoo, not if that stuff is gonna touch my mouth. But since my mouth is tasting like dirt, I know I will need to wash my mouth anyway. I try using soap, it seems that for some reason I can hold it in my hooves, it would have been nice to know that before.
Despite all the awkwardness of being in a strange pony body, I finally manage to clean myself. Next I close the water faucets and thankfully find some kind of mouthwash. And then use my newfound ability to have things stick to my hooves to finally get rid of the awful taste in my mouth.
After that, I dry myself using several towels and exit the bathroom. Then I find that I am in another fancy princess room, seeing the night, moon and stars decoration theme with a few shades of blue, I can guess it must be Princess Luna room.
Yes, It seems I am her pet all right, dammit.
No, just no. Twilight Sparkle, stop thinking like that! I am not her pet, I am her guest. She is a princess, even if she and her sister want to keep me a secret, she has no reason to let me in her room. From what I read about royalty she must have at least a few servants that she can trust to keep their mouth shut. It would be easy for Luna and Celestia to just keep me locked in a tower or something. Instead I got to drink tea with the two rulers of this country, they were somewhat polite with me, explained me things and Celestia said they will try to make my stay comfortable.
Still, I can't help but think those darn words that evil voice said:
"Lets see if you think after a few days in a golden cage."
There isn't really a reason to keep me locked up all the time, they could simply just dye my coat and mane in other colors. I saw some of the servants wearing clothes, I could wear a dress to cover my flanks, solving my "lack of cutie mark" problem. Sure they don't trust me, but going out with some guards that will be keeping an eye on me is better than not going out at all. I mean, I didn't see any guards around me, just servants, but every princess has at least a few royal guards, right?
I look around the room, looking for something to distract me, then I find a book about half my size. The cover is a deep maroon with golden letters sketched across the upper-half of the front cover, which read "Unicorn magic for beginners."
I see where this is going; I might be new to this world, and I may be freaked out and scared, but I am not stupid.
Should I play their game? I don't really believe in magic, I would be way more likely to believe their so called "magic" is advanced technology that fakes it. Still, almost every source of fiction I know says that you need to believe in magic to make it work.
Lets try to rationalize this; I don't believe in magic, but I think that mental powers are theoretically possible. In order for a rational mind, like mine, to learn to move objects and creatures like Luna did to me, I could think of it as a form of telekinesis. Telekinesis is the ability to move things or otherwise affect the property of things with the power of your mind.
With that in mind (lame pun), I sit over the oversized bed and open the book, starting to read it.
Is only about ten minutes 'til dusk, Luna opens the door of her room as quietly as possible and peeks inside. She finds the pony, that she has to remind herself is NOT Twilight Sparkle, asleep while holding a book, it looks adorable. The same book she left in her room when Twi... Tara, when Tara was taking a bath. Tara didn't hear her due to Luna's bathroom and bedroom being soundproofed, something logical if one considered that Luna was usually asleep during daytime.
But that didn't mean her sister would stop teasing her for being asleep during the changeling invasion in the near future; Luna is planning her revenge for that, it involves; one cake, a camera, a rubber chicken, and frosting… lots and lots of frosting.
Anyway, now that Tara is asleep, she gently picks her up and deposits her in the royal guest's bedroom. Leaving her with only one minute to raise the moon, she flies outside and uses her powerful, unicorn magic to lift the moon, replacing the once-glorious sun that her sister, Celestia, has lowered; the magnificent sight of the Princess of the Night raising the moon while airborne left the few ponies who witnessed this from the streets of Canterlot wide-eyed with amazement, never before have the princesses ever attempt such a feat during their lifetime. Or at least, no pony that still lives has seen it. Both Princess used to show off a little when they where more than a thousand years younger.
AN: This story Based on Equestria Girls movie but you DON'T need to have seen the movie to understand what's going on. I think human Twilight would be a unicorn in Equestria because she never used a spell and the elements to become a princess. Also how could she have Twi cutie mark if she never used magic before?