"Connor, is that you?"
Connor stared dumbly at Cadence and Shining Armor, their faces full of conclusion and longing. Everyone else in the room had expressions that combined anxiety, anger, confusion, and fear-Except for Juniper who looked with shocked silence at Connor and Twilight.
"I... I can explain," Connor said solemnly after some hesitation. The faces of Cadence, Shining Armor, and the Shadowbolts twisted into annoyance and disdain. Sour Sweet clenched her fists and started fuming.
"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Cadence said, anger growing in her voice. "Because it isn't funny anymore."
"Look," Connor said in a panicked tone. "I know how this looks but I swear I can explain-,"
"LIAR!" Sour Sweet bellowed. She stormed up to Connor and grabbed him by his armor and pulled him so they were face to face. "LIAR! I KNEW AND TWILIGHT'S TWIN WERE WORKING FOR THOSE WONDERDOLTS-"
"What!?" Sci-Twi yelled in bewilderment. "I never had a twin sister, I don't even know her!" she pointed at Twilight.
"Hey," yelled Rainbow Dash getting into Sour's snarling face. "Back off, Shadowbrat! Leave him alone!" The other Rainbooms and the Alliance took in menacing expressions as well.
"Really," Indigo Zap said in a cold tone, "I think he needs a good punch for this... prank he-,"
"Sour, enough!" Cadence ordered with a yell. The fuchsia-haired girl rolled her eyes and reluctantly released the white-skinned boy, who stepped back to be with the Alliance. Cadence looked at Connor with sharp eyes. "Connor Nickell," she said in a stern tone. "I don't know what possessed you to pull the stunt. But... we're taking you home. Now."
"But don't worry," Shining Armor said in a foreboding tone. "you'll have all the time in the world to talk about it. Because you're in trouble-"
"What," yelled Connor.
"Cadence," Luna said nervously, walking into the room. "I know how this looks, but I swear that is not the girl you knew."
"Really," Lemon Zest said with disdain, gesturing with her thumb to the elephants, or Connor and Twilight in the room. "They're standing right there,"
"Look," Luna said in a desperate tone. "There is a perfectly good explanation for all this. If we can all calm-"
"Why would he explain anything to you!" Alicia said to the Shadowbolts in rage, balling her fists. "You idiots nearly blew up your own teammate for a stupid trophy! " The Shadowbolts got even more enraged at that.
"He's standing right there!" Sunny bellowed.
"That's it," Sugarcoat said, her monotone becoming unusually sharp as she glared at Connor and Twilight. "Either we get an explanation, or I call the cops and report... these frauds."
"Please don't call the cops," Luna said in a pleading tone.
"You want to call the cops," Applejack said in a warring tone, raising her fists. "then your gonna get-,"
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" The anger dissipated as everyone turned to Juniper who was fuming with confusion. The Rainbooms expressions softened, including the Alliance as they looked at the girl who was clearly out of the loop. The Shadowbolts' expression became apprehensive at the stern look on their friend's face. "You said that your friend Connor died in some accident. Why is he still alive?!" the pig-tailed girl said, gesturing at the nervous lavender skinned girl.
"Friend?!" Sunset said to the Shadowbolts, the anger and disdain returning to her voice. "Is that what you told her! That you liked Connor!" She crossed her arms. "You almost killed him and then you have the nerve to pretend you liked him all along just for fame!" She took a deep breath. "Just when I didn't think you could sink any lower!" The Shadowbolts were about to angrily reply, but their anger did as Juniper stormed up to them, glaring through her glasses and balling her fists.
"Sunny? Guys," Juniper said, gritting her teeth. Her tone filled made the Shadowbolts go pale and their blood turn cold. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"June," Sunny said in a nervous tone. "Wait outside we'll tell you all about it." Juniper's glare deepened as she furrows her brow.
"Tell me... now," June said, trying to keep calm. "What are you hiding from me?"
"Ms... June," Luna said uneasily, "I assure you, there is an explanation for you. Please wait," Luna tried to put a comforting hand on Juniper's shoulder, but she furiously swatted it away.
"TELL ME NOW!" Juniper yelled to the Shadowbolts. Even Sour was shocked.
"June, buddy," Sour said uneasily. "We promise we'll-,"
"DON'T 'JUNE' ME, SOUR! I AM SICK OF YOU GUYS TREATING ME LIKE A BABY!" Juniper bellowed, much to the shock of everyone in the room. "I BUILT THE FUCKING DRONE! I AM THE REASON YOU GUYS ARE HERE! I DESERVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH!" The Shadowbolts looked at their angry friend with a bit of sadness and fear. They looked at each other and let out a sad sigh.
"We're not trying to treat you like a baby June," Sunny said in a contrite tone. June's anger faded but didn't completely abate. "And you do deserve the truth, but..."
"Then why are you telling me to wait outside?" June asked, gritting her teeth again.
"Because... we don't really know the truth," Sunny said, looking down. June's anger faded, but her disappointment was still present.
"Fine," Juniper said begrudgingly. "I'll... wait. But I better get an explanation," she said, turning around and walking out of the room, pushing past Vice-Principal Luna. With Juniper gone, the tension faded, but the previous hostility returned.
"Vault," Maia said sternly to the tanned-skin man. "You go sit in the corner."
"Come on Maia," Vault said in a pleading tone. "You're not still mad are-," the Rainbooms and the Alliance walked toward him with a menacing expression. Vault let out a fearful squeak and ran to the corner, turning his back to everyone.
"Now tell us, why did Connor faked his death?" Sunny asked, her tone calm but firm. Connor was about to explain, but Rarity got in front of him with crossed arms.
"I don't see why that is any of your... business," Rarity said with a firm tone.
"Oh, it is our business," Cadence said, crossing her arms and walking toward the Rainbooms with a stern expression. "Because we thought Connor died in front of us. Because my school's reputation took a serious hit. Because we signed a form implicating my boss in a crime she didn't commit." Her own pink fists tightened. "Because I attacked Cinch, a family friend, and twisted her wrists because I believe she killed the boy I considered my brother." The Rainbooms looked stunned at her expression. "Regardless of what you think of us, we went out on a limb for you. And now we think we did it for a lie." The Shadowbolts and Shining Armor crossed their arms, with stern expressions on their faces. "If you're telling the truth then we are owed an explanation for..." she gestured to Connor. The Rainbooms fury slackened and they all let out a defeated sigh.
"OK," Sunset said. "We'll prove it to you."
"So let me get this straight," Sunny said with some disbelief, walking next to Twilight. "Your another Twilight from some... magical dimension?" The three groups of people (minus Vault), Dean Cadence, Shining Armor, and Vice-Principal Luna walked outside toward the horse statue. The anger was gone, but the tension still remained.
"Yep," Twilight said.
"And you're also some pony princess from some pony world who ended up in Canterlot High School because you... wanted to go to a prom?" Sugarcoat replied with her stern tone.
"Well," Twilight said uneasily, looking at Sunset who looked down with a sigh. "That's a... different story for another day."
"And let me guess," Sour said happily. "You have leprechauns and gumdrops and rivers that run with hot chocolate fudge in this magical pony world?"
"Well," Twilight said uneasily to Sour. "We don't have that first... thing. You can buy gumdrops at candy stores. And sometimes it can rain... chocolate mile when chaos..."
"YEAH RIGHT!" Sour said with disdain.
"Sour," Cadence warned.
"I'm not going to be polite until I get an answer," Sour said crossing her arms in defiance. The Shadowbolts said nothing, but their glare said they were still eager for an answer too.
"OK, here it is," said Twilight, gesturing to the horse statue. "The proof is there." The Shadowbolts looked unimpressed.
"It is just the stupid statue," Lemon Zest said with annoyance.
"At the base of the statue is the portal to another dimension," Sunset said. "You want proof. Well, we'll give you the real deal. Just walk in and you'll know what we were talking about." She walked up to the Shadowbolts. "Which one of you wants to go first?" The Shadowbolts looked uneasily before Sunny stepped forward with a sigh.
"Let's get this over with," Sunny said, rubbing her palm on her face. Twilight took her by the arm as they walked toward the base of the statue. All of a sudden, the base started glowing before the two suddenly vanished. The Alliance, the Shadowbolts, Cadence, and Shining looked at the spot where Sunny and Twilight were in shock.
"Sunny," Indigo said with horror.
"Oh god," Sugarcoat said with shock.
"Dude," Lemon said with horror.
"Sunny," Sci-Twi said with horror.
"Sunny," Sour said with horror. She looked at the statue with anger and bared her fists. "What did you do to her you... evil statue!"
"Sunny," Cadence looked at the statue with horror. She then looked at Luna. "Luna, what happened to her?"
"Don't worry," Luna said in a nonchalant tone. "Just give it a few minutes." The Alliance, the Shadowbolts, Cadence, and Shining looked at the statue for a few minutes with trepidation. After a few minutes, in another blinding flash of light, Twilight and Sunny returned. The latter looked like she was in a daze.
"Sunny," the Shadowbolts yelled, running up to help their discombobulated friend. Twilight, who was more used to the trans-dimensional journey, pulled herself up off the ground more easily.
"Are you OK?" Indigo said.
"She's telling the truth," Suny said in a slurred tone.
"What," Shining said.
"She's telling the truth," Sunny said quietly. "I went to that world and... became a unicorn."
"Really?" Sour asked.
"Yes," Sunny said, slowly regaining her balance. And pointed to Twilight with a thumb. "And she became this... unicorn-pegasus... thing."
"Well," Twilight said. "The proper term is alicorn." Shining Armor walked up to Twilight.
"So... you're really from another dimension," Shining Armor asked sternly, staring at her with cold eyes.
"Yes," Twilight said. She paused as she saw a serious look in Shining Armor's eyes.
"So," he said in a serious tone. "you're really... not a twin." The voice in the man's tone was evident. Twilight looked at the Shadowbolts and Cadence, who also looked upset, and felt her own lips quiver.
"No," Twilight said, for once not happy to be proven right. He looked at the man with an expression of sympathy. "I'm... not." She took the man's hand and held it in hers. "I'm not," Twilight said, tears forming in her own eyes. "But I do... have a brother... that looks like you..." Twilight wrapped up the tall man in a hug. Shining Armor was shocked and he held the lavender-skinned girl and comforting her.
Cadence doesn't understand anymore, began crying too. She felt Luna put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"This is why I couldn't tell you," Luna said to the pink-skinned woman, her voice tender and warm. "I wanted you to avoid... this," gesturing to Shining and Princess Twilight holding each other. "I'm so sorry."
Cadence pulled herself from Luna's gesture and envelope Shining and Princess Twilight into her own hug, including Sci-Twi. They also began crying their eyes out. Each of the Rainbooms, also in tears, joined in on the group hug, trying to give what little comfort they could to Shining Armor and Cadence. The Shadowbolts looked at their principal and her husband in tears and began weeping in both shame and grief themselves. While the Alliance took pity on the people.