A/N: Another original chapter for you all to enjoy

Chapter 15: Looking Back, Moving Forward

At the Crystal Brighthouse, Twilight was sitting on the couch reading a book with a bright smile, "Oh my babies, I was afraid we'd never be together again," Twilight said, hugging her precious book closely, "But I promise we will never be apart again,"

"Still reading that book you've been reading for the past couple of hours, Twi?" Sunset asked as Twilight flinched and turned to her with a chuckle.

"Can you blame me? I couldn't feel or smell them when I was a spirit in an amulet." Twilight said with a sheepish smile. "And I just love books."

"Yeah, your counterpart is the same." Sunset said with a chuckle. "So, how is your adjustment to this new Equestria?"

"Well, to be honest, it's so similar yet so different from how in my time it was." Twilight said while scratching her head. "Compared to how things used to be, Equestria is almost like the other world."

"Yeah, that's how I felt when I first came back to see everything has changed when I only came back to visit you, only to wound up in a quest to bring back magic and reunite the three tribes again." Sunset commented. "It's like Opaline's repeated history."

The two ponies laughed before the moment was broken by when a blur flew right into the room, startling them as they saw Zipp flying around. "Hey, Sunset! Hey, Twilight!" She called with a smile as she landed on her hooves.

"Hi, Zipp." Sunset said with an amusing smile.

"Do you have to fly in like that?" Twilight questioned after being startled.

"Sorry, it's just, now that you're out of the amulet I can finally ask you all the questions I ever had about Equestria's past," Zipp explained, bringing out her phone. "So, tell me about the Unity Crystals? How were they made? What was your history with Opaline?" She asked with an eager look.

"Uh…" Twilight muttered while looking around with an uncertain look.

"Zipp, ease up." Sunset said as she pushed Zipp and her phone back. "Don't try and pressure her like you did with Misty. Twilight still needs time to adjust to how Equestria is now."

"Yeah, besides Zipp," Pipp said, flying in and wrapping an arm around Twilight, "You had your turn yesterday, today Twilight is joining me for her mane styling," She stated before Sunny came in and pulled Twilight over to her.

"What, no! Twilight is supposed to help me with my alicorn training!" Sunny retorted.

"Hey, I was gonna show her my Unicycling skills!" Izzy called while showing her crafting sash.

"No way, Twilight has baby dragon experience, she should be helping me!" Hitch stated with Sparky on his back who gurgled happily.

The Mane 5 soon started arguing amongst themselves about who gets to hang out with Twilight as the purple alicorn and her old friend shared a nervous glance, "Any advice?" Twilight whispered to Sunset, knowing she had more experience with these kinds of situations.

"Find a good hiding place, I'll distract them," Sunset advised, knowing this was Twilight's only chance to get away while the others were arguing,

"Thanks," Twilight said before zipping off before somepony saw her while Sunset worked to break up the fight.


Twilight made it the bedrooms and locked the door to keep herself safe, "Phew," Twilight sighed, wiping her brow in relief, "Downside of having friends, they always want you for themselves," She said to herself.

"Um, Twilight?" Twilight yelped and turned to see Misty who gave a shy wave, "Um, is this a bad time?" Misty asked.

"Oh no, not really." Twilight said while recomposing herself. "So, what is it, Misty?" She asked.

"I was wondering if you could tell me about, this?" Misty said, showing her Spellbook to the princess.

Twilight was surprised by this as she took a look at it. "This spell book. It's a lot more magical compared to others I've seen." She said in surprise. "Where did you get this?"

"In a secret room in the Brighthouse that had all kinds of stuff from your time," Misty answered.

"Can you show me this room?" Twilight asked as Misty looked happy.

"Sure. The secret door isn't far." Misty said before giving a chuckle. "But, uh, word to advise, keep your stomach together."

"Why?" Twilight asked with a confused look.


Then at the secret room, Twilight and Misty exited the portal closet as Twilight gave a yelp as the two mares fell to the floor as it closed and faded as Twilight groaned. "Okay, I see why." She moaned.

"Well, here we are," Misty said, standing up and waving a hoof as Twilight stood up next and gasped at the room and the many depictions of her and her friends' exploits. She was currently looking at a window detailing the events of when they first defeated Nightmare Moon giving a tearful look. "Twilight?"

"These stain-glasses," Twilight said in heartfelt. "They reminded me of when Celestia set them up of our achievements in Equestria. They're… They're all here."

"Do you, miss your friends?" Misty asked in concern.

"More than I can probably ever explain," Twilight said with a sad look. "I am grateful that Sunset brought me back with Spike's help, but sometimes I wish the others were as well. it took me many moons to realize that as an Alicorn, not many of those you care for can stay with you, and after Opaline..."

Misty gave a guilty look, "I'm so sorry," She said, still feeling guilty for serving Opaline for so long.

"It's not your fault, Misty," Twilight assured. "You weren't born yet. So you're not at fault with Opaline." She said with a small smile before she pressed her hooves on the Nightmare Moon stained glass. "But, at least there are some things that haven't changed."

"Twilight, what was it like being friends all your life?" Misty wondered.

"Well, if I had to be honest, at first, I never had friends because I thought they would be a waste of time." Twilight said, which surprised Misty. "But, a silly mare said that everypony needs friends and that your friends are just ponies you've never met before."

"Who was that?" Misty asked curiously.

Twilight gave a happy smile and looked back to the stained glass window and pointed to the pink earth pony, "Pinkie Pie," She said.

"Pinkie Pie? Huh, she sounds nice." Misty said.

"Oh, she's way more than nice," Twilight said with a chuckle. "She's like Izzy. Very cheerful and unpredictable. Maybe even more."

"Really? Huh, that's a shock." Misty said with a chuckle. "So, what about the others?"

"Well, in order after Pinkie, Applejack was the most honest and strongest Earth Pony mare I met, and trust me, her apples are as good as other pie-related food. She's as responsible and honest as Hitch," Twilight said, which made Misty chuckle. "Rainbow Dash, heh, she's a bit more ego and competitive, similar to Applejack, and she's the fastest Pegasus in all of Equestria, kind of Like Zipp. Rarity, well, she's a bit of a fashionista and tends to make things too perfect, which I'm sure Pipp could understand." She said with a chuckle. "And last but definitely not least, Fluttershy, who was actually Just like you,"

"Like me? Did she used to work for an evil fire alicorn too?" Misty said in surprise as Twilight gave a loud laugh at the thought of Fluttershy being a bad guy.

"Oh, no. Not working for evil, she never did that." Twilight said with a chuckle. "But she was shy like you. A little afraid of trying out some things, making new friends, and finding the courage where it counts. That and you two almost have similar cutie marks." She said with a smile.

Misty looked at her butterfly Cutie Mark as she gave a small smile. "Wow. I didn't realize that I would be similar to Fluttershy." She said.

"You wouldn't be part of this group or their elements if you weren't, Misty." Twilight said with a smile. "Friendship can be a mysterious thing that can surprise you with your fate." She said as Misty smiled. "Now, is there more to this room you like to show me?"

"Well there were some weird switches and symbols that I never figured out yet," Misty said walking over to a wall with a flower symbol on it, "Except when I touch them, nothing happens, watch," She said as she touched the symbol but nothing seemed to happen.


"Okay, ponies! Enough!" Sunset called as she pushed the others apart. "I know you all have activities for Twilight, but can you ponies remember that she's only one mare? She can't be everywhere at once you know." She pointed out to them.

The others stood quiet before Zipp spoke. "Right, sorry, Sunset. Guess we got caught up in-" she tried to say before she floated up. "Whoa! Whoa! Not again!"

"Zipp?!" Pipp called to her sister as the others looked in shock.

"What the…" Sunset asked in surprise.


"See what I mean?" Misty asked as Twilight inspected it before she had a thought.

"You said this secret room is part of the Brighthouse, right?" Twilight asked as Misty nodded. "Hang on." She said as she then lit up her horn to show a projection of their friends and the outside of the Brighthouse. "Okay, now try something else, and let's see what happens,"

"Okay." Misty said with a shrug as she let go of the button, which made Zipp stop glowing as she fell to the floor, which surprised them. "Wait, did Zipp fall the second I pushed their button?"

"Why did it happen to only me?" Zipp complained as she flopped to the floor.

"That's strange." Sunset commented.

"What happened?" Hitch asked.

"Mmm, might be a connection." Twilight said while turning to Misty. "Is there anything else you want to show?"

"Well, this gem I touched one time didn't do anything either." Misty said as she tapped the pink gem, which caused the back door to the basement to open up and burped at Izzy and Hitch, which caused their manes to go poof.

"Excuse you, basement door!" Izzy said while pointing to the door.

"Did that door just burp on us?" Hitch asked in surprise as Sparky laughed at his father's messed up mane.

"Okay, that is funny." Sunny said with a small laugh at seeing her friend and coltfriend's mane like that.

Misty was surprised by this. "Wait, so these symbols and gems are like some kind of control center for the Brighthouse?!" She asked in shock.

"It appears so." Twilight said with giggles at seeing the other's reaction, "Try another one,"

Misty gave giggles. "Okay." She said as she look around for anything else before she noticed a Butterfly symbol, "Ooh, this one looks pretty,"

"Well, go ahead and try it out and let's see what the Brighthouse has to offer." Twilight said as Misty nodded with an eager smile as she pressed the butterfly symbol.

"Okay, this is a whole new level of weird, even for the Brighthouse." Sunset commented. "What's next?" She asked before a trapdoor appeared below them as they all went wide eyes.

"You just had to ask." Pipp muttered before they all screamed and fell down to the trapdoor and down onto a slide course as Twilight and Misty's eyes widened.

"Why would the Brighthouse even need a trap door?!" Misty asked in shock.

"I have no idea! This is your house!" Twilight cried in panic before they saw the others sliding to the exit as a hatch opened up in front of the Brighthouse as they fell onto a mud puddle with Sparky on top of Izzy, who was standing on top of the others.

"That was fun! Let's do that again!" Izzy cheered.

"AHH?! Mud! Why did it have to be mud!?" Pipp screamed in terror before glaring at Sunset, "I blame you for this, Sunset!"

"Me?! How come?!" Sunset questioned.

"You had to jinx us with that trapdoor! Btw, why would we even have a trapdoor!?" Pipp questioned dramatically.

"Hey, I'm just as shocked as you are!" Sunset called in defense.

"Um, is anypony going to wonder if this is mud we landed in and not…" Sunny trailed off, hoping they didn't land in another kind of mess.

"We should probably go out and make sure they don't fight, right?" Misty suggested.

"You read my mind." Twilight said with a nod before smiling, "And thanks, Misty,"

"For what?" Misty asked with a brow.

"I never wanted to tell Sunset that I still missed my old friends but that thanks to you I finally got it off my chest and I'm truly ready to move on," Twilight said with a grateful smile. "And I realized that they are always there no matter what. Like this room." She said while looking at the tapestry of Celestia and Luna defeating Discord for the first time. "It goes to show that the past will always be with you."

Misty gave a tearful smile before hugging Twilight, surprising her before she hugged back. "And thank you, Twilight. For showing me that no matter what happened to us in the past, we can always embrace who we are now." She said.

"Anything for a friend," Twilight said as she and Misty hugged for a bit.


A bit later, Twilight and Misty returned while the others were having towels around them after taking showers. "So that's what those things in Misty's room were for." Sunset said in surprise after what Twilight and Misty explained to them. "We thought they were for show before she and I found an exit."

"Yeah, surprised me too," Misty said with a giggle.

"Wait, so you were the ones who made me float?" Zipp asked.

"You made the wardrobe burp on me?" Izzy added, scratching her head.

"You spun me around on the Brighthouse roof?!" Pipp exclaimed.

"The Brighthouse roof what now?" Misty asked in surprise.

"It can even do that?" Sunset asked in shock.

"We really need to label those things," Twilight said while rubbing her mane.

Sunny then approached Twilight, "Twilight, the others and I wanted to apologize for being so pushy with you earlier, I guess we were so excited that you are here." She said in shame as the others lowered their heads in guilt.

"Oh, it's okay, Sunny." Twilight said with a smile. "I already have plenty of experience with friends who always want something from you, but as long as you're all still friends it's alright," She assured.

"Still, I think your mane styling can wait so why don't you give Sunny her alicorn lessons," Pipp offered.

"Nono, Hitch needs help with Sparky more so you can hang out with him," Sunny said, gesturing to Hitch.

"Nah, I think I can handle Sparky for a little bit, let Izzy have Twilight-" Hitch tried to say before Sunset spoke up.

"Stop!" Sunset yelled, getting their attention, "How about we let Twilight decide what she wants to do, cool?" She asked dully.

The others looked at each other as they gave sheepish looks. "Uh, so, who do you pick, Twilight?" Zipp asked with a sheepish look.

Twilight giggled at their reaction. "I'll go with Zipp first. There's a lot of stuff on Equestria's history we have to go over," She said before poofing in stacks of notes, books and board with events.

The group blinked, "Wow, that's a lot of info. You've really done a thorough job," Zipp said, sweating a bit.

"Oh this is just from my time as ruler, over there is all the stuff before my time," Twilight said, gesturing to the table which had an even bigger stack of papers and books that broke from the sheer weight of the load, "So Zipp, what would you like to know?" She asked with a bright smile.

The others turned to Zipp, who was stunt silent as Sunny and Pipp giggled. "She had that look when mom tricked her into doing chores while also having to do her royal duties during Mares Day." Pipp giggled.

"I know that feeling from the lessons Twilight gave me," Sunny added as they all shared a laugh as Sunset turned to Twilight.

"You did that just to give a laugh and see Zipp's reaction, right?" Sunset whispered to Twilight with a smirk.

"Maybe," Twilight mused with a giggle.

Zipp then slowly recovered from her shock and gave a nervous laugh, "What have I done?" She asked herself, seeing then she was going to be in for a massive history lesson with Twilight for a while.

End of Chapter 15.