“Not bad, but I kinda saw you fly off in the other direction,” Apple Bloom said, smiling at a wind-swept Rainbow Dash.

“Yes, I know. I didn’t get low enough.” Dash sighed, annoyed her ticked didn’t work out the way she intended. “Hey, kid, I know AJ probably wants you home, but can I show you one more time? I have to get this right by next week.”

“Sure.” Apple Bloom beamed.

“Okay, just hang tight and be prepared to be amazed!”

Rainbow Dash shot into the air, the wind cooling her face. In a long vertical arc she pointed herself toward the ground. I got this—what in Equestria is that?

Something floated in the air below her. It gleamed in the sun then vanished. Probably nothing, just a reflection.

It reappeared.

Curious, Dash decide she should fly in for a closer look.

“I thought you were going to do your new trick?”

She ignored the filly as she continued her descent. It was piece of stone, suspended by nothing. It wasn’t surrounded by a colorful hue of a unicorn, there were no visible strings or supports: it was simply floating.

The air below her gave out, and Dash found herself being pulled to the ground. Oh no, downdraft! With no time to compensate for the sudden lack of support under her wings, she flung her forelegs over her face, accepting the inevitable crash.

---

The first thing Rainbow Dash felt was the sun on her back: the hot, hot sun. Her whole body screamed with protest.

She groaned as she unfolded herself. It wasn’t her worst crash, but she couldn’t think of a time she had crashed head-first into the ground, flank sticking straight up, back bent over the wrong way.

Her spine snapped back into place; Dash was thankful her athletic abilities let her be so flexible. Her hind-end crashed into the ground causing her whole body to flop against the hot ground as she sighed with relief.

“What the hay happened, Apple Bloom?” she asked with her face still in the dirt. But when she didn’t hear a response she chuckled. “Nothing to worry about, kid. I’ve had far worse crashes. Just ask your friend… Apple Bloom?”

Dash had the distinct feeling she was alone. Things didn’t add up: The very hot sun, the lack of a nice breeze in the air she had ensured for the day, and “sand?”

Dash jumped to her feet with surprising agility, her back giving a jolt of pain, which she ignored.

Her mouth fell open; her heart sunk like a stone into her stomach. Closing her eyes, Dash shook her head vigorously. “No, that’s impossible,” she said aloud. Keeping her eyes closed, she waited for the twangy reply ‘what’s impossible?’ But she heard nothing.

“I’m still in Ponyville showing off my awesome moves to AJ’s sister,” she repeated to herself three times and then opened her eyes. However, it wasn’t Ponyville or anything that remotely resembled it.

A mirage shimmered in the distance of endless flat desert. No matter which way Dash spun, it was exactly the same: hot sand scattered with small shrubs.

“I was in the air… oh why did I have to fly up it. Why didn’t I just get Twilight to check it out?” Dash asked herself. She could’ve kicked herself for flying toward an unknown floating object. Nothing is what it seems. “What would Twilight do in this situation? Hmmm, I guess she’d try and fly back…”

Dash gave her wings a shake to fluff her feathers before spreading them. She gave her wings a flap… and another and another; there was no lift beneath her. “No—no—no! I have to—” In a panic she pushed off with her hind legs while flapping with all her might.

“Ow!” Dash lifted her snout, spitting out bits of sand. She cast a forlorn look at the sky before righting herself. “I guess I have to walk…”

---

“Now... calm... down, Apple Bloom,” panted Applejack between gasps.

Twilight looked from confused Applejack to a frantic Apple Bloom. She was still sitting half-stunned in her chair. Even though a few seconds had passed since Apple Bloom came barging in with her sister on her tail, it felt longer as the scene unfolded in front of her.

“She’s gone! She’s gone!” Apple Bloom cried.

“You’re speaking nonsense.”

“You gotta believe me,” she insisted, ignoring her sister and staring at Twilight with desperate intent.

“Wha-what’s going on?” Twilight finally spoke, leaping out of her chair.

“Rainbow Dash! Sh-sh-showed me—gone!” stammered Apple Bloom.

Twilight cast a confused look at Applejack for help.

“She reckons she saw Rainbow Dash disappear,” Applejack said.

“She did!” Apple Bloom stamped her hoof.

“Sugarcube, it’s part of her new act. It’s called misdirection. She wanted to make it look like she vanished.”

“No—ugh! It’s not that! She’s gone.”

Twilight held up her hoof before Applejack could counter argue. “Alright! Just start from the beginning. Please.”

Apple Bloom took a deep breath. “I was leaving Sweetie Belle’s, going home, when Rainbow Dash asked if I wanted to see her new routine. The one Scootaloo wouldn’t stop talking about. So, I figured it would be pretty cool. She did it for me and it was pretty cool. She did her disappearing act… well kinda—”

“What do you mean kind of?” Twilight asked.

“She messed up on the final part and begged to do it again. And that’s where things got weird. She became distracted, she wouldn’t stop staring at something on the ground.”

“What was it?” asked Twilight.

“I don’t know. I didn’t see anything. She flew toward it; whatever it was. Then… then she… sh-she just vanished.”

“You mean she flew away?” Twilight asked, but she doubted this was a cheap sleight of hoof trick Apple Bloom was describing.

“No. She vanished. Like when you teleport.” Apple Bloom gulped. “Sh-she looked scared right before she vanished.

“Are you sure that’s you saw, sugarcube?” Applejack asked with more concern. Apple Bloom, incapable of responding any further nodded as her golden eyes watered.

Applejack pulled her sister into an embrace, nuzzling into her neck. “I’m sorry for not believing you. It’ll be alright,” she whispered.

“Show me where you were, Apple Bloom,” Twilight urged. The filly nodded again, sniffling, and freed herself from her sister’s clutches.

Twilight and Applejack kept a few paces behind Apple Bloom, who moved at a fast walk-trot gait. Her legs were short, but Twilight still found it difficult to keep up with her.

“I’m sorry for barging into your room like that, Twi. I saw Apple Bloom high-tailing for your castle. I could only stop her for a few seconds and didn’t get much from her. She ran, I followed her and… well, I guess you know the rest.”

“Don’t worry, Applejack. Something’s got her really worked up. Let’s just hope it isn’t as bad as it sounds.”

“So, any ideas?”

Twilight had several ideas: none of them were good. A non-unicorn can’t simply vanish in thin air without another unicorn present or dark magic at work. Oh, but of course! Twilight fought the urge to facehoof. How could I have forgotten to ask who else was present? The details matter!

Feeling Applejack’s gaze, she shook her head. It was best to not jump to conclusions.

“Here!” shouted Apple Bloom, coming to an abrupt halt. “I was standing right here.” She spun on the spot to face Twilight and Applejack. “And Rainbow Dash was up there”—she pointed over Twilight’s head—“when she disappeared.”

Applejack and Twilight split up, each walking toward where Apple Bloom pointed. “Well, what do ya reckon, Twi?” asked Applejack, looking around the area with little regard.

“I’m not sure. Everything looks normal. But…” Twilight trailed off staring at an unspecified part of sky above her. “But magic can leave traces… Apple Bloom, who else was here?”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “It was only me and Rainbow Dash”

Just as I feared. “Applejack, don’t move! Whatever you do, don’t move any closer.”

“Closer to what?”

Twilight held up a hoof for silence as she focused a spell.

She traced the flow of magic from her horn to the magic that surrounded her; everything felt calm. Twilight navigated images of a tranquil ocean forming in front of her. Feeling confidant, she pushed forward to another section. The water was choppy, and then there was nothing.
Gasping, Twilight fell back on her haunches, releasing her spell. Panting, she held her head in her hooves, wincing.

“What is it?” Applejack rushed over to help Twilight back to her hooves.

“A fissure.”

Apple Bloom cocked her head to one side.

“A tear or hole in the fabric of magic. They are extremely dangerous.” Twilight cast a nervous glance at the affected area. “Applejack, I need you to get your brother and supplies. We need to fence this area off as soon as possible. Apple Bloom, can you go tell Rarity to get the rest of my friends here. Then go get Spike and help him carry every book by Star Swirl The Bearded here,” Twilight said with the most urgency and confidence she could muster.

“Tell Rarity to get friends here. Then get Spike and help carry Star Swirl books here. Got it!” Apple Bloom cantered off for the Carousel Boutique.

“I’m on it, Twi!” Applejack shouted over her shoulder.

---

Dash trudged through the smoldering sand one dust-covered hoof at a time. She had no idea where she was going. Unwilling to remain in the same spot, and convinced nothing good would happen if she did, she picked a direction to aimlessly trek the desert.

Hours could’ve passed and she wouldn’t have known it. The flat isotropic desert broke to towering sand dunes. Each dun crested to reveal an endless range of sand dunes. One thing became apparent to Dash: she needed to find water.

Dash was better at navigating from the air, but she wasn’t totally hopeless. To avoid wandering in circles, she picked the only thing she could to orient herself with a direction: the sun.

It was near sunset, and her body was aching, begging for water. Her sweat-covered body had long since dried up, she no longer had any fluids to secrete, leaving her fur matted and dusty. Her mouth was chalk-dry and her eyes burned from irritation. Yet, she continued to walk.

Illusions of lakes presented themselves to her, each more believable than the last. One took shape of a vast ocean. The towering dunes transforming into massive swells.

Come on Dash! She shook the illusion away, never faltering from her path.

Then, there, silhouetted in the sunset stood a tall pony-like creature. Its mane and tail flowed majestically in the wind.

Not caring or trusting her eyes, Dash approached the creature.

The creature was significantly taller than Dash, her head barely came to its back. Very pony-esque in body-shape: the face and neck were longer, the eyes were smaller, and the muscles of raw power were lean.

“Hello,” Dash croaked.

The tall pony looked at Dash with a soft expression. It—no he. The strong musk told Dash it was a stallion. He blinked his eyes slowly, lowering his head.

His eyes stayed fixed on Dash as she reluctantly approached.

The Stallion’s eyes drilled into Rainbow’s dry-red-eyes. A feeling of peace resonated with her, and she felt him speak. He spoke through emotion; he spoke in her heart. Friend.

He pushed his muzzle to hers, exchanging breath.

Friend.

“Friends,” Dash replied. “Water… water. Can you show me where water is?”

The Stallion turned on the spot and walked away. He cast a look over his shoulder. Follow.

She found it difficult to match his long stride. He was a creature that moved with intent, with purpose, and with grace. His legs worked in diagonal tandem as he shifted his gait to a trot. Each hoof kicked up little sand as he pranced. His long forelegs rose to his chest and his hooves curled at the fetlock, and then they seamlessly unfolded and returned to the ground. He held his head tall and proud and his tail elevated and arched.

Even on her best day, Dash’s form could compare. She knew even Rarity would fawn over his elegance. She continued to wonder what her other friends would think if they saw him as she followed him into the setting sun.

Ahead, a small gathering of palm trees stood in the day’s last light. An oasis!

The Stallion gave her a knowing glance; with a soft blink of his eyes, Dash felt it—no, she knew it inside herself.

Water. Safe.

---

The last to join Twilight was Fluttershy, who took some time for Pinkie Pie to locate in the forest.

“Twilight,” Rarity asked with concern. “What’s this about? Apple Bloom said it was urgent. Where’s Rainbow Dash? And Applejack?”

“Right here,” Applejack answered, her brother and a cart full of wood and supplies accompanied her.

“Okay, everyone, there is a tear in the very fabric of magic in this area, and it seems Rainbow Dash has fallen through it.”

“Fallen-fallen through it?” Pinkie Pie squeaked. “Let’s go in and get her!”

“No!” Twilight bit onto Pinkie's tail at the last second, pulling her back. “We have no idea where it sent her, and it could literally send us anywhere too. Kind of like a portal, but a very unpredictable and unstable.”

“So what do we do?” Pinkie asked.

“Apple Bloom is fetching Spike, who will bring me all of Star Swirl’s books. No one knows more about portals than he does. Until then, help Applejack and Mac build a fence around this area. It’s too dangerous to keep this area open.”

“Um, how did she fall in?” asked Fluttershy. “I mean, since we can’t see it.”

“Unfortunately, it can be seen from certain angles. Apple Bloom said it pulled her in when she got too close.”

Twilight reached out with her magic, feeling her way to the spot devoid of magic. Last time she had recoiled too soon. The spot wasn’t a random fissure as she had thought. It had structure, it was stable; it had consciousness.

Curious, Twilight dug deeper, plunging into vast unknown. Chaotic strings of un-channelled magic assaulted her. Beyond the chaos were patterns, organized and complex. She pushed toward it, but the uncontrolled magic became too much to bear. The harder she pushed against it, the harder it pushed her back.

“Ahh!” Twilight disconnected her spell, falling on her stomach. She lay on the ground, feeling too drained to stand.

Twilight’s ears perked to several gasps. Her friends were standing behind her, watching her with concern.

“I’m alright.”

“Alright? Twilight, you were standing in a trance for a good minute before you started shrieking in pain. How could you possibly be alright?” Rarity asked.

“I-I was in th-the portal. I felt something or someone in there.” Twilight chanced a glance at her friends, all of whom were staring at her with gaping mouths. “Before I could get further, I was forced out.”

“The portal, darling? The portal forced you away?”

“Yes. This is no ordinary tear. It feels like something or someone is controlling it. It didn’t like my magical intrusion, and it manipulated the magical field to block me.” Twilight wiped her brow. “It’s too dangerous to try again until my books get here and we know what we’re dealing with.”

Twilight rose to her feet and made her way over to Applejack’s cart, fetching a hammer.

“No you don’t, sugarcube. Rest up, we need ya to get Rainbow out of this.”

“Yepers! We got this, Twilight!” Pinkie tossed a fence cross rail in the air. She spun around, smacking the cross rail into place with her bushy tail. Her legs stretched to the cross rail with a hammer, and with one swing, she drove the nail in completely. “See? Got this!” she sang.

Twilight shook her head and sat on her haunches. Maybe they’re right.

Twi-Twilight!” Spike shouted out. He and Apple Bloom were running at full speed.

Twilight cringed as her books were unceremoniously thrown side to side in the bounding red wagon behind Spike.

“I—we’re here,” he said between gasps, clutching his side.

“Thank you, Spike.” Twilight began stacking her books neatly in the wagon; her eyes scanned the titles as she went. “No, no, no… maybe.” She sat the book into a separate stack. “No, no, maybe. Ooh! Magical Resonance and the Properties of Portals. Yes!” Twilight picked up the heavy tome ready to dive in when another book caught her eye. It was unremarkable, unlike her well-kept Star Swirl books; however, despite its tattered cover it was a Star Swirl book nonetheless. “Distant Shores Theory: What Lies Beyond… Spike? Where did this book come from?”

“It was in that big box Princess Celestia sent you like a year ago. The one with all of the Star Swirl books to replace your old set.” Spike shook his head as Twilight continued to look bewildered. “It’s been on your shelf for ever, Twilight.”

“Hmm.” Twilight made a note to inventory her library when this was all over. It’s not a Star Swirl book I’ve seen before. I think I’ll start with the other one.

---

Rainbow Dash pushed her back into the warmth while her stomach was greeted with ice-cold air. Dumb blankets. She rolled over. Her nose was greeted with a musky scent, it was feral and masculine; it was comforting and real!

Her eyes shot open to short-black fur. She was up against the Stallion she thought to be a delusion. Two soft brown eyes were looking down at her.

Safe, resonated in her heart, and she smiled at him.

“I thought you weren’t real,” she chuckled. “Err, thanks for, um keeping me warm… and safe.”

A wooden well sat in the middle of what appeared to be a ring of palm trees. A half-empty bucket laid next to her, which she plunged her face into, sucking down as much water as she could.

Feeling some of her strength return, she stood up and stretched her wings. The Stallion looked at her wings with interest. “They aren’t much use here. I can’t fly… the air’s all wrong, it’s too heavy.”

The Stallion seemed to understand. He blinked and warmth spread through her chest. “So who are you anyways?”

Friend.

“I know. But don’t you have a name?”

Whimsical and wanderlust, pain and happiness spread through her. Swift as the Wind.

Each emotion contained too much information for her to sort through, but it all broke down to Swift as the Wind. He was a runner. He had travelled across the desert many times, in search of a companion. He had lost so much.

Dash clutched her chest. With a hoof she hastily wiped the tears from her eyes. He had sent her his life story, most of which was lost due emotions she couldn’t process. But, she felt like she had known him her whole life. Like he was a brother she had grown up with.

You? Sky Pony… you?

“Sky pony? It’s Pegasus. Not that it matters. I can’t fly here. The name’s Rainbow Dash.”

You?

“I don’t know how to do that thing you do.” Dash focused on how she was feeling. She couldn’t be certain it worked; he gave no indication he had heard.

Rest.

“Rest? I can’t rest. I have to find a way home.”

Dash was overwhelmed with the feeling of wanting to be no other place than the oasis under stars. She could live her life here. It had everything she wanted: water, food, and a friend. Home.

Friends... Dash thought to herself. My friends. “I can’t stay here. I have to get back to my friends who need me.”

She fought back the tears as he turned his head away. He stood up and stretched his long neck. His eye pierced into hers.

Dash gasped. She felt a powerful surge of warmth and kindness as images of Twilight’s curious face, Pinkie’s giant smile, Applejack’s genuine nod of her head, Rarity’s charming smile, and Fluttershy’s empathic smile spun in her mind. The longing built up in her heart; she could never leave them.

Empathy... Dash thought. He can hear my thoughts. He can feel me missing them.

Help you.

Dash put a hoof on his back. “I’m sorry I can’t stay; you understand now, Swift as the Wind.”

Dash felt it before she saw him react. His muscles went stiff and his eyes focused up toward the sky.

For the first time since she had met the mysterious stallion, she felt fear. Her heart was his heart as they hammered at their chests in time. Fear overpowered his instinct to flee.

Dash looked up to the starry sky, but saw nothing. The trees rustled in the still air. She spun around to the sound of movement behind her. A four-legged apparition, tall, faceless, and distorted walked toward her. It was joined by another and another.

The Stallion reared. He kicked at the shadows with his powerful forelegs. He let out a primordial neigh that pierced the silence of night. Run!

Rainbow Dash bolted. The thundering in her ears told her he was right behind her. The shadow apparitions
dwindled into the darkness as Dash cast a backward glance.

---

Twilight panted, finally releasing her spell. Brute forcing my way in with magic just won’t work. Even using Star Swirl’s portal spells are no use.

“Are you alright, Twi?” asked a concerned Applejack.

“I was close… so close to getting something. There were complex magical patterns that only belong to a sapient life form.”

“Maybe we should try again tomorrow. It’s getting late, and we know Rainbow’s in there and not going anywhere,” Applejack suggested.

Twilight shook her head. “We don’t know where she is. She could be in a dangerous place, she could be hurt.”

Twilight sat down next to her open book. I think Magical Resonance and Portal Properties isn't what I need here. Her eyes landed on the old worn book. It’s worth a shot.

Magical portals and travelling through the aether is a simple thing. But what if there were many hidden worlds? What if a pony could travel to them?

My research of the aether found something interesting. In a previous paper I wrote about magical fissures and how to close them. In my recent studies I came across the largest fissure even found. Call it a gaping hole. It was full of chaotic and unharnessed magic, but beneath that was order and logic and magical construct. Many of those structures were similar to our word, suggesting that inside this large fissure was a pocket of magic containing a whole other world.

In this paper I’ll be documenting my attempts construct a portal into this world.

Twilight skipped over pages filled with equations scribbled in every corner, making a note to come back a look them over when she had time.

Think of the aether as a veil which exists in our world, and us unicorns can channel magic from it. Recent discoveries of another hole revealing similar properties to other one suggests there isn’t one pocket of magic containing a world, but perhaps millions upon millions of planes of existence. Each pocket is a possible point of entry; much like a foreign port… a distant shore

I shall list my equations on the next page, but due to the potentially disturbing nature of this profound discovery, I shall not publish this paper.

Twilight glanced over the various equations. They were beyond her abilities. She skipped ahead to see if he made any more findings.

I’ve completed the construction of my portal and hid it out of phase so no one accidently enters it. A simple spell shall reveal it.

Mapping the pocked of magic proved near impossible at first, as I was met with resistance of incredible force. However, entering the world is easier than one would think.

All unicorns in this world use a positive charge when they cast spells (see my paper on magical polarities). To enter this world a unicorn needs to have a neutral charge (a charge equal to the resonance of Equestria). To do this one must embrace the chaos inside the portal in lieu of pushing past it.

I feel as if I’m nearly ready to physically enter my portal. There is something down there so much like us, yet more complex. When crossing I’ll have to change the polarity of my construct to neutral (imbue it with dark magic) so my magic works in there.

Twilight skimmed through the other pages. She found the spell to reveal the portal and a note at the end saying Star Swirl never got to use the portal as it vanished. He didn't take into account the sub-aether he discovered could shift. He predicted it would once again reappear, but he couldn’t be certain when. The equations on the following page were scribbled out as if he became frustrated and gave up.

“Hey girls,” Twilight shouted over her book. “Stand back.”

Reading the spell once more, Twilight charged her spell at the general area of the portal. With a blast of purple light, Twilight’s horn was directed to the center as she pulled a massive stone arch into view.

“Rainbow flew through that?” asked Applejack while stumbling backwards from it.

Rarity let out a gasp of surprise.

“She couldn’t see all of it. The spell Star Swirl used to hide it was deteriorating. I think she flew in for a closer look and was sucked in. I think all ponies are positive charge.” Twilight took a step back, her rump bumping into the fence. She could feel the portal pulling at her. Of course this is all theoretical magic... Was theoretical. Polarity in magic makes sense.

“Where in tarnation did that thing come from,” asked Apple Bloom.

“Well, that’s… that’s a long story. But, it was built by Star Swirl,” Twilight answered.

“Has it always been there?”

“No. It disappeared many years ago. I don’t think it’s been here very long, and it may not stay much longer either.” I need more time with those equations.

“Apple Bloom, you’re still here, darling,” Rarity cooed. “Why don’t you go keep Sweetie Belle company?” Rarity offered a kind smile to the filly’s defiant stare. “Please?”

“Good idea, Rares. You heard her,” Applejack chimed in.

Apple Bloom muttered under her breath and stalked off.

“And tell her everything is fine!” Rarity yelled after her.

“Maybe-um, maybe I should go home too,” Fluttershy said.

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Well, if you don’t need me too—”

“This is no place for a foal. Dear, we need you.”

Fluttershy deflated behind her mane. “Oh, okay.”

Twilight turned her attention back to the portal. Embrace the chaos, don’t fight it. Here goes something....

---

Rainbow Dash let her gait slow to a walk. Her head was pounding. “Few, glad we got away from whatever those things were.” She heard the Stallion come to a halt behind her. “What were those things?”

She felt a twinge of uncertainty then nothing.

“It’s okay if you don’t know. You wouldn’t believe some of the crazy things my friends and I have seen.”

She felt his presence touch hers again. She had grown used to having him there.

In the distance Dash made out decrepit structures of sandstone and rock. It looked like one good sandstorm could blow them away.

The Stallion stopped, overcome with forlorn longing. His grief overwhelmed him. He kicked at the ground, dragging his hoof through the sand.
“Hey.” She put her hoof on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s alright.”

He reared, squealing and kicking. Dash was forced to dive out of his reach as his hooves thundered onto the ground.

“Look at me!” Trembling, Dash put her nose to the agitated stallion’s. “Friends.” Remember? Friends? He flooded her mind with images and her heart with emotions. Too much. Too much. “Aahhh!”

His hot breath blew over her face. You leave me too.

Before she could recover from the information overload, he cantered off at breakneck speed.

“Hey, come back!” She rubbed a hoof to her head as the dust cloud settled. “I guess I can go to the oasis and wait for him to come back. Where else can I go?”

“There’s just one problem… I’m lost again.” She about-faced, looking for her own tracks: something that prove near impossible in the dark.

It was so dark the stars did little to provide light. Each step crunched and echoed loudly against the night.

“Oh, I hope he comes back soon. It’s so quiet and empty here.”

Suddenly, as if the desert had heard her, the sky flashed with bright colors, blinding her. A stone archway formed right in front of her. A translucent blue swirled between the stone pillars.

Through the pillars she caught a glimpse of a distorted purple figure. “Twilight?” This is it! The way home!

She took a step toward it when she felt a familiar presence touch hers. Then she heard those powerful hooves on the ground. She felt him racing toward her.

Danger!

Dash spun around. Five shadow apparitions were advancing on her.

In a flash of shiny black hooves and white teeth he kicked and bit at them with his life.

She didn’t wait a second later and leaped toward the leader. Hooves outstretched, Dash was going to meet this nightmare head-on—
Something grabbed at her. For a second she hung dumbfounded in midair. A bright purple aura surrounded her; gradually, she was pulled backwards, straight for the portal.

So long Sky Pony. My friend.

The last thing she heard was a squeal of pain.



“I got you, Rainbow. Just hang on!” Twilight’s strained voice commanded.

"Dashie! You did it, Twilight!” Pinkie cheered.

“No! Send me back!” Dash pleaded.

“Back?” Rarity asked. “You want to go back?”

“Hurry. He’ll die!” Realizing she was free of Twilight’s magical hold, she bolted for the portal.

“You can’t go back! It’s overrun by chaotic manifestations.” Twilight’s aura dragged her back again.

“Please!” she pleaded. “They’ll kill him.”

“Who?”

“M-my-my friend.” Somehow that word had more power than it ever had before. “He saved my life… twice.”

“Well, what are we standing around for?” Applejack asked. “A friend is in need.”

“We can’t just run through the portal—okay, but we have to be quick. The world is destabilizing.” Everypony made their way to the portal, Dash in the lead. “Wait!” Everyone froze.

Twilight light her horn, firing it at the portal. “The portal is unicon constructed, therefore positively charged. I changed it to a neutral charge.”

“Meaning what?” Dash spat. We’re wasting time!

“No time! Go!”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.” Dash waited no longer and jumped through.

There were more apparitions than she could count. Not waiting for the others, Dash charged into the them. Strangely, they scattered when she got close. She lowered her head and charged to the center. “Get out! Get off him!”

As the others caught up, the remaining apparitions scattered.

All that remained on the crimson stained sand was a single black mass. Patches shone in the reflection of the ambient light.

Dash rushed to him, kneeling down. He looked at her with his gashed face, his eyes soft as ever. Friend.

“Friends.”

“Oh my,” Rarity gasped. “Such a beautiful po—creature.”

“This must be what Star Swirl sensed here. Equine looking in all respects. Just not a pony.”

“Oh my, he’s hurting badly,” Fluttershy said softly, tears running down her face. “Can you feel it? He’s communicating.” She pressed a hoof to her chest.

“Guys, we can’t leave him here,” Dash said, not taking her eyes off him.

My home.

Dash felt that familiar sensation of at peace. The one she felt in the oasis. “But it doesn’t have to be. You can have friends in Equestria.”

I belong here.

Twilight and Rarity gasped.

“I felt it,” said Twilight.

“Me too,” whispered Rarity.

“He’ll die if we leave him here,” Dash cried.

“Sugarcube, I think he knows.” Applejack stepped forward. “I can feel something in him I understand really well. Like Sweet Apple Acres for me, there’s no place he’d rather be.”

“He’s lost so much. He can have a family again.” She put her muzzle to his and stared into his eyes. Please. You’re hurting me.

Fluttershy laid a hoof on Dash’s back pulling her into a light embrace.

Dash pushed Fluttershy off. “There must something we can do! Twilight?”

She felt his wet nose against hers once again. Friends.

“If he comes with us, there’s no coming back. I’m sealing the portal before anymore harm can be done here.” Twilight bowed her head. “I-I’ve done a terrible thing.”

Noble Sky Pony, noble ponies of aether, noble ponies of earth and sky… my eternal gratitude. I join you.

A flash of happiness then Dash felt nothing but the cold desert air. The horizon glowed yellow; a new day about to dawn.

Twilight lifted the limp body in her magical embrace, guiding him through the portal.

---

Equestria rushed back into view. Twilight set the Stallion down on the ground. How could I?

Next, a sobbing Rainbow Dash being supported by Pinkie Pie came through. A somber Applejack and a sobbing rarity followed. Fluttershy, hidden in her mane, was the last to come through.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Twi.” Applejack wrapped Twilight in a comforting embrace. “You did your best.”

“No. I-I didn’t. My magical attempts to force my way in caused the dark magic apparitions. They were copies of us, pulled from my memories. Each brute force attempt made them stronger. So strong, they manifested themselves.

“How do you think the were forced away from us when I changed the charge on the portal? They couldn’t exist with us there there too as grounded entities.”

“You couldn’t have known,” Applejack reassured.

“No excuse! I messed with something I didn’t understand. I should’ve listened to you. I should’ve gone home, got some rest, did some research and—I nearly destroyed an entire world—”

“Shh.” Applejack placed a hoof over her mouth. “You did what you felt was right. We’re connected in ways we can’t imagine. Even those beyond our world it seems. How could you have possible known, even if you had years to study Star Swirl’s work? He never made it through the portal.”

Twilight rested her head against Applejack. She knew Applejack was probably right, but it didn’t help her feel any better.

Charging her horn and capturing all of the negative energy around the portal, Twilight forced it into the clear blue center. In a manner of seconds the portal collapsed on itself and vanished, leaving no trace of its existence. Reaching out with her magic, she felt nothing but a smooth calm ocean of magic, in perfect balance.

“With the apparitions gone, and no more interference from us, I think the world will harmonize itself like ours.” The theory of Distant Shores proven as fact, but we are in no way ready. Maybe one day, though.

“You guys!” Dash shouted abruptly. “He’s breathing.”

Sure enough, there was a rise and fall of his barrel. A soft presence pushed against Twilight’s.

In spite of everything, Twilight smiled. “Let’s get him to Fluttershy’s.” She lifted him once again. A powerful emotion of content and at peace flowed through her heart.

Home. Friends.