My Little Pony: Equestria Girls 5

~Ponyville~

     Twilight Sparkle trotted through her giant castle, dying for something to do. The halls were ominous this time of night...the princess was still trying to get used to her new surroundings even after a year. Large, echoey halls; cold and slippery floors; too many rooms she hasn't discovered...Twilight couldn't seem to make do with her palace.

     The click of her hoof-steps bounced off the amethyst walls. The purple alicorn shivered. It was cold every night, but Twilight still felt uncertain. She picked up her pace to a slow canter and continued with her journey, trying not to notice how empty and dark her castle felt.

     She passed the library. Maybe an exciting chapter of Daring Do could lull her tension? No, she needed more than just her favorite adventure novel. With a final glance, Twilight left the library doors and continued her endless journey through the palace.

     It was starting to worry the princess that her castle might be too big--she might get lost! But Twilight tried to forget that thought. She didn't need any bad thoughts right then. Besides, she has the most loyal and trustworthy friends in Equestria! They would be the first to notice her disappearance. Twilight knows that they don't stop for any challenges when it's for the cause of friendship! They know she would do the same for them, anyhow.

     With her newfound confidence that her friends are at her side, Twilight descended further into her winding palace.

     But suddenly she stopped. Did she hear something? The curious princess decided that the fizz was just her imagination. She was just a little shaken; wasn't she? Twilight had read that when you're scared your first thought is to imagine things that will make you more afraid. But is something actually making that noise?

     Twilight decided it was okay to ask, "Hello? Anyone there?" Her voice echoed through the crystal corridors. "Hello?" she asked once more.

     Only the sound of her soft voice echoing over and over again was to be heard. The purple pony felt reassured. She continued her midnight stroll, but still she had the slightest worry. What was that fizz?

     Twilight made it passed the kitchen, down to the dining hall. Then the throne room, where her tree of memories gave reflections of her past. She was warmed again. The alicorn almost forgot about her friends' generous gift. Then she continued, passing Spike's room, then her room once more. But she wasn't tired quite yet. So the pony descended farther.

     But then she heard it; fizz, pop. Again? Twilight stayed calm. There was nothing to be afraid of, she thought, it's your imagination. But the thought haunted her--is there something in my castle? Twilight didn't need another adventure; especially one at midnight.

     "Hello?"

     But there was no response. It was quiet as a whisper in the halls, only because of the long echo that bounced off the sapphire ceiling. She thought it was safe, so Twilight continued. Her hooves making thick echoes on the crystal floors, and the shadows getting darker in the corners of her palace.

     Until something moved in one of the rooms of the castle.

     "Hello?!" Twilight cried, "I know you're in there!"

     Fizz, fizz, pop.

     "Come out! Or I'll call my friends!"

     Fizz...

     Twilight was scared, but she knew what she had to do. The purple princess stealthy tiptoed to the door. Of course she was startled, but she knew her friends would be the first to hear if she screamed. She got closer, and closer, until she was close enough to use her magic to open the amethyst door.

     The door didn't creak like her old doors did, which reassured her slightly. The pony took a light step inside with her right hoof. Then her left. She held her breath and expected for the worst...and standing in the middle of the empty crystal room was a mirror. It had a sapphire and amethyst rim, with a looking glass in the middle. On top were two little crystal fillies holding hooves. The glass inside seemed to ripple with purple light, and that's when it fizzed.

     Twilight knew what the noise was now. How could she have been so clueless? The portal to the human realm rippled and fizzed some more. She had took her contraption to make the portal open anytime off, but it had been thirty moons since her last trip! So the portal was open on its own.

     "Well," she smiled, "I guess that mystery is solved."

     Twilight closed the door and trotted back to her room where she found Spike laying peacefully on her bed. The pony shook her head, "Oh Spike, you can never sleep without me, can you?"

     The princess curled up beside her dragon companion and fell asleep to the sound of his steady breath.

     "Sweet dreams, Spike."