-Princess Twilight POV-

I put the messenger book in the contraption that opened the mirror portal from Equestria to the alternate world. While it was opening my friend, Starlight Glimmer, came up to me.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?"

I nodded, "I haven't seen them in years. Plus. In the messages Sunset was sending me, I can't help but feel like she's keeping something from me. I know her well enough to know that if I ask she won't tell me, so I'm going over to try and find out."

She sighed, "Alright. But if you do find out and you wish you didn't know, I won't say I told you so."

I laughed a bit then walked in making sure Spike wouldn't know I was going without him.

I tumbled out of the portal and stood up expecting to see the bright Canterlot High with the sun getting ready to set as it was in Equestria, but what I saw broke my heart.

The school was still the three story building it was before, but there were parts that were burnt black. I looked at the sky and it was dark, I breathed in and found out what made it dark. Smoke.

"Twilight!" I sighed in relief as I heard a familiar voice. I looked and saw Applejack with her pair in a pixie cut running towards me from the school, "Twilight, what the hay are ya doing!? Ya know we ain't supposed to be out at this time a day."

"What are you talking about AJ?"

She studied my face then lit up. "Princess Twilight?" she asked and I nodded. Her face became serious and she pulled me toward the door of the school. "Ya shouldn't have come. It's way too dangerous."

"What's going on?" I asked fear rising.

She glared at me for a second witch was unlike her before looking at the entrance again a determined look on her face. "We'll explain inside. Like ah said before, ya shouldn't have come."

She lead me down the halls to the center of CHS where there were multiple other people sitting around together some looking scared, some comforting the scared ones, while others were pacing back and forth.

Applejack lead me to a group in the corner where I recognized people. The light pink hair of Fluttershy, the purple hair and fair skin of Rarity, the hot pink hair and pink skin of Pinkie Pie, the rainbow hair and cian skin of Rainbow Dash, and the me of this world. Where was Sunset?

"Look who ah found by the portal girls." Applejack told them pushing me towards the group.

They looked up and they all gasped as they saw me and I smiled sheepishly. Then the other Twilight quickly stood up and talked quickly but quietly, "What are you doing here? Didn't Sunset tell you about the dragons?"

"What dragons? What are you talking about?"

They all looked at eachother then Rainbow looked at me a pained expression on her face, "She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? What's going on? Why did it smell like smoke outside?"

"What are you guys talking about?" I turned and saw Sunset and when she saw me and the other Twilight and a look of surprise and guilt came on her face, "I have some explaining to do. Don't I?"

I nodded with a 'You'd better' face. I wanted an explanation, now.

She took a deep breath then motioned toward the floor. "You might want to sit down. This could take awhile." we all sat in a circle and Sunset continued, "Before I start, you should know that the only reason that I didn't tell you was because I didn't want to worry you. For now, I might as well start from the beginning. It all started around 2 years ago...

It was just a normal night like the ones you saw when you'd visit us before, but it became something far from normal.

Dragons attacked and began to take our food and killed all those that fought against them. None of us wanted to believe that it was actually happening. Even I was trying to convince myself that dragons didn't exist in this world, but they were definitely there.

When they left, we thought it would be a one time thing, but they came back a week later. After a month of them coming back, we began to develop weapons that we could use to defend ourselves with. They didn't always work.

Since then we've been improving our weapons and training ourselves to be able to fight back when they come. Sometimes our efforts pull through and we can get through the night without a life lost. But they always take some of our food with them...

We've tried to stop them, but no matter what we do, they always come back."

Silence came upon us till I decided to break it. "I understand, but why do you need to be inside at this time of day?"

Fluttershy answered that. "From 6 till 11 pm are the times that they are most likely to attack if they choose to fight that day. So during these hours, all minors are to go inside the nearest building, and the owners of the building are required to accept anyone who comes, while all trained men and women are ready to fight. If they aren't trained, then they assist those that get wounded in the battle."

Silence came once again and I happened to look at Rainbow Dash who was looking down seemingly nervous. Don't be silly Twilight. She wouldn't feel scared. "What's this training you're talking about?" I asked for the sake of conversation.

"Even though it's fairly new, we actually have a very organized system for it." Sunset told me. "When they didn't stop attacking for a few months, we knew that they probably wouldn't stop any time soon. So we began to study them and sorted them into different species. And then we could find their weaknesses. After we were able to find out enough about each species of dragon to be able to take them down, everyone was taught in case they need to defend themselves when no one else is around. Now we have people that are on the front lines every fight as they mastered the techniques needed to fight. And now everyone from 25 to 15 are taking classes and training with dragons we captured so that we will be able to replace anyone that falls in battle. Most of us are going to turn 18 in a bit more than half a year so then once we pass our own training, we'll be fighting as well."

Then a smirk formed on Applejacks face. "Ah know someone who might pass their training before they turn 17." they all looked at Rainbow Dash then a look of confusion then realization came on her face.

"Why would I pass it so soon? I'm on the same level as you girls." They all laughed as if she just cracked the funniest joke ever. "What?"

Fluttershy calmed down first then put a hand on her shoulder still chuckling a little. "Rainbow, you're a natural with those dragons. Even the professionals are surprised by your skill. Against you with dragons, I look like an amature with animals."

Rainbow blushed and Twilight took over, "That's an understatement. She got the two headed Zippleback to be scared of her. We'd never be able to scold a dragon like that."

The blush deepend and she looked down, "I would say they were scared of me." as she said that, I realized she put the emphasis on 'me' Was she implying that it was scared of something else?

Suddenly, we heard a big boom outside and an announcement came over the speaker. "Dragon attack. Please remain in the gym until further notice. If there are any who passed their training then please get weapons and be prepared to fight if a dragon comes here. For everyone else, you know where the buckets of water are in case of a fire."

A few people stood up and went to a weapon rack I just now noticed, and they each grabbed a shield and some other weapon of choice. I shutterd thinking about what they'd do with them if a dragon did come here.

Luckily, a dragon didn't come. They let me stay the night but made sure I went back to Equestria in the morning and warned me not to come back. When I went through the portal I saw Starlight.

"So, did you find out what she's been hiding?" she asked me curiosity in her voice.

I sighed. "You said you wouldn't say I told you so. Get the girls, Spike, and Discord if he's willing to come. I need to talk to them and you. Tell them to meet tonight."

"But Twilight, Applejack is needed on the farm for Zap Apple season. There's only a few days till they all disappear if they aren't picked."

I sighed. "Alright. First thing after they disappear then. But I'd like to meet as soon as possible. If you don't mind, I need to sort out my thoughts."

She smiled and put a hoof on my shoulder. "Go ahead. I'll go tell them for you. Plus, now that you now know that you have more time, I know that you'll probably want to write a speech about it."

I blushed as she said the very thought that was going through my head and she left to tell the girls, Spike, and Discord about the meeting. I invited Discord because I figured his chaotic magic might help us all understand.