//------------------------------// // The Beginning of a Long and Fruitful Partnership // Story: Science, Magic, and The Universe // by rocky rainbow road //------------------------------// Science, Magic and The Universe Chapter One: A Long and Fruitful Partnership Twilight Sparkle was not dumb. In fact, many people said she was smart-- and by many people I mean everyone. At the tender age of sixteen, she had won several dozen awards, and was aiming for the prestigious Nobel prize before 40-- and was working very hard, every day for hours to get there. Yes, Twilight Sparkle is indeed a fine example of intelligence. That said, she currently had no bucking idea what had happened less than 24 hours prior, during the Tri-Cross Relay in the (not-very-aptly-named) Friendship Games. A week ago, if someone told her that all these events would be happening, she would’ve very calmly and slowly backed away before turning on her heel and running back home. Once she was sure that the lunatic was no longer following her, she would’ve called the Insane Asylum. But it wasn’t a week ago. It was now, and she had just witnessed completely imposs-- insane things happening! Holes torn through dimensions! Pony ears and wings somehow magically appearing on humans! And an entire high school that apparently did not even give a damn about all the crazy shit that was happening! Twilight shuddered. So many things happening right under her nose! And from what she had heard from her snooping observation of the ‘Rainbooms’ conversations, there was more. Apparently, she had a clone (who was apparently the Royal Queen of Oats from Horselandia or whatever) who had previously come to CHS and won the affection of the entire school - and some blue-haired rocker idiot - by somehow reforming a bacon-haired she-demon with rainbow laser beams. And that wasn’t even the end of it: this ‘she-demon’ was actually Sunset Shimmer, (whom Twilight remembered as the girl who had yelled at her) who was in turn actually a cartoonish pony with a tattooed butt also from Horselandia. What. The. Buck. All the possible explanations for this flew out the window. #1, which had been ‘I am crazy and am hallucinating’ had been refuted by the fact that the entirety of Canterlot High AND Crystal Prep agreed that they witnessed the ‘magic’ as well. #2 had been ‘they are crazy’, but that theory was flushed down the toilet by the fact that Spike was now living proof that something weird was going on. Twilight supposed that there could be a hallucinogen in the air that they were all breathing but that was less than probable. But the worst thing in this entire mess wasn’t the fact that Principal Cinch was holding her Everton application over her head, or that pretty much everyone hated or at least mildly disliked her now, save for Bass Sleazy-- Ass Pantry-- whatever, he didn’t count anyway. No, the worst thing was that it was partly her fault. Even kindergartners could see she was at least part of the problem. She came in, with her fancy Amulet around her neck, and suddenly she starts … draining energy from people, whether she wanted to or not. And since she started this, she would be the one to figure out how to contain it. (After all, Twilight would hate to destroy it. Think of all the scientific discoveries and recognition she would have! They would all regret laughing in her face, whispered the tiny malicious voice in her head. Soon, the only thing Crystal Prep would be known for was “the place Twilight Sparkle went to for a while”! She cackled maniacally at that thought. So much for Cinch’s precious “legacy”!) Usually when solving problems, Twilight went at it alone. Other people just bogged up the mood and screwed up her concentration. But this time was different. This time she would have to enlist someone else to help her, someone more familiar with the subject-- magic. For this unique problem, she would need a unique solution. And the solution was called Sunset Shimmer. -- Twilight adjusted her glasses, leaned back in the small booth and took a sip of her tall drink. (Peach-mango-avocado with crushed oats and walnuts). Earlier that day, she had approached Sunset after the Rainbooms’ band practice to ask if they could have a moment to … talk. Sunset had flushed, seemingly remembering the spiteful words she had spewed at Twilight after the Relay, and quickly agreed. Twilight supposed that maybe Sunset was planning on them going into an empty classroom and having an awkward, clunky conversation-- but she saw no reason why it had to be so. She knew they both didn’t have any more classes, so she borrowed Shining’s car to bring them to Sugarcube Corner. All of this had been carefully planned. Sugarcube Corner was a familiar place for Sunset, so hopefully she would be less on guard. The smoothie she bought for Sunset created a subconscious want to repay the debt somehow. And she had made sure that nobody would be interrupting their conversation-- all the rest of the Rainbooms were “hanging” somewhere else and she highly doubted the Shadowbolts would go there. Twilight somewhat stiffly made small talk with Sunset for a while: “How are you doing today?” “The weather is nice, isn’t it?” “You play the guitar quite well.” (That last one was actually true. Sunset was rather talented.) Once she felt they were deep enough into their conversation, Twilight made a move. “So, Sunset… about the Friendship Games--” But before she had a chance to continue, Sunset let out a sort of embarrassed yelp. “Oh Celestia, I can’t believe I didn’t-- I’m sorry,” the leather-clad girl said, her cheeks flushed pink. Celestia? wondered Twilight. Wasn’t that the name of the Principal? What an odd phrase. “I’m really, really sorry for what I said,” continued Sunset. “I mean- I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, since I know the most about magic-- they’re all counting on me, and you just popped in and started making things go wrong and I’m not blaming you, I swear--” “Apology accepted,” said Twilight rushedly. Now she was blushing as well-- the nerd wasn’t used to apologies, much less apologies this profound. “I actually wasn’t talking about that though-- I was talking about-- well, magic. I have really no idea what’s happening, except that my Amulet is part of it. I really want to fix this. I really do. But I’ll need your help.” “...What kind of help?” “I kind-of-sort-of-totally need you to be my test subject… and co-scientist of course,” said Twilight, cheeks really heating up. Nobody said anything for a moment, and then: "Are you kidding me?" Asked Sunset, completely bewildered, though the sinking feeling in her gut told her that probably wasn't the case. "On the contrary," said Twilight, pushing up her ever-slipping glasses, "I am completely serious. As much as it pains me to say this, I have no idea whatsoever what my amulet is doing and why it's opening up inter-dimensional rifts. I only meant for it to track magic, not for it to suck it out of people like a scientific Dementor! And I never thought it would be able to punch a hole through spacetime!" At the end of her rant, Twilight was red in the face, breathing heavily, and had to push up her glasses yet again. After a moment, Twilight said, looking down, "Look Sunset-- I don't know what could happen. I could do something wrong, or accidentally summon an Sharknado or trigger the apocalypse! I don't know enough about magic, heck I don't know anything about magic! I need help, Sunset. I need to know things that only you know. Frankly, I need you! And I know I’m asking a lot but will you please help me?" When she looked up again, Sunset could see it in her eyes that Sparkle was, in fact, terrified of what could happen. The girl looked so vulnerable right then in that moment that Sunset decided, right then and there, that if Princess Twilight offered her a hand in her time of need, she could to the same with Sparkle. She could stand a little poking and prodding if it helped other people. Besides, she would get some scientific recognition too! An image of herself, propped up in a velvet chair, ordering her assistants around in a lab flashed through her mind. Her diabolical side, whom she had named Sundown, laughed evilly. "Alright," said Sunset, after a long pause. "But you have to promise that you won't tell anyone else about certain things I'm going to tell you without my express permission, okay?" Twilight barely hesitated before nodding her head wildly, her eyes wide and eager for knowledge. Sunset chuckled. It was kind of adorable. “Oh, and also.” “Yes?!” asked Twilight enthusiastically. “I get half the Noble Prizes.” At that, both girls collapsed into fits of laughter. After the giggling was over, Sunset held out a hand across the table to Twilight. "Partners?" "Partners." -- Later on that day, late into the evening, Twilight Sparkle was almost asleep, Spike cuddled up and drooling next to her. Stray thoughts floated aimlessly through her mind. Sunset… Science… Together? Together. As she fell into the sweet embrace of sleep, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at her lips. Maybe having a partner wouldn’t be so bad after all. TBC.