Sunset awoke to darkness. Not in a threatening sense, but rather because the sun was not up yet.
She wasn't certain why she had woken up so early. She had always loved sleeping in, especially after an exhausting day like she had just gone through. She hadn't had any bad dreams; in fact, she hadn't dreamed at all. Consciousness had simply faded soon after she had snuggled her way into the sleeping bag.
Sunset shook her head, letting out a snort as she forced all her senses back into reality. Rising back to her feet was still a bit of an ordeal, as normal morning grogginess seemed to exacerbate the dueling natures inside her head, but a quick wiggling of her extremities was enough to remind her of what body she was still in.
Day three...still a brat...
As Sunset's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she turned towards Twilight's bed, only to find it empty. Her sense of hearing finally returned at around the same time, allowing her to pick up faint sounds from downstairs. Taking care to be as quiet as possible, the child stepped out of the bedroom, crossed the hallway, and descended the staircase. A few steps down, she was able to make out a faint light coming from the kitchen, along with the sound of pages turning.
She was not the least bit surprised to see Twilight sitting at the kitchen table, her glasses gleaming against the overhead lamp. In front of her lay the same book she had been reading before, along with a notepad, a stack of white index cards, and a steaming mug. Judging by her worried expression and the pen she was nervously tapping against the table surface, the work was getting the better of her, and by a significant margin. She barely even noticed as Sunset climbed into the chair beside her. “You're up early.”
Twilight let out a shocked gasp, her nerves settling only when she realized who was speaking. “Oh...Sunset. I didn't get you up, did I?”
Sunset shrugged. “Nah, I would have been up anyway. I guess that's one advantage of being a kid again: lots of energy.”
“Actually, children have lower energy reserves than adults.” Twilight scribbled an angry little cloud on the side of the notebook. “The old legend of them overflowing with energy is psychosomatic, likely stemming from their reduced attention span, differing perception of time, and tendency to indulge in play over serious work.” She paused as she saw Sunset's face turn grim. “I mean, that's my theory, anyway. I was never really into studying human development.”
“To be honest, neither do I.” A little bit of brightness returned to Shimmer's face, prompting a light chuckle. “So,” she said as she leaned in closer, “what are you working on?”
Twilight pulled the notebook just slightly closer to herself. “Oh, you know...notes, reference sheets, flash cards, the usual. I'd normally take a highlighter to these, but someone else already beat me to it.” Her eyes drifted ever-so-slightly in the direction of the living room, where the royal version of herself was still slumbering until a prince or frog or whatever-it-was that woke princesses up came along. “If we're going to figure this spell out, we're going to need to know magic inside and out.”
Sunset Shimmer sighed and leaned back in the chair. She rubbed her left eye with her fingers as she let out a groan. “Twilight...you aren't going to figure out Equestrian Magic in a day. Princess Twilight and I were Celestia's students, and it took most of our lives to get to where we are. It would be like expecting to know everything about...say, physics or chemistry after only a few hours.”
“And that's the problem,” Twilight mumbled. “I know that magic exists. I've seen what it can do. But I can't just...explain it.” Grumbling, she shoved the open book over to Sunset. “See what I mean? This page is describing how you could use magic to teleport yourself. This would already be silly enough if it was an instantaneous displacement, but there is a delay of up to one second before the target of the spell reappears.”
Sunset shook her head and picked up the book. Her eyes instantly locked onto the pages, all fully translated thanks to the wonders of Starswirl's magic. “Teleportation is actually pretty advanced, as far as magic goes. It took me years to get it nailed down, and even then, I wasn't keen on using it too much.”
“B-But think of the implications!” Twilight slammed her pencil against the table as frustration, supplemented with a steady dose of caffeine, worked its way through her bloodstream. “Do you cease to exist during that delay? Do you destroy your body and clone yourself somewhere else? What happens if you teleport into the ground or a rock? What if an insect gets caught in the spell with you?”
“I think you're thinking too hard about this.” Sunset flipped quickly from one page to the next. “I-I mean, it's not like accidents don't happen, but these are mostly introductory books. The actual spells and nasty side-effects are in the later volumes.”
Twilight sighed and rested her chin against her left arm. “You're right. It's just...I thought I was getting a grasp on how magic worked, and now that I've read all of this, I feel...like some dumb little kid.” She smiled and rolled her eyes. “No offense.”
Silence answered her.
While Twilight Sparkle's social skills were far from refined, even she could detect something decidedly off. Her smile faded as she turned her attention fully back to Sunset Shimmer. The girl was seemingly transfixed by the book, tossing from one page to another in what could only be described as hysterical confusion. “A-Are you okay?”
Sunset finally looked up from the book. Her eyes were brimming with warm tears. “Of course I am,” she lied.
Twilight could feel something pulling at her heart. Sunset wasn't bawling or anything of the sort, but even after wiping her eyes clear, her features were still dark and her breathing heavy. As if acting on instinct, she reached over and placed a hand on Sunset's shoulder. “You don't have to hide anything from me, Sunset. Like you always said, friends need to be there for each other.”
Sunset took in a sniff and smiled. “Thanks, Twilight, but I'm perfectly fine.”
“Really?” Twilight's grip tightened. “Because a moment ago, you looked...”
Sunset's smile disappeared. “I said I'm fine.”
“Oh...okay, then.” Twilight's hand slowly withdrew back to a neutral position. “So...I was thinking that, now that we have funding, we should make getting the replacement parts our first priority.” She reached over to one of the index cards and handed it to Sunset. “While I was on break, I started sketching out some ideas for improving our design.”
Sunset scanned the card. Most of it was taken up by another drawing of the marvelous contraption that had gotten them into this mess, with a few squiggly lines and marks to the side to denote additional plating, extra cooling systems, better ventilation, and the like. “I guess it's a start,” Sunset said, her voice much closer to what constituted normal in this circumstance. “We might also want to look at activating it somewhere other than Canterlot High. It might...”
Her eyes suddenly widened. “Wait, did you say 'break?'”
“Oh, just one or two in the last three hours.” Twilight giggled nervously as she gulped down the remaining liquid in her mug.
Sunset's eyes narrowed. “Twilight, just how long have you been up?”
Twilight rolled her eyes, conveniently ignoring how soft and jelly-like they were becoming. “Seriously, I'm perfectly fine. I once went without sleep for five days. This is absolutely nothing.”
The metaphorical hinges on Sunset's jaw popped off, leaving her mouth hanging open in abject horror. “Five...days?”
“My Eighth Grade Science Fair project. I was so determined to win first prize that I refused to sleep until everything was perfect. It wasn't easy, but I eventually managed to prove that flowers can talk, are conspiring against us, and need to be exterminated for the sake of humanity.” Twilight's lips curled into a vengeful sneer. “I lost to some snot-nosed brat that built a potato battery.”
“Oh...I see.” Sunset pushed herself away from the table very, very slowly. “If you'll excuse me...”
“A potato battery!” Twilight let out a manic growl and pulled at the sides of her hair. “Do you know how uninspired that is? It's right up there with the vinegar volcano! What's next, giving the Starswirl Prize to someone proving that things get hot when you set them on fire?”
Twilight let out one final roar, and then the room fell quiet. Sunset dared not move another inch, lest she upset the mad beast before her. She had not seen anyone this manic and sleep-deprived since the time Applejack's brother got injured and she had to finish the harvest by herself. Probably didn't help that it was back during Sunset's bad days and she was partly – if not completely – responsible for injuring him to begin with. And with that thought needling through Sunset's neural network, she found herself desperately searching for any sort of exit.
Thankfully, salvation came in the form of Spike. The two girls were jostled from their respective dilemmas at the sound of the purple pup approaching, a leash tightly clasped within his jaws. He sat down and dropped the leash, his eyes never once leaving the girls. “Um...I think it's time for my walk, Twilight.”
“Oh....right.” Twilight pushed herself back from the table and stood up. The sudden movement agitated all of her muscle areas, sending a clear message to her brain about how long she had been seated and not sleeping. She clasped her hand over her mouth as a yawn forced its way out. “Sorry, Spike. I totally forgot. Just give me a minute to...”
“You know what, Twilight?” Sunset jumped down from the chair, a smile plastered over her face. “Why don't you just stay here and...plan out the rest of the day? I can take Spike for his walk.”
Twilight's eyes shot open. “Um...are you sure? I mean, I always take Spike for his walks, and...well, you don't know the neighborhood and...”
“Spike must know his way around.” Sunset turned to the dog. “Isn't that right, boy?”
Spike nodded along happily. “It's not like it's hard to find the way back home. She'll be safe with me, Twilight, I promise.” He let out a small whine. “Besides, you do look a little weak. Maybe you should rest a little.”
“Bah, nonsense!” Twilight snorted as she climbed to her feet. “I'm perfectly fine, as you can plainly see. Now come, Spike. Let us initiate our morning rituals with a patrol of the neighborhood.” At least, that's what Twilight would have said if she hadn't instead planted her face into the table halfway through the snort.
Sunset jumped to Spike's side, bent down on one knee, and hooked his leash to his collar. “Come on, Spike. I think Twilight needs some beauty rest.”
The first thing Sunset did upon stepping outside was take a deep breath. The clean morning air, still cold and heavy with dew, had an absolutely intoxicating effect upon her little lungs. The last lingering traces of post-waking depression melted away as her muscles relaxed. As much as she might have fought against the shopping excursion the previous day, the new blouse Rarity had picked out made her feel renewed against the dull breeze. She might have continued to stand still and enjoy that moment had a purple paw not prodded her leg, snapping her back to reality. “A-hem!”
Sunset's eyes turned down towards Spike. The puppy's collar was now connected to a leash, which was in turn wrapped around Sunset's right hand. The puppy eyed the girl with no small amount of impatience. “Oh...right, sorry,” she said, her words sprinkled with a bit of nervous giggling. She tightened her grip around the leash and took a few steps forward. Sensing that the ritual had begun, Spike darted ahead of the girl. In an instant, Sunset felt the leash suddenly go tight in her hands, and Spike let out a small yelp as his forward mobility suddenly ceased, leaving him standing frustrated on the front lawn.
Everything was sufficiently prepared. “Alright, little pup!” she said, her voice dripping with near-Pinkie levels of enthusiasm. “Where are we going?”
Spike turned his head to the left, then the right, and back to the left. “I'm thinking...that way,” he said, pointing a paw towards the distant, leftward horizon.
Sunset looked down the street. There was nothing particularly special about it, seeing as it was just another row of little houses and yards. “Any...particular reason?”
“Nah, but Twilight and I usually just go about anywhere. And today, that way looks fine.”
“I...guess that reason's as good as any.” Sunset shrugged and smiled at the eager puppy. “Let's go!”
Spike barked out an agreement and began scampering down the sidewalk. Sunset tightened her grip on the leash and followed along, humming one of the Rainbooms' tunes under her breath as she did so.
It could be said that there were certain social assumptions one would make when confronted with a princess. A person who carried such a prestigious and heavy title was expected to be the very picture of grace and civil serenity, a delicate petal floating through the windy valley that was life. Even when they were sleeping, they were expected to carry on this same level of decorum. No loud snoring, no grumbling, no drooling – they were simply to slumber noiselessly, wake peacefully, and greet the new day with a sense of joy and wonder. And as the Princess of Friendship, Princess Twilight Sparkle always carried her responsibilities out to the fullest of her ability.
As the morning dawn crossed her face, she finally wrestled open her eyes – slowly and dramatically, like any good princess. The world around her blurred and swam together briefly, but she could still make out the dutiful purple of her Number One Assistant. “Hmmm....hello, Spike,” she mumbled as she rose to a half-seated position. “What's for breakfast?”
“Are you expecting my dog to cook your meals, too?”
The remaining blurriness immediately vacated Princess Twilight's vision, bringing the world into focus once again. She was lying on a leather couch, not the posh poster bed she had used since her old one was destroyed with the library. She was inside a human domicile, with everything proportionately sized for a bipedal species over a quadrupedal one. And standing above her, staring back with a cringing smile and a notebook in her hands, was her bespectacled doppelganger.
Princess Twilight quickly pushed away the covers and pulled herself into a sitting position. She let out a quiet growl at Twilight's seeming exuberance. “And just how long were you standing there?”
“Oh, not too long.” Twilight walked over to one of the chairs and flopped down, rubbing her forehead for no explicable reason as she did so. “Sorry, I just....hit my head a little. Sunset and I have been up for a while, though. I figured royalty never had time to sleep, considering you run a country and all...”
Princess Twilight blushed and scratched nervously at her left cheek. “I-It's not quite like that, but...” She shook her head and reverted back to being generally upset. “That doesn't matter! Why were you watching me sleep?”
“Well, mom and dad aren't up yet, Shining's either asleep or busy, and Sunset took Spike for a walk. It's not like this place is bustling with things to do.” She narrowed her eyes and chuckled. “And as a scientist, I couldn't help but satisfy my curiosity. I had no idea I looked so dorky when I was asleep.”
Princess Twilight muttered something that could generously be compared to a whinny. “Well, I'm sorry my natural gracefulness didn't carry over into this world. I have to learn to work with this awkward, ungainly type of body like the rest of you.”
“Yes, the 'natural gracefulness' of a species that eats grass and runs around naked.” Twilight chortled as she very purposefully adjusted her glasses. “Truly majestic.”
If one were to listen closely, they would have been able to hear the nerve centers of Princess Twilight's brain rubbing against each other until they almost burst into flames. A thousand vile insults struggled to escape her tongue, ranging from childish name-calling to accusations about sundry activities with livestock. The only force strong enough to hold them back was her sense of royal decorum and her sworn duty as the Princess of Friendship to help those in need, even if they were big doody-heads.
Princess Twilight pulled on the hem of her skirt. “So what's the plan for today?”
“Well...” Twilight opened the notebook and pointed towards a long, detailed list on one of the pages. “I took the list of components Sunset and I took down, worked out our finances, and started brainstorming about how to get the parts we need. Now all we have to do is get to work on a checklist for today.”
“Checklist?” Princess Twilight's eyes began to shimmer like diamonds under the sun.
“I've always found that planning out a schedule makes things proceed much more smoothly,” said Twilight. She looked at her doppelganger with a small measure of disbelief. “You...You actually agree with me on this?”
“Absolutely!” Princess Twilight said, although her voice was closer to a squeal. Her arms trembled in anticipation. “Checklists, day planners, index cards, all the tools of a successful and productive pony! So, let's start with these parts you mentioned! How are we going to get them?”
Twilight smiled – perhaps the first genuine smile she had ever shown Princess Twilight – and looked back to her notes. “Most of these things we'll have to buy new. For the rest, we could save a few dollars with some refurbished bits and pieces...” She tapped her left index finger against her cheek. “I asked my dad to look into some of the people he knows. Maybe if we let him look at the expanded list, he could help us...”
The door to the parents' bedroom suddenly opened, bringing the conversation to a halt. Night Light slowly emerged, barely stifling a yawn as he adjusted himself to the waking world. Several more seconds passed before his vision finally cleared enough to notice his daughter and her alternate universe princess self sitting in the living room. “Good morning, Twili-”
That was the exact moment he noticed both Twilights' heads had been replaced with tomatoes. It took another moment for him to realize that this was because of his rather noticeable lack of trousers, save for a pair of very loose-fitting shorts. Night Light bolted back into the bedroom so fast the house seemed to shake a little from the door slamming shut. “S-Sorry, everyone. You didn't see much, did you?”
“More than I ever wanted to see,” Twilight said, her voice practically a small squeak from the humiliation of it all.
“S-So that's what your males look like...” Princess Twilight mumbled. Her brain sizzled with horrifying thoughts of her own father looking like that, accompanied by the whinnying and crying of little foals everywhere.
“Please don't judge our species by my dad,” muttered Twilight.
For all the gravitas the walk had started with, the actual chore was rather unremarkable. Spike dutifully led Sunset around the neighborhood, passing one ticky-tacky house after another. The early morning chill gradually gave way as the sun crossed across the sky, taking with it much of the freshness and strange beauty of this world's mornings with it. A few of the neighbors wandered their driveways, looking for their newspapers and cursing the coming of another work and/or school day, but they paid no heed to the small child being led about by a little purple dog.
Sunset shoved her free hand into her pocket and rolled her head about. “You know, do we really have to go that far for you to do your business? I mean, I have to carry it back to the house, you know.”
“It's more than that,” said Spike. “Getting out here each morning, stretching my legs after lying around all day, making certain my territory's clearly marked and respected...that's all part of the Walkies.”
Sunset cocked her head. “Walkies?”
Spike turned his own head about and nodded. “Yeah, that's what Twilight used to call them, back when she first got me. She hasn't really talked to me like that since...well, the Friendship Games.”
“I guess it's harder to use baby talk when someone can talk back to you.” Sunset shrugged and shook her head. “So, how's it working out for you? The talking, I mean.”
That was the moment Spike finally stopped. He spun around and sat on his rump, his eyes locking with Sunset's. “It's...fine, I guess.”
“You guess?”
Spike whimpered and looked away nervously. “It's nice to be able to talk to Twilight and everything, but...it still feels wrong, you know? Everyone gets freaked out when they hear me, and when I see other dogs, I feel like...like I don't smell right.” He shook his head. “It's not like I asked to be able to talk. I was just chasing that weird-looking rabbit and...something happened.”
Sunset closed her eyes, sighed, and bent down on her knees. She cupped a hand under Spike's right ear and scratched the back of his head, knocking the puppy out of his melancholy and into a state of euphoria. “I know the feeling, little guy.”
Spike's tongue rolled around his lips. “You do?”
“Do you have any idea how weird it felt when I first got here?” Sunset slowly seated herself on the grass, tucking her arms over her legs as she did so. “I had gone from one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria to being an unearthly bipedal monster at their most awkward. Everything about this place felt wrong, but I couldn't go home, either. I was stuck.”
She sighed and rolled onto her back, resting against the cool grass. Her hand drifted away from Spike, causing the pup to let out a brief whine. “Of course, I had to go and make things worse by being myself. At least you haven't tried to take over the world, or anything like that. I still wanted power, and I ended up making things a lot worse for everyone. I brainwashed the school, I almost allowed the Sirens to take over, and I ruined the Friendship Games.”
“I don't think that last one's true,” said Spike, his voice sounding a bit farther away. Sunset looked up, saw what he was doing, and quickly looked away in embarrassment. “It was Principal Cinch that made Twilight use her magic, remember?”
“But it was my fault the magic was there to begin with.” Sunset pounded the ground with her left fist and rolled onto her side. The feeling of grass tucking against her frame began to rustle up even more unwanted old feelings, but self-loathing was enough to cancel that out. “I mean...this was all just a mistake. If I wasn't so stupid, I wouldn't have ran through that mirror and caused magic to leak out everywhere. None of this would have happened.”
It was quite a few seconds before Spike spoke again. “Am I a mistake?”
Sunset shot back to her feet in an instant. Spike, having finished doing his “business,” was staring up at her with wide, quivering eyes. In an instant, Sunset realized her mistake. “Of course not. You're a wonderful dog, Spike. Twilight would probably be, what, completely insane if you weren't around?”
“Eh, probably, but that's not the point.” Spike took a step forward, causing his back to arch slightly upwards. This had the effect of giving him a more pointed appearance. “What I mean is, was everything that happened to me a mistake? I'm a dog, right. You and I aren't supposed to be able to talk to each other. If it hadn't been for all this...magic stuff flying around, I'd still be barking things at Twilight while she puts words in my mouth.”
“N-No, of course not,” Sunset said as she kneeled down. She stretched a hand out to the pup, who quickly walked up for more petting. “I mean, it wasn't planned, but...things worked out wonderfully, I guess.” She smiled as her mind went back over those words...
And then she heard a click.
Both Sunset and Spike turned their heads towards a nearby bush. From within its green branches, a familiar voice was hissing some rather unbecoming curses. This was followed by the bush rustling violently, and finally an all-too-known figure emerging. Her hoodie, skirt and skin were covered with dirt, cobwebs, and that foul-smelling sticky sap far too many bushes excrete, but it was obvious at a glance who it was.
And she had her cell phone out.
Sunset's eyes shot wide with horror. “T-TRIXIE?”
For her part, Canterlot High's premiere stage magician maintained her defiant, dominating composure, even as she cursed the bush's brambles under her breath. Spike quickly stepped up in front of Sunset, teeth barred and ready to strike with his puppy strength. Trixie ignored the dog, however, and instead raised her cell phone for another picture. “Oh, this is going to look great on MyStable...”
Sunset's face darkened with cold, unholy rage. “You...Have you been following me all morning?!”
“Oh, please. The Great and Powerful Trixie has been following you since yesterday.”
“Yesterday?!”
“Well, how else could Trixie have taken these?”
Trixie flashed a viciously triumphant grin as she spun her cell phone around. Sunset gasped as she saw Trixie's MyStable page, every inch of it covered in pictures of herself during her grueling adventure the day before. There she was lagging behind Twilight on the way to the Barnyard Bargains. There she was soaked with water at the bus stop. Walking out of a fancy dress shop, stuffing her face with ice cream, vomiting said ice cream onto the sidewalk – nearly every minute of her previous day had been documented, up to the point where they loaded into Rarity's car and sped off.
Sunset's jaw dropped. “H-How? How could you have...?”
“One does not become 'Great and Powerful' without learning how to sneak about!” Her sneer melted into a grimace. “Besides, Trixie has been suspended from Canterlot High. Apparently, the pictures from two days ago could have been taken as 'bullying.'”
A feeling of familiarity began to creep across the back of Sunset's mind like an encroaching frost. She took a step back as something burned behind her eyes. Trixie's grimace only deepened as she saw her young target's growing despair. “And it's all your fault! If you hadn't done...whatever it is you did, Trixie would never have been able to take those pictures, Vice-Principal Luna would never have accused me of such things, and I wouldn't be out here shouting at a little runt!”
In that one moment, everything that Sunset had suffered through these past few days seemed to coalesce into a single point. Her experiment's failure that left her stuck as a child. The school she had thought had accepted her turning its back on her. Being dragged around, tricked and coerced into doing things she had no interest in, simply because she was now too small to resist. All of the agony, the shame, and the humiliation melded together...and painted itself squarely on Trixie's chin.
Sunset's fist was clenched so tightly, the knuckle practically glowed white. With a scream of primal fury, she charged at Trixie. The teenager had barely enough time to comprehend what was happening when Sunset threw a mighty punch towards her chin...
And hit nothing but air.
The lack of any flesh making impact with her fist caused Sunset to keep turning, throwing her off balance and sending her tumbling to the grass. Trixie snickered as her opponent flopped against the ground in shock. “What's the matter? Is Sunset too wittle to beat someone up?”
Letting out another curse, Sunset pulled herself up halfway and tried again. This time, she launched herself into the air, throwing an uppercut capable of pounding one's skull into a pancake. Whether or not this was true in her current form would never be known, however, as Trixie simply stepped aside, allowing the slow and clumsy attack to miss completely and send Sunset back to the ground, this time landing nose-first. The impact wasn't forceful enough to cause serious injury, but it still seriously stung.
“Aw, what a shame.” Trixie leaned over Sunset, still in the middle of pulling herself back up, and rustled her hand through her hair. The contact caused a sharp, painful chill to run down Sunset's spine, causing her body to freeze, her eyes to widen, and her mouth to quiver. She could feel something trying to force its way out of her eyes, but that pain was nothing compared to the scream that was building in her gut. “It seems the biggest girl at Canterlot High is really just a little wimp.”
Sunset closed her eyes and let out a hacking cough. “G-Get off of-”
“And look at you, still acting like you're a big girl!”
That was when the first tears finally began coursing down her cheeks. Sunset clenched her teeth, struggling to keep herself from sobbing outright. She forced herself to stay low to the ground, praying that Trixie would finally leave and let this nightmare be over. The pride and confidence that had been her pillar of strength was gone, and in its place was a quivering little...
Foal.
“Oh, what's the matter? Did I hurt your feelings?” Trixie began to lean over, her camera arced in front of her so as to catch Sunset's hidden face. “Is wittle Sunset going to...”
That was when she made her first mistake. For in lowering her hand so close to the ground, she left it wide open for Sunset's companion. Spike rushed forward with the ferocity of a father wolf and clamped his jaws tight against Trixie's pinky finger. The sudden jolt of pain was not enough to draw blood, but it was more than sufficient to shock Trixie into dropping her phone. Spike released his grip as she raised herself back up, landing on all four paws before leaping into a defensive position at Sunset's side.
“You...little...mutt!” Trixie screamed. “I'm going to....”
That was Trixie's second mistake. In becoming focused on Spike, she had forgotten about her actual target. For all of the embarrassment she had just been put through, Sunset Shimmer was not done fighting. Or rather, the part of her that represented her actual childhood wasn't done. She closed her fists, curled up her toes, and spun about face so that she was facing away from Trixie. Just as her opponent was verbally laying into Spike, Sunset leaned her body downwards, tensed her muscles, and delivered a mighty buck kick with both feet into Trixie's stomach.
Such an attack would have normally been ineffectual, but Trixie had been so focused on her injured finger and the purple puppy that the blow further took her by surprise. With a small cry of pain, she fell backwards and plopped against the ground.
As if a switch had been flipped, Sunset's mind returned to her present condition. She slowly climbed back to her feet, her clothes covered in fresh grass stains and her face dark red. She turned around to Spike and, sniffling back a few of those annoying tears, stroked him across the back in appreciation. “Good boy,” she mumbled softly.
“Ouch...that hurt, you brat!” Trixie slowly pulled herself into a sitting position, rubbing her head as she did so. “I'm gonna make sure you...”
That's when she felt something slimy in her hair. Slimy and smelly. And brown.
She looked at Spike...and realized she had made her third mistake. She had not considered that the battleground might have been seeded with landmines.
Trixie let out a scream, while Spike just barely managed to suppress his laughter. Sunset, on the other hand, stared at the scene with a mixture of mocking pleasure and absolute horror. Trixie's face contorted into something resembling a melting tire as she glared at her diminutive victim. She had barely enough time to scoop everything she needed up by the time the demon spoke. “You....You planned that out, didn't you?”
Yet again, Sunset could feel a pang of fear in her heart. She hurriedly glanced about the yard for some support, but found none besides Spike, and even he had gone from laughing to whining slightly at Trixie's seething rage. “L-Look, Trixie. J-Just leave us alone, or...”
Trixie threw herself forward, landing on her knees. “Don't you dare tell me what to do, you little, insignificant...”
That was when Trixie made her fourth, and most crushing, mistake. For in her haste to humiliate the diminutive girl, she had not taken into account the neighborhood's watering ordinances. In particular, the lawn she was standing in was scheduled for a good watering that day. And as the sprinkler heads shot up, she had barely a second to realize the one right underneath her was pointed directly towards her eyes.
The water jetted out, slamming into Trixie like a fierce right hook. She let out another scream and fell back, this time landing butt-first into Spike's contribution to the yard. By this point, Sunset was already bolting. And as she watched Sunset flee, Trixie finally noticed there was something else missing from the ground.
Her cell phone.
Trixie's water-logged screams echoed throughout the neighborhood.
Night Light looked over the list once again. The two Twilights, standing not five feet away, watched him with big smiles on their faces and the their hands clasped together in front of their laps. “Are you sure you need all this?”
Twilight nodded. “I'm pretty sure. We are dealing with an entirely new science here, after all.”
A bead of sweat ran down Night Light's head. “Th-This is going to cost a pretty penny, hon. Are you sure you can afford it?”
Princess Twilight took her turn to nod affirmatively. “We budgeted everything out. After including what we can recycle from the previous model, we have more than enough funding to cover the cost.”
“I don't know. Don't you think you should...?”
That was when Night Light made his fatal mistake. He looked up from the paper, prepared to give a speech on saving money by finding cheaper alternatives, but was instead greeted by mirror images of his only daughter staring at him. Their eyes, wide and brimming like adorable little puppies in a pet shop window, fired invisible laser beams through Night Light's own, destroying the armor plating a responsible father builds around their brain and reducing his mind to mush. He smiled and gave his actual daughter a pat on the head. “Oh, alright. I'm certain you girls know what you're doing.”
Twilight smiled and gave Night Light a slightly stand-offish hug, just enough to establish familial appreciation without going into awkward territory. “Thanks, dad.”
Night Light nodded affirmatively to Twilight, flashed Princess Twilight a fatherly smile, and headed towards the door. The moment his hand touched the knob, a flurry of footsteps echoed from the stairway as Shining Armor came charging down. He did his best hide his face, but both Twilights could make out the circles under his half-closed eyes. A quick grunt was the only farewell he gave before both father and son exited the house, closing the door behind them.
Princess Twilight let her shoulders slack. “I guess I really scared your brother last night.”
“He hasn't been the best at handling things lately,” said Twilight. “Still, we've got a lot to do today, so once Sunset gets back...”
No sooner had Twilight spoke of the devil than the front door came flying open. Spike came running in first, his paws scraping against the ground as she slid to a stop. Following along was Sunset, who slammed the door shut behind her. Both of them were panting and disheveled, a far cry from when they had started their walk. Twilight and Princess Twilight circled around the two, their faces twisted in worry, as Sunset weakly waved. “Hello.”
“What in Equestria happened?” asked Princess Twilight.
Sunset glanced over at Spike. Twilight was busy removing his leash, which was not made easy by the dog's frantic licking and cuddling. “We...ran into Trixie.”
Princess Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Trixie?”
“She embarrassed Sunset on MyStable when this all started,” said Twilight. “What did she do this time? She didn't hurt you or anything, did she?”
“N-No more than she already has,” Sunset lied.
“Oh, that's great to-” Princess Twilight cocked her head in confusion. “H-Have you been crying?”
Sunset's face went flush. “No, of course not,” she said weakly.
“Are you sure? Because your eyes are a little red...”
“Allergies!” Sunset blurted out. She reached her right hand up and wiped her eyes clean. “You know...mornings, pollen, all of that...”
Princess Twilight stared at Sunset for a moment more before shrugging and backing off. “Well...if you say so.”
Finally free from the awkward conversation, Sunset walked past the two Twilights and jumped in one of the living room chairs. The moment her body made contact with the leather, she let out a relieved gasp, not unlike a leaking balloon flying free into the open sky. Twilight and Princess Twilight took up seats on the couch, the former picking up a notebook from the coffee table. “First, thank you for taking Spike on his walk,” said Twilight. “I'm sorry things didn't go perfectly.”
Sunset rolled her eyes and waved a hand dismissively. “It's not your fault.”
“But, I do have some good news!” Twilight opened the notebook and, after a bit of leafing through the pages, held up a handwritten bulleted list. “While you were out, the Princess and I were able to come up with a checklist of things to get done by the end of the day!”
“Really?” Sunset pulled herself forward in the chair. “You two came up with that in...what, thirty minutes?”
“Less than that,” said Princess Twilight, crossing her arms in triumph. “Turns out this world's me is also quite good at planning and organizing.” She cocked an eye at Twilight. “I mean, not as good as I am, but still, adequate for someone her age.”
Twilight smiled and grimaced simultaneously. “Thank you, your highness. Your input was most helpful in getting this list together.” She flipped to a previous page, which was covered in the kind of scribbles a kindergartner with a broken stencil would draw after swallowing a small jar of straight sugar. Princess Twilight's response was to giggle as she imagined Twilight being trapped in a library where the books were all indexed incorrectly.
“So what's on this 'checklist,' exactly?” asked Sunset.
Twilight flipped back to the list. “Let's start from the top. Item One: Create a checklist of things to do by the end of the day.”
A pause.
“And check!”
Sunset slapped her forehead. Maybe the Princess is a bad influence. “How about we skip to the first step we haven't done yet.”
“Oh...okay,” Twilight said in a slightly defeated tone. “That would be...going out to breakfast!”
Sunset's eyes widened. “Really? Going out for breakfast?”
“I figured it would be a good way to get our first actual day together started,” said Princess Twilight. “You know that diner we would sometimes meet for coffee at? It's right on the way to where we need to go next, and it seems like a perfect place to start the day! Don't you agree?”
Sunset let out a sharp breath. “Yes...perfect,” she said in a curt, jaded tone.
The small diner was busy, as it was every morning. Families with small children fought a losing battle to get their young ones to sit and behave, while the elderly and unemployed enjoyed pleasant conversation and a meal they didn't have to cook. The wait staff bustled from one table to another, desperately wiping away the stains of each spot's last customer before greeting an overbearing customer with a forced, desperate smile. This was all punctuated by an aroma that drifted through the air like a clumsy ballerina, filled with the intoxicating aroma of fresh pancakes, roasted coffee beans, and the sizzling of pork fat.
One of the waitresses, a young woman with pale pink skin, smiled warmly at the three as they entered, Sunset doing her best to blend in behind the two Twilights' legs. “Good morning!” she said as she reached for the nearby menus. “Two adults and one child?”
Twilight glanced nervously towards Princess Twilight, who in turn looked down at Sunset. The girl was wearing an expression of pure discontent, but at least wasn't reflecting any active hostility or the like. “Er...yes,” Twilight said finally.
“Excellent! Please follow me!”
In a perfectly rehearsed motion, the waitress swept three menus into her arm and moved towards a booth near the back of the diner. The three girls quickly followed, with the two Twilights taking the window seats and Sunset hunching down at the aisle spot next to the human world's Twilight. “My name is Sugar Belle,” the waitress said as she pulled a notepad and small pen from her apron. “Can I start you with anything to drink?”
Princess Twilight blushed and looked away nervously for no apparent reason, thereby giving Twilight the chance to go first. “Coffee, please.”
“I-I'll take a coffee, too,” said Princess Twilight.
“Excellent choice,” said Sugar Belle. She turned her attention to Sunset. “And what will you have, dearie?”
Sunset's entire body shuddered. She closed her eyes and let out a low, frustrated moan. Despite this, Sugar Belle's ruthlessly perky attitude continued unblemished. “Need some help? Well, we've got orange juice, chocolate milk, hot chocolate, soda...”
“Coffee.”
Sugar Belle's pencil skidded against her notepad. Her left eye trembled just slightly as she looked the grumpy child over. “Um...children really shouldn't...”
“I want coffee,” Sunset mumbled.
By now, both of the Twilights had blushed themselves violet. Sugar Belle looked at the two near-adults, but they could only slowly nod back in response. “Very well, then.” She scratched out some more notes on the sheet before returning the pencil to her apron pocket and heading off towards the kitchen.
Once she was out of sight, Sunset rolled her eyes and rested her chin on her left hand. “By Celestia, that was annoying,” she grumbled. Then she looked over at her friends, both of whom were staring back with no small share of aggravation. Sunset quickly straightened her head and shrugged. “What?”
“Um...nothing,” said Princess Twilight, diverting her eyes to her menu.
“It's just...coffee is a little much for someone so....young,” Twilight said.
Sunset's expression shifted into a scornful scrunch so quickly that there was an almost audible pop. “How many times do I have to tell people I'm not a child?!” Her voice was a whisper, but for the Twilights it might as well as been shouted through a loudspeaker. “I'm sick and tired of everyone treating me like I'm...crippled or something because of this. I'm still Sunset Shimmer, and I would appreciate everyone remembering that!”
The small booth fell silent after that. After a few seconds of averting their eyes from each other, the three slowly settled for staring at their menus. Sunset's fingers slid and tapped across the pages, eying the various foodstuffs for sale. Most of the options were the standard offerings for such a place: various combinations of eggs and meats, waffles, stacks of pancakes, and chicken for some reason. Then again, none of it was too terribly expensive, so she really had no room to complain.
Typically, it would not have taken Sunset long to decide what to order. Today, however, something else was racing through her mind. I have to show them. I have to prove I'm still grown up.
She glanced over the side of her menu, just barely catching a glimpse of Twilight tapping a finger against her chin. Princess Twilight was no doubt following a similar gesture as she puzzled out her breakfast. Smiling, Sunset returned her attention to the menu. The key is to keep things sensible. Children may be taken in by silly gimmicks and goofy names, but we adults know that there is more to a good meal than presentation.
A pause, followed by a correction. Well, perhaps except for Rarity.
Sunset's gaze locked onto a single item: a simple short stack. She grinned triumphantly. That's exactly what I need. It's small and simple, but should still be perfectly filling at my current size. Now I just need to set my menu down and...
That was when the menu, which she was in the process of closing, seemed to flip to the back page. A small bead of sweat ran down Sunset's face as she found herself looking at the more youth-friendly products, if only from the embarrassment. They were just like the adult foods, only smaller and, in some strange way, cuter. And the voice Sunset had been trying to silence seemed to be finding them more appealing.
She glanced back up at the others. Both Twilights had already closed their menus, opened their napkins, and laid out their utensils in the correct placement, meaning they both had plenty of time to stare at Sunset expectantly. And in the process of starting to close her own menu, Sunset had lowered it just enough for the two to see what page she was on.
Okay...you can still do this. Ordering like an adult will just show how you can fight off these childish urges of yours. Just finish closing the menu, and...
That was when she saw it. Sitting right near the top right corner of the page was a picture of a simple pancake platter and some eggs. Only the pancakes were arranged in a way that they vaguely resembled a face and ears, with some whipped cream and chocolate chips strategically placed to make it look like it's smiling. Even the eggs were getting into the act, having been fried together and placed so that they resembled a bow tie. The thing was absolutely adorable...
And Sunset's brain could not handle the cuteness. It was taking considerable effort just to keep from letting out a small, high-pitched squeak at the sight. The instinctual foal part of her current brain chemistry pushed against her, urging her to give into her basest instincts and order the cute thing. It was a little more unhealthy, but she would be enjoying herself.
That was something Sunset Shimmer could not have.
“Um...are you okay over there, Sunset?” asked Twilight.
By this point, Sunset's internal struggle had caused her cheeks to inflate, her nose to turn upwards on itself, and her eyes to sink into her skull slightly. “I-I'm okay,” she muttered, trying and failing to sound cool and calm. This was not helped by the sound of air escaping through her now-opened mouth. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, it looks like you need to use the little filly's room,” said Princess Twilight. Thankfully, Sunset understood what Twilight meant and did not take the statement as an insult.
No one even seemed to notice when Sugar Belle returned and set their drinks down until she coughed loudly, causing all three to jump in their seats. “Are you all ready to order?” she asked.
“Um...I'll take the veggie omelette,” said Princess Twilight, silently hoping the healthier choice would make her human counterpart feel just slightly inadequate.
“Just a waffle combo with bacon, thanks,” said Twilight, silently hoping the sight of herself as a carnivore would cause her horsie counterpart to go mad.
Sugar Belle hummed a little ditty as she logged down their orders. She then turned to Sunset. “And for you?”
Sunset shivered as three pairs of eyes locked onto her. She turned the menu back to the page she had originally eyed, only to find herself shuffling straight back to the kids menu. She tried to mutter a response, but all that came out of her throat was a series of croaks and cackling one-syllable words. Finally, with a last burst of willpower, she reached deep within herself to the mature, sensible, intelligent pony she knew she was. And with that, she found the strength to finally overcome her ordeal.
She let out a cough, cleared her throat...
“I'll take the Smilecakes!”
As she blurted the sentence out, she realized her error: the mature, sensible, intelligent pony she knew she was thought they were absolutely adorable, too.
Sugar Belle, still smiling that fake smile, jotted down Sunset's order, picked up the menus, and headed off towards the kitchen. Both Twilight and Princess Twilight could barely suppress the urge to giggle, which only further fueled Sunset's desire to become one with the cushioning of the booth's seat. She bowed her head until her bangs covered her eyes. “I need to use the restroom,” was all she said before scooting to the aisle and walking to the back of the diner.
Sunset Shimmer didn't cry for long. The moment she was safely behind the bathroom door, she had let out a small, whimpering wail, followed by several unsightly sobs and some tears running down her cheek. Once she was in control enough to realize what was happening, she had ran to the sink, turned the cold water on, and began splashing the liquid across her face. The sudden shock sent her stepping back just a bit, but the water had done the trick: no one could tell she had been crying.
At least, that's what she assumed. Her current height made properly looking in the mirror difficult.
Drawing upon what little strength she had left, Sunset turned the water off and leaned against the sink. They didn't mean anything by it. They're your friends, Sunset. You were acting a little silly, after all...
“And look at you, still acting like you're a big girl!”
Sunset's body ran cold as Trixie's words came surging back. Her cheeks turned crimson red, and her hands began to shake. She knew the prima donna wasn't nearby, but she could still feel her finger on her back, still hear her words echoing through her brain.
Still feel the pain in her heart.
NO!
Sunset Shimmer let out a blustering whinny and shook her head ferociously, splashing the water from her face all over the restroom. This was followed by her turning around and kicking the wall behind her with one leg. Her nostrils flared, her irises shrank, and her teeth gritted against each other. It was only after this had gone on for about forty seconds that she finally calmed down enough to return to the sink and look at what little she could see in the mirror.
“You are Sunset Shimmer,” she whispered to herself. “You are the former student of Princess Celestia. You are the former bully of Canterlot High. You are now friends with seven wonderful people and a brilliant princess. You have survived everything life has thrown at you. And you will not let some stuck-up excuse for an illusionist ruin everything!”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone. In particular, Trixie's cell phone. “And I'm not a thief. I will return this...once I know she won't be trying to destroy me.”
If one could measure a person's determination statistically, Sunset's rose by over twenty percent in that moment. Smiling, she pocketed the cell phone and walked towards the bathroom doors. I am going back to that table, and I am going to drink that coffee, and I am going to prove how strong I really am!
“And then Apple Bloom said, 'Hey, why don't y'all just do a jig in the applesauce?!' And I thought she was crazy, but Applejack seemed to be totally okay with it, although maybe that was Pinkie Pie but anyway I was going, 'No, this is crazy,' and wanted out of the Sisterhooves Social because hey I shouldn't be there because I don't have a sister at least any that I know of and-”
Twilight finally managed to grab the coffee mug and yank it from Sunset's hand. The feat was all the more astonishing considering how much the child was shivering and shaking in her seat. She had barely even touched her food – her current high-strung status made attempts to stab the pancakes with her fork look like a rigged carnival game. Still, the Smilecakes were absolutely adorable.
“I believe you've had enough,” said Twilight.
Sunset shrugged, then shrugged again, and finally jumped up in her seat before shrugging again. “I guess I mean I had no idea coffee hit kids this hard I'm sorry so what's next?!”
Princess Twilight and Twilight looked at each other, as if deciding whether or not revealing the next item on the checklist would cause Sunset's heart to explode. “Well...we were thinking that a closer examination on the magic surrounding your initial transformation might give us some more clues on what happened.”
Sunset nodded along like a drugged-up woodpecker.
“So we figured we would spin by Canterlot High...” Twilight said slowly.
“Yeah yeah yeah...!”
“And...have you go through the portal and back...”
"WHAT?!”
That was all Sunset had time to say before the caffeine wore off and she slammed head-first into the pancakes.
Still, they were absolutely adorable.