//------------------------------// // 1: Appetizer // Story: The Taste of Friendship // by Bookish Delight //------------------------------// Starlight Glimmer traveled the sidewalk, slurping the best noodles she'd ever had in her life. Today was full of new experiences, in fact. Watching her eat said noodles was a creature Starlight had, until now, only heard stories of. "Humans," Twilight Sparkle had called them, stating that they were "a lot of like us ponies, but what they lack in magic, they make up for in determination. And, uh, size." Given what she'd witnessed over the last few hours, Starlight was inclined to believe her. The young woman who had prepared the noodles for her walked next to Starlight. Her fingers were at her chin, her face scrunched in a pensive expression. "Okay," she said, "let me make sure I've got this all straight. You're a magical pony from another world entirely. I'm with you going that far, mainly because I can see you right in front of me." She shook her head. "Never would have believed it otherwise." Starlight nodded. "Completely fair." "But you're also a mage," the woman—who had earlier introduced herself as "Ukyo Kuonji"—continued, "and you were messing around with some magic spells that landed you here?" "There's..." Starlight's ears drooped as she looked down at the noodle bowl levitating in front of her. "There's this mirror in one of the rooms of our castle that Twilight Sparkle—my mentor—has only ever told me the barest amount about. Now, she never expressly told me to stay away from it..." "But it was implied," Ukyo guessed. "With her, it's always implied." Starlight sighed ruefully. "One day that'll stick with me, I swear. Anyway, I was working on my own experiments in dimensional space magic, as a surprise for a certain... somepony." She rolled her hoof. "One of those experiments exploded, knocking me back towards the mirror, and some sparks landed on it at the same time. Next thing I know, I'm here." She levitated more noodles to her muzzle, slurping one last time to clear her bowl. "These are amazing, by the way." "Heh. Glad you like 'em." Ukyo whistled. "Gotta say, though, half of this stuff is straight out of storybooks I read growing up."  She shrugged and nodded nonchalantly. "But it's not like I have any huge reasons not to believe you. Hearing your story, I'm just glad you survived." "Thanks." Starlight sighed again. "Though that might be moot since I have no idea how to get back. I've spent hours now tapping into this world's magic as best I can, but it's nowhere near the level of Equestria's. It also just... feels completely different, in a way I can't place." "So, you're stuck here." Starlight nodded. "At least for a while. It should be fine, though. All the spell ingredients are back on the other side, along with my full notes. My teacher should put be able to two and two together. Once she... realizes I'm missing." Ukyo nodded back. "Well, until that happens, my restaurant doubles as my home. You can stay there while you and your teacher get things sorted out." "R-really?" Starlight perked up. "'I-I mean, that'd be great, thank you! I really appreciate you going out of your way like this. Especially since I tumbled into your shop during what looked like rush hour." Her mind flashed back to the large hole she'd put in the furnishings during her untimely arrival, and she cringed. "Sorry again about that screen door, by the way." Ukyo waved a hand. "Ahhh, they're not exactly made to take punishment. I'll grab a new one later. Anyway, I've closed up shop for the rest of the day, and right now, I'm taking you to the closest thing to a magic user I know. Speaking of which, we're about to hit the main streets. Go ahead and get that invisibility spell going again? Just in case." "Okay." Starlight concentrated, and faded from view within seconds. "Great," Ukyo said. "We're just about there. I just hope the person we're looking for is here, and not her crazy—" "Spatula-girl face supreme punishment!" a shrill voice echoed throughout the sky.   "Awww, hell." Ukyo reached behind herself, and drew her massive battle spatula just in time to block a large, colorful mace swung directly at her face. They were wielded by a purple-haired girl wearing a look of pure scorn. Starlight's eyes and muzzle widened. Just what was going on all of a sudden? Starlight had wondered why Ukyo had carried that large utensil at her back, but this was the last reason she could have ever predicted. She retreated to a nearby alley to watch things unfold. --- The new girl didn't let up, alternatingly swinging the maces in her hands at Ukyo over and over. Heavy clangs resounded with each one Ukyo blocked. "Oh, come on!" Ukyo said. "Just what is the matter with you today?" "You no play dumb! Everyone know you and Ranma gone together for whole week!" Another swing, another clang. "All of Nerima up in arms, but Shampoo be sure to get to you first!" Ukyo would have rolled her eyes if it hadn't met taking them off of the fight. "Is that what this is about? Geez, Shampoo, I was away at the yearly okonomiyaki chef's convention!" Ukyo drew a small bag of flour from her jacket and threw it between the two of them, creating a large cloud of smoke. As Shampoo coughed and covered her eyes, Ukyo repeatedly backflipped, then jumped and perched on a nearby fence. "I didn't even invite Ranma to 'Yakicon," Ukyo said when the smoke cleared. She resheathed her spatula. "He and his jackass pop came to crash the thing and score free eats!" "Ha!" Shampoo called up. "And you tell me whole time silly spatula-girl never take advantage of Ranma showing up?" Ukyo slipped into a dreamy, desperate smile despite herself. "Believe me, I tried, but you know the guy, he—" Ukyo saw Shampoo's expression instantly change from miffed to angry. "...uh oh." "So Ukyo admit it!" Shampoo threw her maces to the ground with a heavy smash. "Now Shampoo mean business! Shampoo ends this today!" In a flash, Shampoo was on the fence and in front of Ukyo, with the latter just barely able to dodge a hand chop aimed at her neck. Ukyo faltered back, but Shampoo kept up the pressure with rapid advancing punches and kicks, sending Ukyo stepping ever backward on the fence. Ukyo reached back for her spatula, but the second she did so, Shampoo used her agility to leap behind Ukyo, and to catch her arm. With it disabled, she yanked the spatula from its holster and threw it across the street. "There. Now fight is fair!" "Seriously?" Ukyo jumped back onto the street, wishing she'd prepared for this. "Why aren't you trying to kill Ranma over this?" Shampoo jumped after Ukyo, the latter dodging out of the way just as Shampoo landed a downward thrusting punch that cracked the pavement. "Ranma get what coming to him in due time! By which Shampoo mean romantic dinner by candlelight! Shampoo cooking make sure Ranma never think about cheap okonomiyaki ever again!" That got Ukyo's goat. She froze, her eyes twitching, staring at Shampoo with reddening vision. Finally she roared, "The hell that's happening!" She rushed in with sloppy punches—and in between dodges, Shampoo grabbed her arms. "Silly spatula-girl learn once and for all not to take Ranma from true fiancée!" Shampoo said, before twirling in place. Ukyo struggled, but couldn't break free. Her world spun with Shampoo, faster and faster, for ten whole seconds, before Shampoo finally let go, sending a screaming Ukyo through a new wooden fence. She groaned as she lay on the grass beyond, but managed to just barely come to her senses and see Shampoo rushing towards her to finish things. With a growl of desperation, Ukyo threw a flurry of miniature spatulas, all of which Shampoo deflected. However, by the time Shampoo had done so, Ukyo was already hiding in the same alley as Starlight, dizzy and pained. --- "Ukyo come out right now to settle fight!" Shampoo screamed to the sky. "If she no come out now, it only get worse next time!" Starlight stared at Shampoo—whose body, she noticed, was glowing a faint blue. "Is... is that magic I'm seeing on her?" "Battle aura," Ukyo said, gasping for breath. "Hard to tell apart from magic sometimes, though, I'll give you that. Geez, she must really be on fire today." "Wait," Starlight said. "You know her?" "Rival of mine." Ukyo nursed her bruises as she watched Shampoo search every nook, cranny and trash can. "Who's good, don't get me wrong, but she was never anything I couldn't handle before! If I rush back in there, it might actually end badly." Starlight's mind instantly went to work. "Not while I'm around. What do you have to work with?" Ukyo gritted her teeth. "Not much. My weapon's still out there, so right now I've just got a few throwing spats and flour bombs left." Starlight put her hoof to her muzzle in thought. A conspiratorial grin spread across her muzzle seconds later. "We'll make it work." Her horn glowed. "But let's patch you up first." "You can do that?" Ukyo said, seconds before she looked, amazed, at the bruises on her arms and legs fading away. She felt her pain fade as well moments afterward. Ukyo stood up, and flexed her limbs, gasping happily. "Wow. I... I guess you can." "Yes and no. Light wounds I can deal with, but Equestria still has hospitals for several reasons," Starlight replied. "Anyway, I think I have a plan..." --- "Hey! Shampoo!" Shampoo turned around to see Ukyo's silhouette standing, hands on hips, in front of the sun. "Ha! she said. "Silly pretend-chef finally decide to show herse—ow!" Shampoo yelped when a bag of flour impacted with her face, its contents spilling everywhere and making smoke. Just as she managed to wipe the substance off of her face and wave the smoke away, she heard Ukyo's voice behind her. "Looking for me?" Ukyo's voice was closer than before. "Totally ready for that rematch now." "Good! Then you stay still and—ow!" Another flour bomb. More smoke.   "Gotta find me first," Ukyo taunted from yet another direction. Shampoo wiped her eyes to see Ukyo wearing a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin a short distance away. Something was wrong, though. Ukyo was also to the right of her. And the left. And... atop yet another fence? "What? How there so many of you?" "You're a very lucky girl, Shampoo," all of them said in unison. "It's a three-for-one special—all the Ukyo Kuonji you'll ever need!" "Shampoo simply punish you all!" Shampoo shouted. "You're welcome to try," the Ukyos said. All of them rushed at her, feinting attacks to taunt the other girl. "Gosh, wouldn't it be great if you could wash off in the middle of a fight?" they cackled, as Shampoo threw blind and easily-dodged punches at them. "This what you want? Fine then: Shampoo kill!" Shampoo let out a blood-curdling scream before letting loose at each of the Ukyos at double-speed, finally managing to strike each of them... and watching them disappear in clouds of flour smoke. Save for one. "Guess I'll go ahead and give you that bath," Ukyo said from inside the cloud. Before Shampoo could turn around, Ukyo hit the back of her head with the flat of her recently-recovered battle spatula. The smoke cleared just in time for Starlight to watch in amazement as Shampoo collapsed into a nearby puddle... and turned into an unconscious cat. Starlight did a double-take. Just what was this world? "Wow, that was amazing, Starlight," Ukyo said, dusting her hands and resheathing her battle spatula behind her back. "Thanks so much." Starlight nodded, filing the tactic away in her mental archives. "You're welcome. I'm just glad illusion and healing spells were enough. Light spells like that are about all I can manage on this world." She looked over at Shampoo—the woman-now-turned-cat who was able to break solid ground with one punch. "And yet..." she mused. "Well, I can't say she didn't have that coming." Starlight and Ukyo looked towards the new voice to see a short, wizened woman walking over to Shampoo's prone feline form, shaking her head. "One day my great-granddaughter may well listen when I tell her not to rush into a fight. Especially when powerful magic is nearby. Isn't that right, stranger?" The old woman looked past Ukyo, straight at Starlight, directly into her eyes. Starlight looked around to make sure nobody else was present. There was nobody. It was true—she'd been made. "Yes, I see you," the woman said. "And I'm guessing you're here to see me." Starlight revealed herself, and nodded. Ukyo looked back at Starlight, then at the old woman. "Y-yes, Cologne. I have a good friend who needs help returning home. Can you provide any?" Cologne took a good long look at Starlight, studying her. "I have absolutely no idea," she finally said. "But we'll certainly give it a shot."