As Sunset moved the last of the boxes back into place, she began to grumble to herself. Everything had changed so fast and, while she had already come up with multiple ways to turn these changes to her advantage, for every new advantage there was a new and pressing issue. She now had two 'sisters' who could be powerful allies if Sunset kept playing her cards right. That also meant, though, that she now had two more people to take care of. Two more mouths to feed, bodies to clothe, and shelters to furnish. The two former-equines' reaction to the condition of Sunset's "hideout" had only served to remind Sunset of just how difficult living would be for the next few months if a new portal back to Equestria wasn't forthcoming.
Sunset had managed to scrape by and, through ruthless tenacity, even begin to thrive in the world that she'd been dropped into, but now all kinds of new variables were coming into play. She turned a mix of tutoring, bullying, and outright blackmailing into a somewhat reliable source of income, and had even become fiscally confident enough to consider making a down-payment on a small apartment, but whatever she made now was nowhere near enough to support three people.
That wasn't even to consider that Sunset's primary sources of income nowadays, bullying and blackmailing, were now potentially no-goes. While she had no qualms about taking from her lessers, she knew that doing so now would only raise tension between her and her potential allies. She'd probably have to go back to tutoring, and hope that Cadance and Twilight had some serviceable skills to make their own money...
She filed those thoughts away as something to address with them later, and pulled a small and slightly-beaten flip phone from one of her pockets. She fiddled with it for a few seconds, then raised it to her ear. "Hey Thornton, you free today? Yes, business not pleasure... Yes, it is always business with me... I've got two 'sisters' living with me that need some papers... I'll explain it when I meet with you in person, it's a bit complicated... No, they don't know where I'm going... I took a few pictures of them, if you give them a touch-up it should be fine... You can? That'll work. See you in a bit."
She hung up and began her trek towards the nearest shopping district. It wasn't the cleanest or safest part of town, but it had everything she would need for a relatively low cost. As she walked, she continued to think about implications of what had happened. She couldn't help but smirk at the thought that, though the next few days, weeks, or months would be hard on her, she would be able to return to Equestria in triumph. If things were going as bad as Cadance had implied they were, Sunset could even come out of this as Equestria's savior, while Celestia would forever be tarnished by her failure. It was, in short, exactly the kind of opportunity that Sunset needed, and it already more than made up for whatever pain it would cause her.
After a few minutes of walking, Sunset finally made it to her first destination, a run-down apartment complex one block from the shopping district. She walked her way up to room 213, taking care not to trip on the lopsided metal stairs on the way. Once there, she gave the placid blue door her customary knocks, which Thornton had insisted be done to the rhythm of some funk song he listened to obsessively.
Almost as soon as she'd completed the knock, the door flung open to reveal a tall, thin man with dark grey skin and piercing blue eyes. This would make an imposing combination, Sunset figured, if Thornton hadn't decided to dye his hair lime green and start wearing flamboyantly colored suits soon after he'd met her. Today, Sunset noted with some slight satisfaction, he was wearing a relatively modest orange two-piece suit and matching fedora. 'At least it isn't teal this time...'
Sunset's thoughts were interrupted as Thornton leaned through the doorframe and sang, "Sunny, are you okay? Are you okay--" she shoved a hand onto his mouth to stop him from finishing his verse.
Despite having a hand shoved into his face, Thornton continued to stare at Sunset, eyes betraying the smile that Sunset's hand now concealed. Sunset stared back for a few seconds, unamused, before pulling her hand away. "You know, that's only the ninth time you've tried to greet me like that. Maybe the tenth time I'll actually laugh."
"Oh, I sure hope so! Ah, what am I doing, keeping you waiting out here? Come in, come in! Sorry about the mess, if I'd had a bit more time I'd have cleaned up more" Thornton said, ushering Sunset in while simultaneously trying to push a stack of pizza boxes further into the corner of his apartment. As Sunset stepped inside, she took a quick look around to confirm that, yes, it was a mess, not that she was surprised at this point. How Thornton managed to keep all of his suits so clean in a room with so much dust, Sunset couldn't begin to guess.
Sitting down on the faded red couch-- after whipping cheese dust from her spot, of course-- Sunset pulled out her phone and pulled up a photo of her new 'sisters'. After shoving a few more pieces of junk into the corner, Thornton plopped down next to Sunset and leaned over her shoulder, "Ah, so those are your sisters, yes? Are they little horseys like you? I can't imagine why else you'd come to me for something like this."
Sunset groaned, "Yes, they're also 'little horseys', and they're going to help me get back to 'magical mirror horsey land'. I thought I told you to never bring that stuff up again."
Thornton leaned back, "Well, you did tell me, I just thought you meant to never bring it up in public."
"And I've been in public with you... when?" Sunset asked, raising an eyebrow towards Thornton.
Thornton scratched his neck, "Err... When I met you?"
"A dark alleyway is not a public place!" Sunset said, staring a hole into Thornton's head.
Thornton leaned back further from Sunset's stare and tried valiantly not to sweat on his clean suit, "Well... It was behind Public's Deli, that has to count for something, right?"
"That just... Ugh," Sunset massaged her temples, "This is all besides the point. These two girls came from the same place that I did, wherever you think that actually is, and they need papers and disguises."
Seeing that Sunset wasn't going to bruise his elbow (again), Thornton relaxed and looked back over Sunset's shoulder at the phone. "So I understand why you need the papers, but why the disguises? Did they have a run-in or something?"
Sunset hesitated. On one hand, Thornton was the only one who knew the truth about Sunset's homeland, and showing him that her 'sisters' were exact doppelgangers for two locals might finally convince him that it was more than just the mad ramblings of a starving teenager. On the other hand, did it even matter? Maybe if she...
"Sunny are you okay, are you okay, are you okay Su-- Ack!" Thornton recoiled back as Sunset punched him in the elbow.
"Tenth time wasn't the charm either. They need disguises because, like I've told you before, there are mirror versions of everyone here. I need them to look as different front these people as possible, alright? I really don't care if you believe me." Sunset said, flipping to the pictures she'd saved of the human world's Twilight and Cadance.
Thornton rubbed his chin, "Hmm... I do see the resemblance, though I think some of my cousins could probably do just as good with a bit of makeup... Well, either way, I can work up some disguises..." he furrowed his brow, "You said they were your sisters, correct?" Sunset nodded, after which Thornton continued, "Well... I don't really see much family resemblance..."
Sunset raised an eyebrow, "I'm pretty sure your family is an exception to the rule, Thornton. Most people I know look almost nothing like their siblings."
Thornton looked up at Sunset, "Well... If that's how you want it to be, that's how I'll put it down on paper. Don't blame me if somebody gets suspicious, though! Anyways, I can work up some disguises and get their papers together, but what's in it for me?"
Sunset did the best pout she could manage, "Come on, isn't this what you do now? Help poor unfortunate souls like myself to find new hope?"
Thornton stared at her "Well yes, but you could at least hang out with me every once and a while with how much I've done for you at this point. I just want to know how things are up... going... hanging! How about... We go down to the second-hand store and pick up some supplies for your friends' disguises, and then you introduce me to them while I help them change their looks? I rarely get to meet the people I help nowadays."
"I'll go with you to buy disguises, but I don't think having you meet them is such a great idea..." Sunset said after some deliberation.
"And why not? You know I'd never harm a fly!" Thornton said, staring even more intently.
"It's not you", Sunset said, flipping back to the picture of her 'sisters', "You see in this picture, the bruises they have? It was Changelings that caused that. If they found out you're also a Changeling, they'd want to turn you in immediately."
Thornton's expression softened, "Was a Changeling. I can understand the concern, though. How about... I get you the disguises and papers, and sometime later you introduce me to them, discreetly. Not as Thornton, the document-forger who helped get you on your feet, but as Thornton, that weird friend you found in a Public's dumpster. Or Thornton, that guy you play tennis with. I don't know, you've always been much better at making up convincing lies than I have."
"... I think I'll go with the dumpster story, actually. The closer it is to the truth, the better. I just won't mention any of the illegal things you've done for me. If they figure you out, it's your fault though," Sunset said, rising from the couch, "The photos I have on my phone will work for their IDs, right?"
Thornton raised an eyebrow, "Err... No?"
Sunset looked back at him, "And why not?"
"Well, you have a picture of two ladies who look exactly like other people in this city, and are asking me to make disguises that make them look not like that, so if I make the IDs before they have disguises, their IDs simply wouldn't match up. Not to mention the horrible lighting... I'll probably need to take the picture myself, after they have disguises, if they're going to have proper papers." Thornton said from the couch.
"Well... I probably need to have them before Monday if they end up going to Canterlot High with me. If we get the disguises right now, and I introduce them to you tomorrow, could you get the papers ready by then?", Sunset said, rubbing her chin.
"Well... Probably, it'll be a bit of a rush-job though. Maybe you could buy me a new suit while we're shopping at the thrift store to make up for it..." Thornton said, awkwardly ribbing Sunset as he did so.
"Don't push your luck, I'm gonna need all the money I can get just to feed and clothe those two. Shopping"? Sunset said, heading towards the door.
"Fair enough, shopping." Thornton said as he went to follow Sunset out. As he was about reach for the door handle, though, he suddenly felt his head become bare. Looking to the side, he saw Sunset fling his orange, purple-feathered fedora to the other side of the room.
"I'll go shopping with you, but only if you look decent. You aren't a pimp."