Sunset continued to prowl the halls of the school, looking for any sign of the color pink. The course of events the day had taken was starting to wear her down, and it was only second period. Sure, she was missing Math, but she was already acing the class, so a small dent against her wouldn’t do too much damage. Besides, Sunset probably could explain what happened to Princes- Principal Celestia and get any deductions waved because of Magic Emergency. “Okay Sunset, just two more of your friends to find and make sure their counterparts don’t hurt them. It also helps that it’s the least violent of the five. You can do this.”
The image of Fluttershy in a dress popped back into her head, and she growled to herself. No, you get out of there! This is NOT the time to be daydreaming!
Regardless of her self-berating, the image persisted. Sunset could see it clearly. A long green ball gown, flowers decorating the lower hem. A light blue sash that complimented her eyes, flowing around her waist as it hung from the butterfly brooch that kept the dress from falling off, resting just above her bust. The almost lifelike leaves that flowed around her shoulders, leaving them bare for the world to see. Finally, forest green heels, with decorative straps made to look like vines climbing up her slender legs, disappearing under the dress as they ascended.
It was such a vivid image, that when she did spot her friend poking her head out of the bathroom, she could swear she still saw the same dress. “Fluttershy! There you are!” Her friend jumped at the call, swinging her head to look at the fiery-haired girl that rushed up to her and pulled her into a hug. “You have no idea how glad I found you alone.”
A blush crawled across the butterscotch girl’s face as she stammered. “W-What?”
Sunset paused herself and thought about her words and actions, before sporting a similar crimson shade as she released her friend. “Er, okay that came out wrong.”
Straightening out the dress, Fluttershy swallowed a bit and smiled nervously. “I-It’s okay.”
Clapping her hands, Sunset snapped her eyes away from her friend’s chest. “But anyways, I need your help really fast.” The fiery-haired girl started pacing back and forth as her mind raced. “Apparently after Rainbow’s counterpart came through the portal, you and the rest of our friend’s counterparts came through as well.” A few more hairs were starting to spring out and join the rest that had ascended from Sunset’s stress levels. “Ever since I ran out of the nurse’s office earlier, I’ve already had to untie Applejack and Applebloom from the library banister and get Sweetie Belle to break up the catfight that the Rarities were having over their choice of clothes.” Sunset spun back around and was staring directly into Fluttershy’s eyes, hands clasped together in desperation. “So I really, really would appreciate your help finding your and Pinkie’s counterparts before they cause too much of a scene.”
Fluttershy stood there, unblinking for a solid minute before she nervously looked to the side and at something behind Sunset. “Um...about that.”
Sunset paled and rushed over, grabbing Fluttershy by the arms and pulling her face closer. “Oh no, did Pinkie’s counterpart find her before we did? Did your counterpart find you? Did she do anything to you!?”
“Um, Sunset? Why are you holding, um, me?”
The orange girl froze, blinking multiple times before looking behind herself, and seeing her friend standing behind her in her usual clothes, looking both confused and scared. Sunset then turned back to the one she was holding, and let her go with a bashful smile.
The Equestrian Fluttershy cleared her throat and smiled awkwardly through the blush she was sporting. “I-It’s nice to meet you Sunset. I’m, um... yeah.”
The fiery-haired and faced girl spun around and faced her friend. “Fluttershy I can explain.”
Fluttershy deadpanned for a moment and raised an eyebrow. “Sunset she’s not even wearing the same outfit. How did you mistake her for me?”
Sunset’s cheeks grew hotter as she closed her eyes and leaned back a bit. “I had a picture of you in a dress stuck in my head, I’m sorry!”
Both Fluttershy and her counterpart were blushing now, but it was her other that spoke first. “Oh, my... I’m sorry for the confusion. I just wanted to talk with this world’s me about what happened.”
Fluttershy nodded and smiled a bit. “T-That’s alright, but um... why are you wearing a ball gown?”
Scratching her cheek a bit as she ducked behind her hair, a move that raised more questions within Sunset’s ever-growing list of items she had for herself to answer later, the Equestrian Fluttershy laughed. “I actually wanted to draw less attention, but everyone kept staring at me when I got out of the portal, so I um, hid in the bathroom until the classes started.”
Nodding, Fluttershy and Sunset shared a look before the shy girl gulped. “Y-your not going to hurt me, are you? Like Rainbow’s counterpart did to her?”
“NO!” The two had to jump back at the outburst before the second shy girl collected herself. “Sorry. I um, I can see where you’re coming from with how you behaved and didn’t think it would solve anything if I were to hurt you. I mean, I don’t think it was the right thing to do, but it’d be rather hypocritical of me to punish you for doing it.”
Sunset frowned and gestured towards the bench at the end of the hallway. As the three sat down, with Sunset in the middle, she looked over at her friend’s counterpart on her left. “You sound like you’ve been through this before.”
Fluttershy gasped and put a hand to her lips. “Oh my, what happened?”
Sighing, Equestrian Fluttershy put her chin in her hands. “It was during a wedding between Twilight’s brother and Princess Cadence. We all got invited to help with the wedding preparations, with Twilight being the best mare. Twilight wasn’t too happy that she didn’t learn about it until then, so when we all got so wrapped up in making sure the wedding was perfect, that when Twilight found out that Princess Cadence was actually a Changeling Queen in disguise, we ignored her and thought she was overprotective of her brother. It was something she would have found out easily with how much she knew about Cadence personally, but we still didn't listen to her.” She pulled her knees up to her chest, making the pressure Sunset felt in her nose grow slightly when she spotted something the act exposed. “It turned out she was right though, and we all ended up captured after Twilight came back with the real princess. We only got out of that because of the real princess and Twilight's brother.”
Sunset took a moment to both think about what Fluttershy said and let the sudden pressure go down. “Twilight never told me about that.”
The Equestrian Fluttershy frowned more at that. “We’ve all been trying to talk to her about it, but after a while, she made it clear that she didn’t want to, and most of the others decided to just move on instead and try not to make the same mistake.” The pink haired girl grimaced a bit as she looked to the doors at the end of the hall, leading back to the front of the school. “With how similar what happened here is to what we did at the wedding, it’s probably why Rainbow, um...”
“Blew their lid?” the orange girl chimed in, eyebrow raised.
At her Equestrian counterpart’s nod, Fluttershy looked forward in thought for a moment before smirking a bit. “I can see her doing that.” She looked towards Sunset, fiddling with her thumbs. “But Sunset, I need to say how much I’m still really sorry about how I treated you. It wasn’t fair to you in the slightest.”
Smiling sympathetically, Sunset placed her hand on top of both of Fluttershy’s. “It’s okay Fluttershy. I already forgave you and the girls. It’s water under the bridge.”
The Equestrian Fluttershy perked up and stood up suddenly. “Oh, that reminds me of something else I wanted to bring up.” She turned to look at the two still sitting and smiled. “A lesson that I helped Twilight and the girls learn is that sometimes, your worst enemy just needs someone to be their friend to make them your greatest ally. I showed my friends that when I accepted the task of reforming Discord. Sure he's had a few hiccups since, but he really is trying his best.”
Blushing, Fluttershy scooted a bit closer to Sunset and smiled. “I think Sunset might be my best example of that. If we hadn’t given her a chance after the Fall Formal, we might not have ever known how much of a good friend she could be. No, how much of a good friend she is.”
Sunset started to tear up a bit and gave her friend a hug, which was happily returned. “Thanks, that... that means a lot.”
Smiling, the standing Fluttershy nodded. “I’m glad we agree. Which is why if you ever hurt her again I’m sending Discord over to have a word with you.”
Ice ran through Sunset’s veins as she stared up in shock at the figure starting to walk away. “W-What!? But I thought you said you weren’t angry!”
Calmly looking over her shoulder for a moment, the Equestrian Fluttershy simply smiled. “Oh no, I’m positively livid. I’m just better at controlling myself than our friends are.” She gave them a quick wave before continuing down the hallway “Have a good day Sunset, I’ll try and take Pinkie back if I see her.”
Shaking where she sat, Fluttershy leaned towards her friend in an attempt to hide behind her. “Sunset, why was she threatening to send the Janitor over here and why does that scare me? I mean, he’s usually a little weird and occasionally substitutes as a teacher when they’re sick, but he doesn’t seem that mean, just... odd.”
Gulping, Sunset waved a hand in an attempt to assure either Fluttershy or herself. She wasn’t sure which, honestly. “I.... I’ll explain later.” She took a deep breath and shook herself before getting up. “Let’s just find Pinkie.”
“R-Right, right.”
And so the two thoroughly shaken up girls headed down the hallways for what would hopefully be one last search.