//------------------------------// // Same. // Story: How to Fluster your Bacon Horse // by JustNewHere //------------------------------// “So, she really said that?” Twilight nodded with her head still buried in her hands. She was currently slumped against her locker, sitting dejectedly on the floor. “Then that means she’s slowly working around her feelings for you!” Pinkie Pie, ever the optimist, stated as she hugged the girl, “Twilight, this is great!” “No, it’s not. I feel like I’m taking advantage of her.” Fluttershy raised a brow from her locker beside Twilight’s, “Umm…how exactly?” “I,” Twilight began before she groaned, “I don’t know! But it doesn’t stop me from feeling that way. I don’t think she’s ready for a relationship, and you did tell me her only experience was with Flash Sentry and it didn’t even last that long.” “Well duh, she didn’t feel anything for him,” Rainbow said as she crossed her arms, the soccer ball she had been playing with lay forgotten, “but we’re totes sure she so has the hots for you!” The purple teenager shook her head. “How can you tell? I mean, what’s stopping us from thinking that maybe all of this is just some meaningless show of affection that stays in the boundary of friendship and we’re all just reading into too much of this?” The athlete stared at her with a deadpanned, “Okay, you’re totally being too meta for my taste.” “And may I remind you, darling,” Rarity added as she finished gathering her things from her locker, “that we are registered and certified shippers? We know these kinds of things.” “We got the paper and everything!” Pinkie exclaimed as she showed the certificate and approved seal and then she gasped, pointing to the approaching redhead. “and there she is! You’re on Sparklebutt!” “W-Wha- “Quick, act natural!” Before long, the rest of the girls busied themselves while Sunset approached. Twilight may have been disappointed, but she still found her heart beating erratically whenever she was in the redhead’s presence. The former bully of CHS cleared her throat as she offered a white tulip to the surprised egghead. “So, uh, after a talk, I got how I must have sounded the last time we parted ways.” She rubbed her head, where a faint bump given by an exasperated fashion designer reminded her what she needed to say next. “With that, I’d also like to make it up to you. Meet me at Gustav’s at 5, oh, and wear something nice.” She grinned at the still gaping Twilight, “Semi-formal.” Cyan eyes nervously glanced at sharp azure eyes before an alabaster hand subtly raised in a thumb’s up, signaling it was adequate, making the redhead sigh in relief before she bid her friends goodbye to prepare. “What just happened?” Applejack was the first to recover. Pinkie proudly closed the gaping scientist’s mouth as she giggled before exchanging high fives with Rarity. At the questioning eyes from her friends, the keytar player grinned. “I may have talked some sense into that girl, and we might see progress yet.” “Y-You what?” Rainbow Dash asked but there was a large grin plastered on her face. Fluttershy followed up with a giddy “Oh my!” Rarity nodded to their praises before turning to the girl who may have lost brain functioning for the mean time. “Twilight, I have opened the doors to you now, but the rest is still up to you.” She gripped Twilight’s shoulders. “Are you going to take that step or are you going to walk out that door and live your life regretting this chance!” Squeaking, Twilight could only manage a high pitched “…eugh.” Five girls stared at her in pity. “Welp, let’s give her time to reboot then focus on the next part of our plan!” Pinkie declared before she wrung her hands together in a diabolical motion. In the hallway, the rest of the students paid them no mind. It was simply another Thursday after all. So here Twilight found herself now. At a secluded table in a restaurant that served high-quality dishes but still have marginally and reasonably prices with the object of her affections. Twilight tried not to let her eyes wander once again, but she couldn’t help it! She was weak! Weak to plain white long-sleeved blouses and form fitting black slacks! Honestly, how could clothes so plain make their wearer still look like a goddess? “You okay there Twi?” Sunset asked with a chuckle, one hand holding a glass raised to her lips while the ever-present cyan orbs pierced Twilight’s very core. “Y-yep, but uh, would you excuse me please? I-I need to use the ladies’ room.” Sunset barely got a nod in before Twilight rushed out of her seat. Away from the redhead’s gaze, and a few tables away, five teenagers hid their faces behind tall menus. When Twilight approached, Rarity chanced a look and raised a brow. “Dear, what are you doing? It’s inappropriate to leave your date waiting.” Twilight’s gaze fleeted towards the redhead before back to her, “I-I think this is more of an apology dinner than anything.” “A what now?” Applejack asked beside the fashionista. Through gritted teeth, Twilight repeated. “An. Apology. Dinner. She said as much, she’s beating herself over because she thought she offended me about these,” she gripped the twin strands framing her face while avoiding messing with her bun. She sighed to calm herself. She knew she was getting worked up, but everything, simply from the girl’s eyes, seemed to make every inch of her feel like she’s short-circuiting. She toyed with her gold dress with red trimmings. “Maybe I should give up,” she said with a moan but immediately the girls began reassuring not to worry and because they have a contingency plan. With a subtle motion of her hand, Rarity appeared to be signaling someone behind the bespectacled girl, causing Twilight to turn in curiosity before her breath hitched in her throat. A totally identical, down to the glasses up to the hair and outfit, girl like her walked towards the table where Sunset was waiting, said something totally inaudible before they both laughed in unison. When their food arrived, they dug in but still traded smiles and conversation. Twilight’s glasses slowly started falling off her face before she mutely raised a hand to push them in place. “Twilight, you remember Princess Twilight, correct?” The human girl blinked as an unforgettable memory came up. “Whip it out, we’re comparing,” Sci Twi growled to a grinning princess, who did not falter at the tone. Princess Twilight shot the human a competitive smirk before producing the longest list she’d ever written. Twilight scoffed but internally she was panicking at the length as it unrolled. It did not seem to stop, even going as far as taking up the space of her generously spacious living room. “Mine. Is. Longer.” Said the Princess of Friendship who stood triumphantly at the human with rare pride oozing out of her smile. She wasn’t one to boast after all but with competing with a human version of herself about lists, she would make an exception. Staring down at her own list, a good short of 50 meters compared to the pony counterpart’s, Twilight sighed before she conceded defeat with a bitter, “whatever.” Princess Twilight smirked once again before booping the human on the nose. “And that’s why fillies still can’t play with the big mares.” Twilight scowled. Twilight scowled, much to the confusion of the Rainbooms. They immediately turned when they saw Sunset stand up and offer her arm to the princess. “Where are they going?” Twilight asked. The girls eyed one another before Applejack answer, “They’ll be taking a nice stroll at the park near the school now.” “What?!” Twilight hissed, much to her friend’s surprise, “how is bringing my pony counterpart to this help me fluster Sunset?” Pinkie smiled, all too pleased to explain their collective idea. She reached down and now held up two dolls, one of purple pony, and another of a purple human. “I have a Sci Twi,” she began in a singsong voice that brought collective cringes, “I have a Princess.” She smashed the two together. “Uh, Princess Sci Twi.” All girls raised their eyebrows. Pinkie pulled another doll, this time of a redheaded human. “I have a Shimmer.” She then raised the smushed dolls. “I have a Princess Sci Twi.” She waited a bit before she grinned slyly and smashed them together again. “Uh, Princess Sci Twi Shimmer.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively before she pouted when her friends, sans the athlete, couldn’t follow. Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash who seemed to be the only one who managed to understand. “Translation?” asked the purple human. Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Bacon horse might get flustered when she gets twice of much purple girls competing for her attention.” Another beat before she hesitatingly added, “that or the night might end in a threesome. I’m not really sure, that part of the Pinkienese is still a mystery to me.” Behind the prismatic haired girl, Pinkie Pie enthusiastically nodded. Rarity shook her head alongside the apple farmer. Fluttershy simply chose to nod with blush on her face. Twilight didn’t even turn red as she gritted her teeth. “I-I refuse to associate with that, that, mumpsimus.” Immediately Rarity wagged a finger. “Twilight, language! …I think?” She turned to the rest. “Is that a word? I can’t say I’m familiar with it.” “Nope.” “Uh...” “Maybe?” “Yeah, it’s a word.” Rarity nodded before she turned back to the crossed armed young girl. “Twilight, whatever qualms you have with the princess, surely it could be set aside for now? She is helping you win the girl.” Twilight simply huffed. “Sure, she’s ‘helping’ me. Yeah right.” The rest of the girls glanced among themselves unsurely. When Princess Twilight received a letter stating it was from Canterlot High, she thought for a second the portal was breached but opening and getting blasted by confetti, she should have known it was simply a case of Pinkie. She managed to read and understand the gist of the letter through blinking away the small pieces of colored paper stuck to her eyes (ow, by the way) she realized that it was simply a plight to help with a plan to get her human counterpart and Sunset together. Princess Twilight smiled a mischievous grin. Now, strolling through a park on a nice breezy night, clinging to the redhead in a disguise brought a sense of mischief she rarely felt. True, she wasn’t one to initiate pranks but something about her human counterpart brought a competitive side to come out and not in the rivalry kind she had going on with a certain stage magician. No, this one was more fun, less draining, and more importantly, less of a headache. Subtlety looking over her shoulder, Princess smirked at the other girl hidden behind a tree, relishing the glare and scowl aimed her way before turning back to the redhead as she finished her tale. “Wow, you really did that, huh?” she said with a mix look of awe and a hint of exaggeration, but she wasn’t really lying when she said she was impressed. She could multitask, thank you very much. Rubbing her head, Sunset looked on, embarrassed but with an easygoing smile. “Yeah, though looking back I guess it’s not that impressive anymore when it’s used for evil.” “I wouldn’t say it’s…completely evil,” Princess Twilight said, playfully twirling a lock of her hair with a coy grin. Honestly, if her barn door did swing that way, she would have kissed the redhead there and then with how much cute and dopey she looked. Sigh, C’est la vie. By the tree they were hiding behind, Twilight grumbled. “’Oh, I WOulDn’t sAy it’s coMpLEtly eViL,’” She mockingly repeated with a roll of her eyes before she scoffed. “Tone down the green eyes, will ya?” Rainbow Dash asked, raising a brow. “Keep in mind that the princess is not into Sunbutt over there. Remember that she’s taken? Blue eyes, blue hair, dopey guitarist shtick?” Twilight blinked. “Who?” Pinkie Pie, from the other tree, let out an emphatic “Ouch.” “She’s just distracted y’all, Twi’s focusing on more important things right now.” “Double ouch,” said the party planner, making the farmer roll her eyes. Rarity came up beside the pinkette, powdering her face while she struggled to look for a suitable light source. “We mean no ill will to Mr. Sentry, so hush with your ‘ouches.’” A beat before she turned, “and is he alright with the fact that Princess Twilight went out on a date- “Apology dinner,” Twilight corrected. -apology dinner, with Sunset?” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “That’s exactly why we won’t tell him. I mean, I still have some resemblance of respect for him.” Fluttershy nodded before she added, “and that includes not making him think the two girls he liked turned gay together.” The rest nodded affirmatively before they turned back to the two Equestrians by the pond who were giggling at a joke that Sunset seemed to have told. “Okay, I’m going to give the signal which would then have the princess step on Sunset’s feet, using that as a distraction for you two to switch places. And then after you guys kiss, you and the princess will surprise her.” “Right,” Twilight said, before she blinked. “Why would you have her step on Sunset’s feet?” Four pair of eyes stared at the fashion designer who was just done reapplying her makeup. Without batting an eye, she answered as she smacked her lips. “Well, Sunset must learn the hard way to never. ever. tell a girl how she should dress up in order to not be ‘distracting’.” She ended with air quotes before she rolled her eyes. “Really, I thought I taught her better than that.” Applejack gazed at the other with an amused grin. “Shoot, you ain’t her mother last I checked.” Through half-lidded eyes, Rarity responded, “Well if I was, would that make you the father?” Pinkie Pie snickered, while Fluttershy blushed with a giggle. Rainbow Dash only let out a groan of “Ugh, gag me.” While the two flirted, Twilight could not tear her gaze away from the other two. Something nasty burned within her chest, something…bad but before she could fully internalize those feelings, Pinkie shot up and enthusiastically gave the signal. “Well, there it is,” Princess Twilight thought with a mental chuckle. As much as she was having fun messing with her counterpart, messing with her friend’s feelings (however half-baked, from what she gathered tonight) was a serious No in her friendship book. And she checked, it really wasn’t alright. Friendly and even scathing half-meant insults from your interdimensional twin was fine…but kissing said interdimensional twin’s crush? It’s a definite buck no. She was about to fulfill her part of the plan but the sudden hands on her shoulders surprised her, nearly causing her to lose balance before strong amber arms kept her steady. “Whoa, she’s surprisingly strong!” Twilight thought, impressed. Briefly, she could feel the piercing glare behind her and that forced her to hurriedly try and wrap things up. “Sorry Other me, I’m not doing this on purpose though!” She met the other’s gaze, trying not to flinch as Sunset’s face was inches in front of her. The princess of friendship blinked. “Okay, what’s wrong?” she asked, she didn’t know why she was sweating or why the intense look seemed to cause a bit of …totally intrusive but totally not unsolicited feelings to swell up. Sunset did not answer as she lifted a hand and placed it on the girl’s cheek. “What’s she doing?!” five voices hissed in panic while Twilight broke cover and proceeded to march towards them while her mental voice roared with a continued, “Nope! Nope! Nope!” “I’m straight! I’m straight! I’m straight!” Princess Twilight mentally chanted, her eyes widening in fear, confusion, and turmoil all at once. She closed her eyes as Sunset leaned in. She mentally went over the list of things and possessions she’ll need to give to Spike in her will once her counterpart inevitably kills her. When she felt no pressure on her lips, since she thought that was the way it seemed it would go, she cracked open one eye to see an amused Sunset. And her fake glasses lifted in front of her to see. “What are you doing, Princess?” the redhead earnestly asked as she backed away. The alicorn-turned-human blinked, mouth open in confusion. “H-How…when did you figure it out?” Sunset shrugged. “Before we left the restaurant, I kinda wondered why you came and not Twilight but when I saw how you dressed like her, it finally clicked.” She then turned to the rest of their friends behind the tree, where the human Twilight stopped to stare a few paces in front of them. “That goes for the rest of you girls.” Slowly, one by one they sheepishly emerged and stood in front of the two Equestrians, with the bespectacled girl lagging. Her mind went back to the statement, where Sunset said ‘it finally clicked’ but she knew not to expect anything when it came to Sunset. Still, there’s nothing wrong with hoping, right? Sunset crossed her arms, oblivious to the two pairs of amethyst eyes that zeroed in on the action before they glared identically at one another. None paid the silent rivals any mind as they waited for Sunset to finish her thought. “I know why you decided to switch places with the princess, Twilight,” she began as she made eye contact with the bespectacled girl. “I get it. Really, I do.” “Do you?” Applejack asked, skeptical, but consecutive elbow diggings silenced her suspicions. Still, Sunset nodded. “I know, Twilight and I’m not upset.” She once again pierced the girl with her cyan orbs and Twilight fought not to swoon in front of her crush and her rival. The redhead took the purple girl by her hands. “I’m honestly still guilty, I mean, I know now to never. ever. tell a girl how she should dress just because I’m the one who’s got a problem with finding her distracting. You should wear it how you want.” The redhead ended her statement off with another tug of the hairs framing a sad yet resigned expression. The others blinked before they groaned, much to Sunset’s great confusion. “Seriously?!” Rainbow cried as she gripped her hair, “you can tell which Twilight was which, but you can’t-ugh!” She simply sat down. Rarity pinched the bridge of her nose, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t expect something like this to happen. Applejack rolled her eyes at the dramatics around her, yet a hint of frustration was evident once she huffed. Fluttershy merely shook her head in pity while Pinkie collapsed in a laughing fit. Above the hysterical party planner, Princess Twilight shot her fellow Equestrian a deadpanned, “Really?” Sunset rubbed her head self-consciously, “Yeah, I am horrible, but I swear I changed that mindset when Rarity none too gently explained it to me.” She remained confused when the princess just shook her head again. Turning back, Sunset scrunched her face into a pout which succeeded in ebbing away Twilight’s annoyance on her ever-present oblivious crush. Twilight gently patted her hand with a murmured, “just don’t think about it too much.” Princess Twilight, on the other hand, decided to mess with her twin one last time before she left since the plan was an obvious bust. Stepping forward, she pinched the surprised redhead’s cheeks, grinned sweetly at her glaring counterpart, and said “Oh you sweet little pony, remind me to give you a book about the ‘Cats and the Coconuts’,” the princess let go while Sunset blushed (much to the befuddlement of a certain human scientist), “because knowing Celestia, she didn’t give you a proper crash course. Lucky for me, I’m thorough when it comes to research.” She turned, heading towards the portal and leaving behind a confused group of teenagers, before deciding one last time to look over her shoulder and shoot the enraged Twilight a competitive grin. “Can’t say the same for my twin though.” Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie glanced at the red-faced redhead and then to a fuming Twilight before uttering a collective, “Triple ouch.”