On a calm summer afternoon, the Apple Family Barn was visited by an unexpected, but not unwelcomed guest: Princess Twilight Sparkle, the current ruler of Equestria.
Her visit, however, wasn't to see any Apple at all. Instead, she was looking for one very special guest:
"Me? Are you serious?" asked an incredulous Vignette Valencia.
"I know it's unexpected, but just hear me out: Sunset told me that she needed to do something with my counterpart in this dimension, but she wouldn't tell me what it was!"
"Tsk, snitch much? So what if Sunset and the human you are keeping secrets, Your Highness? Maybe they just didn't want to bother you, since, you know, you're the ruler of an entire kingdom now."
"I see your point, but still, I need to make sure they're not heading headfirst into danger," Princess Twilight folded her arms. "I don't know if you've noticed, but wherever Sunset goes, magic tends to follow."
"And I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not a very big fan of magic," Vignette responded. "With that in mind, why would I wanna go see what Sunset and the human you are doing?"
"I mean, you don't, but I'd really appreciate it if you could go with them to... whatever they're planning to do."
Vignette paused. "So, you want me to be, like, their third wheel or something?"
"Yeah! That's it! Whatever that is!" Princess Twilight chirped.
"Okay, but why are you asking me? Why not ask any of the Rainbooms?" Vignette lowered her eyelids. "You know, Sunset's actual friends?"
"Because I already did," Princess Twilight rolled her eyes. "And you know what they told me?"
"... No."
"That I was being jealous and that I shouldn't worry about it!" Twilight took a deep breath and relaxed. "Look, I'm not asking for much; just go with them to wherever they're going, and when you find out what it is, tell me about it."
"Okay, and I'm gonna do that how?"
"Simple, really."
Twilight wrapped her arm around Vignette's.
"I'm coming with you!"
"... What?!"
A short time later, at the park, Vignette stood at the center of the plaza, barely getting to stomp her foot on the ground a couple times before she yelled:
"This is a dumb idea!"
Princess Twilight came out of one of the bushes, holding a pair of binoculars as she snapped:
"Stay focused on the plan, Vignette! Sunset and my human self will be here any minute now!"
Princess Twilight went back into hiding, and Vignette only managed to groan and grit her teeth before a familiar voice asked:
"Vignette? Is that you?"
The woman turned around, and saw Sunset and the human Twilight, better known as Sci-Twi by her friends whenever the princess was around, approach her.
"Oh hey, Sunset! Twi-Fi!" Vignette chirped. "I'm so glad I ran into you!"
"Actually, we were the ones who ran into you," Sci-Twi clarified. "But what are you doing here?"
"Oh, uh, well, I heard from a little bird that you two would be here, and I wanted to check it out for myself," Vignette shrugged. "But now that I've verified that you actually are here, I'm gonna be off now. See ya-"
"Vignette, wait!"
Vignette nearly tripped as soon as she heard Sunset's sudden exclamation.
"Hey, uh, so, Twilight suggested me to invite some of our friends to what we're doing, but everybody was either busy or uninterested," Sunset scratched her head. "And since you're still relatively new around here, maybe you'd, I don't know, like to come with us?"
Vignette hummed. "I mean, I must ask the obvious question: what are you even planning to do?"
"There's gonna be a meteor shower later tonight, and it'll be perfectly visible right here at the park," Sci-Twi explained, clasping her hands together. "In fact, we found the perfect spot to see the meteor shower in its entirety! We just need to setup a couple things and we'll be golden!"
"And you want my help with this setup?"
"I mean, you could just be present when it happens," Sunset shrugged. "I mean, in my opinion three's a crowd, but if it makes Twilight happy."
A quick look into her eyes made it clear Sunset was a bit bothered by the circumstances, but Vignette wisely decided to keep it to herself.
"S.L.T.W."
"Great! I have no idea what you said, but great!" Sci-Twi waved her hand. "Now follow us! We only have so much time before the meteor shower starts!"
Sci-Twi bolted off into the distance, leaving Sunset and Vignette in the dust.
"She seems to be really excited for this meteor shower, huh?"
"Yeah, she was the one who came to me to ask me to join her for it," Sunset lowered her head. "Kinda wish she had been more clear that she wanted all the Rainbooms to come, but oh well."
Vignette frowned. "Sunset, are you okay?"
"Wha... Y-Yeah, I'm fine, totally!" Sunset waved her hand and snickered. "Why wouldn't I be? Now come on, the sun's starting to go down."
With that said, Sunset walked down the same path as Sci-Twi, Vignette taking a moment to catch her breath before following her.
Once at the alleged best spot in the park, which turned out to be an ordinary open field, Sci-Twi opened a couple of futons and laid them on the ground, while Vignette and Sunset grabbed a package with a telescope image.
"What's the telescope for?" Vignette asked.
"Oh, I wanna try to get a closer look at the meteors if I get the chance," Sci-Twi furrowed her brow. "That way, I can see when the meteor shower's about to start!"
"Alright, if you say so," Vignette hummed. "And the half a dozen unopened beds were brought by you too?"
"Actually, I was the one who brought them," Sunset said. "I remembered how sometimes our friends tend to appear suddenly, so I brought them just to be safe. But from the looks of it, seems like we're alone."
Vignette glanced at the bush Princess Twilight was hiding at, and the princess herself came out and gestured her to play along.
The woman went back to the telescope and, with a little help from Sunset, the object was finished in the blink of an eye.
"Alright, Twi-Fi, the telescope's ready. Now, if you excuse us, I need to talk with Sunset."
That brief declaration was all Vignette said before she grabbed Sunset's arm and brought her to a group of trees nearby, all while Sci-Twi cheerfully tested the telescope.
"Alright, spill the beans, what's bothering you?"
"N-Nothing!" Sunset snapped, releasing herself from Vignette's grasp. "I'm feeling just fine!"
"Sunset, a single look in your eyes makes it clear you're uncomfortable about what's going on," Vignette folded her arms. "I know you probably don't trust me or even like me-"
"I never said that-"
"-But keeping your discomfort to yourself is only going to cause you to blow up at the worst possible time," Vignette frowned. "So please, tell me what's going on."
Sunset calmed down slightly, took a deep breath, and explained:
"Well, part of me wanted this to be just between Twilight and me. Normally, I don't mind when the others come along, but this time... I do... and I don't know why..."
Vignette hummed for a moment, and scratched her chin. "Interesting..."
"Do you know what might be happening?"
"Can't say I know, but I do have an idea," Vignette narrowed her eyes. "However, if it is what I think it is, then it's a pretty weird thing."
Sunset blinked twice. "Thing?"
"Let me be blunt here: she's a human, you're a pony. A humanized one, sure, but a pony nonetheless," Vignette frowned. "A friendship between those two is already odd. But to try head into something deeper..."
Sunset blushed and flailed her arms. "E-What?! Something deeper?! W-What are you talking about?!"
"I'm afraid we both know exactly what I'm talking about."
Hearing that, Sunset stopped and lowered her head...
"However, there's a chance it might work..."
Sunset perked up.
"I'm not saying it's a big chance, but I'm not saying it's hopeless either. Sometimes the weirdest pairings can work out pretty well: like my parents, for example. But there's only one way to find out: you'll have to talk to her."
Sunset winced.
"Relax, as long as you don't make a mistake, she should be willing to listen," Vignette put her hands on her hips. "Just don't get her hopes up only to call it quits later. That's not cool."
Someway, somehow, Vignette felt Princess Twilight grow a little uneasy. Though honestly, she was more surprised she still remembered she was there.
"Vignette! Sunset! The meteor shower's starting!"
With a quick glance at the sky revealing the dark blue envelopment of the night, Vignette, Sunset, and Sci-Twi got on their futons and watched as the meteor shower began: a collection of meteors flew over them, their lights reflected in their eyes as they couldn't stop looking at the glowing, spatial display.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Sci-Twi asked with the giddiest smile she could muster.
"Yeah..." Sunset smiled. "It is..."
Vignette gently jabbed Sunset's shoulder, letting her know she was right next to Sci-Twi.
"H-Hey, Twilight?"
The bespectacled purplette faced Sunset. "Yes?"
"There's... something I wanna tell you..."
Though she was close enough to hear clearly what they said, she kept those thoughts to herself, and smiled as she kept watching the meteor shower...
All while feeling like she was forgetting something about a purple princess, but eh, it probably wasn't important.