"Whooaaa-ooo-ooo-oaaah!"
Starlight found herself in a trippy nonsensical void, spinning uncontrollably in a whirlpool of bright colors in all directions.
She could feel her body warping, stretching, changing. She couldn't feel any pain, and if she could, the shock of being sucked into another dimension, another world, would have overwhelmed that sense and all others.
All she could do was shut her eyes and cry out in surprise and fear as she passed from one world to the next…
Sunset, having just appeared on the other side, stood upright and began to brush herself off, straightening her jacket and wiping the tears from her eyes with her wrist.
Worry for Celestia and the loss of Twilight's approval was like a constant vicious stabbing to her heart, but she'd have to push that down for now… at least until she is finished with what needs to be done.
Briefly, she glanced around, surveying the outside of the school to make sure she hadn't been seen. It was nighttime in this world too, but there were lights on in the school — some sort of extracurricular activity must be going on. No one was outside though.
Taking a deep breath, she began to walk— only to be interrupted by the sound of magic behind her. She turned, and gasped, and before she could react, a figure passed through the portal and violently crashed into her.
Sunset tumbled onto the concrete, quickly flipping over onto her back and sitting up in a panic. She'd half expected to see Twilight there… but instead, she saw someone equally recognizable… just in human form now. Her lilac complexion and purple aqua-streaked hair was unmistakable.
Starlight curled up on the ground, quivering, unable to process her change in surroundings— and the change in herself — quite yet. She was breathing heavily, only catching a glimpse of Sunset through the hair obscuring her eyes.
"Starlight...?!" Sunset rushed to her side, placing a hand on Starlight's back in concern. "Are you okay?"
Starlight groaned, rubbing her head. "I… I think so…"
Sunset Shimmer stared down at her panting friend, taking a second to observe her new look. She looked different now; with a starry beanie atop her head, sleeveless vest jacket, ripped jeans, and boots.
Sunset, despite herself, was glad to see Starlight. A part of her was still angry at her for not telling her about Celestia's illness right away, but Twilight had done the same. Starlight was probably just doing what she thought Twilight wanted.
While she was enjoying Starlight's new style, and even though she felt a bubble of excitement rising within her at the prospect of showing her this world… now was hardly the time to hang out with Starlight.
Sunset sighed, and began hesitantly, but sternly. "Listen… I appreciate you coming, but you can just… go home now. If Twilight sent you here as part of her 'friendship lesson'—"
"No, I told you I was impulsive!" Starlight huffed through her panting. "Twilight didn't send me. I'm pretty sure she didn't want me to come." Shakily, she lifted her hoof to move her hair from her face… only to see that it wasn't a hoof.
"...Sweet mother of—"
"You… followed me on your own? Against Twilight's wishes?" Sunset asked in disbelief, feeling her heart tense at this show of loyalty from a pony she'd only just met. She knew how much Starlight hadn't wanted to disappoint her mentor…
"Yeah— uh, can we pause… for a sec?" Starlight shoved her hands in Sunset's face and wiggled her fingers. "What are these?"
"Hands. It's all going to feel pretty weird at first. But… I'm sorry Starlight— As glad as I am to see you, I just don't have time right now. You're only going to slow me down…"
Starlight took in a deep breath, letting it out slow. She needed to get a handle on herself. For Sunset.
"I'm sorry for everything that happened back there! And I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Celestia— I just didn't think it was my place. I was wrong."
Starlight repositioned herself onto all fours, gazing at Sunset with pleading dark blue eyes. "I can get a handle on this! I'm smart… I can do it. You said you wanted to stick together, so here I am. Whatever your plan is…"
Starlight bit her lip, her emotional vulnerability showing on her expression. "...I just… I just want to help."
Sunset stared at her for a few seconds, considering.
It was still a risk to bring Starlight along when she knew nothing about this world… especially when Sunset didn't have time to teach her everything about it.
But how could she turn Starlight down with those pleading eyes, and her genuine offer to help? Maybe having Starlight around would be exactly what she needed. A friend that could help her stay level-headed and calm… and who may prove to be useful.
"...Okay." Sunset finally agreed softly, with a nod and a small smile. "Thanks, Starlight… You can come."
Starlight let out a sigh of relief, and returned Sunset's smile. When Sunset offered her hand, Starlight took it after just a moment of shy hesitation.
Sunset pulled, helping the wobbly Starlight to her feet. "I'll coach you the best I can with the time we have, but I think the best thing to keep in mind is to try to lay low, play it cool. You know?"
Starlight closed her eyes, finding the focus to steady herself. Bipedalism was strange and new to her, but she'd do her best to get the hang of it as quickly as possible, and mimic whatever Sunset did. "Yeah, totally."
Sunset, her hand never leaving Starlight's shoulder for support, shrugged off her backpack and rummaged through it, pulling out her cell phone.
Starlight stared at this strange rectangular object in Sunset's hand, and gasped a bit as it lit up, colors and strange symbols appearing on it. "What's that?"
"It's my phone. Humans use these to communicate quickly over long distances— Damn!"
Sunset cursed as her phone screen went dark again almost immediately.
"What's wrong with it?"
"Battery's dead. I was gonna call the doctor's office."
"Oh… I guess we'll have to hoof it?"
"Yeah…" Sunset groaned as she put her phone away and put her backpack back on. The hospital was quite a ways away… "Well, we should get going. Just do what I do— one step in front of the other, okay? Just like walking in Equestria, minus two legs."
Sunset let Starlight take her arm so she wouldn't fall, and they began to walk— slowly at first, until Starlight began to gain confidence walking, and then the two of them sped up their pace.
They didn't get far before a sleek sports car pulled into the school driveway.
"Flash!" Sunset Shimmer exclaimed in a gasp, looking at Starlight, forgetting for a moment that Starlight probably didn't know Flash Sentry or his pony counterpart.
"Uhhhmm… you want me to flash… what?"
"FLASH!" Sunset shouted at the car, waving her arm to get him to see her. "Let us in, please!"
The handsome student in the car blinked when he saw his ex-girlfriend and someone else he didn't recognize flagging him down, but after a second he reached to unlock his car doors. He was going to roll his window down to ask what was going on, but Sunset had already began ushering Starlight into the backseat, climbing in after her.
"Thanks, Flash." Sunset panted, fastening her seatbelt and hurriedly helping Starlight with hers. "Sorry if this is a bad time, but we really need to go to the hospital if you'll take us."
"The hospital? Oh no, are you both okay?" Flash asked, both his thick brows raised in surprise and alarm in the rearview mirror.
"... We're fine. Starlight here just needs a… check-up. She's extremely past due for a visit."
Play it cool. Starlight went along with that, nodding overly-eagerly.
"... Okay. Sure." Flash hit the gas, driving out of the school parking lot and out onto the road.
While the car was moving, Starlight tensed, trying to mask her slight fear. Feeling herself move like this was a whole different kind of New and Overwhelming.
"It's just like taking a train to Canterlot." Sunset whispered sympathetically after noticing her friend was uneasy. "Just try not to get carsick. This won't take long."
Starlight nodded gratefully, sucking in another breath to calm herself, trying to enjoy the ride.
Flash, hearing whispering between the two girls but unable to make out the words, was feeling left out and awkward. "Uh, so hey, your name is Starlight? I haven't seen you around here before. What school do you go to?"
"Starlight Glimmer. Nice to meet you. And I don't technically go to school, but I am Princess Twilight's student in Equestria!"
Sunset sent Starlight a pointed look.
Oops… maybe I shouldn't be telling people that?
"Twilight?" Flash echoed back, unable to hide his own excitement at the mention of his pony world crush. "Did you guys just come through the portal?"
Sunset smiled tightly into the rearview mirror at Flash. "...Yes…"
"How is Twilight? Did she… mention me at all?"
"Why do you ask?" Sunset asked slowly, gritting her teeth.
"Heh, no… reason." Flash fixed his eyes back onto the road, a soft dreamy smile on his lips.
Sunset had to swallow her rising feelings of disgust. Truthfully, Flash Sentry's crush on Princess Twilight was… sweet. But it irritated Sunset to no end hearing about it, and she didn't really know why yet.
Starlight looked at Sunset, sensing the tension. She couldn't help but wonder if these two had some kind of history. She didn't know a lot about romance yet, but she knew jealousy when she saw it, and it was definitely there, burning in Sunset's cyan eyes as she stared ahead.
"... No, she didn't." Sunset finally answered, after a minute. "She's a little too busy, as the Princess of Friendship and everything."
Flash sighed dejectedly. "I figured. She has a lot on her plate, I'm sure."
"Yeah," Starlight agreed, carefully. "Especially right now. And… I live in her castle with her— and I'm really sorry, Flash… but Twilight never mentioned you."
Starlight hoped that what she'd just chipped in wouldn't escalate anything, but if Sunset really liked Flash… she wanted to assist in some way. What she said was truthful, anyway.
Sunset glanced at Starlight, a little astonished at Starlight's words… and grateful at this second display of loyalty. Did Starlight somehow know about her feelings for Twilight, even before Sunset had figured them out herself?
Flash sighed again, appearing heartbroken, but surprisingly… not surprised. "I get it. Thanks for the tough love… both of you. I probably really needed to hear that."
Sunset let out a breath of relief. She reached, placing a hand on the jock's shoulder, genuinely feeling sorry for him despite her jealousy. "I know Twilight values you as a friend, Flash. She just… has a lot of responsibilities in Equestria, so she's only very rarely going to visit. Maybe it's best if you try get over her… you know?"
Flash Sentry nodded, and smiled warmly at his ex-girlfriend — now real friend — in the mirror. "Uh-huh. I will."
Sunset smiled warmly back, leaning back into her seat. Starlight watched this exchange, feeling a little twinge in her heart she couldn't explain, but glad she could help make things better for Sunset and Flash both.
They traveled in silence for the next few minutes, until Flash pulled up to the hospital and parked.
"We're here," Flash announced, as he turned in his seat to look behind him at the two girls. "Good luck with your check-up, Starlight. And uh, Sunset… when you get time… do you want to maybe hang out and talk sometime?"
"Uh… yeah sure. Later, Flash." Sunset unbuckled her seatbelt and Starlight's hastily, hopping out of the car and shutting the door.
"Mmkay.." Flash watched them go. Alone again, naturally…
His car drove off, and Starlight and Sunset recouped in front of the hospital building.
"That was… interesting." Starlight admitted after a few seconds. "Both riding in that… thing, and the conversation. Are… Are you two—"
"We used to date, but I never really had feelings for him. I still don't." Sunset explained, as she led Starlight to the hospital doors. "I… sort of used him to become more popular in the school. Back when I was… you know… awful."
"Oh… I see." Starlight pondered about this, confused. What had made Sunset seem so jealous, then? "Well, at least you didn't brainwash him like I might have when I was bad. I brainwashed a whole town of ponies to make them give up their cutie marks and talents."
"Whoa…" Sunset blinked, then chuckled softly as she opened the door. "That's pretty impressive. I mean! It's bad, of course, but impressive."
Starlight grinned as they entered the waiting room, glancing around. "No, I get what you mean. I regret it, but at the same time… I'm secretly still proud of how I managed it…"
"You have talent! My magic was good, but I definitely wouldn't know how to do that. Must have been some spell." Sunset's smile faded. "I… did sort of use mind-control on Flash and the rest of the school, though… when I turned into a she-demon with Twilight's Element of Harmony."
"Wow, that's intense…"
"Mmhm. But let's not talk about it now… it's too quiet in here. Here–" Sunset took Starlight's hand in hers, leading her to a chair in the waiting room. "Wait here while I get us checked in."
Starlight nodded, climbing onto the chair, sitting awkwardly watching as Sunset approached the front desk.
Sunset leaned against the desk, regarding the nurse sitting there with a smile. "Hey…" she paused to read the nurse's name tag. "...Nurse Redheart."
"Sunset Shimmer. How can I help you?" Redheart smiled professionally, tucking a stray pale-pink strand of hair neatly into her bun.
"We, ah.. Starlight here needs a check-up, to… get her ears checked! Yeah."
Sorry, Applejack. Can't be honest in this situation…
"Does she have an appointment with us?"
"...No, sorry. My phone was dead, and–"
"That's okay." Nurse Redheart handed Sunset a clipboard of paperwork for her to fill out. "The co-pay is twenty-five dollars."
Sunset frowned, answering hesitantly. "We don't have any money right now…"
"Does Starlight have insurance?"
"... No."
The nurse sighed, and made a few clicks on her computer.
"Well… far be it from me to turn away someone in need of a check-up, but actually the doctor's schedule is full for the rest of the night. It's late. We can squeeze her in… hm… Monday at 8?"
"But that's three days away!" Sunset protested. "It's an emergency!"
"You just said she just needed a checkup, though…" Redheart leaned sideways in her office chair, glancing at the patient.
Starlight blinked and froze up, and then she covered both her ears and moaned unconvincingly. "Owww, my ears… the pain."
The nurse's brows furrowed, unamused. These kids… they'll make a fuss out of anything. They probably just want to get out of school for a few days.
"We're a small hospital with fixed hours. If it's a real emergency, call the ambulance," Nurse Redheart said cooly to Sunset. "Otherwise, Monday at 8."
Sunset's blood boiled, but she forced a smile. "No… Thanks anyway, Nurse Redheart."
"Have a nice day."
Sunset shook her head as she made her way back to Starlight, taking her hand and leading her out of the hospital.
They stopped just outside, standing together in the cool night air.
"Well, that was a bust…" Starlight lamented.
"Ugh, this is so frustrating! All I want to do is help Celestia and get her one of this world's doctors, and I keep hitting roadblocks! I should have known it wouldn't be that easy…"
"It'll be okay, Sunset… if I've learned anything, it's that you have to hold onto hope that things will turn out alright." Starlight rested her hand on Sunset's shoulder, comfortingly… and noted that she enjoyed feeling things with 'hands'. Fingers were quite sensitive compared to hooves.
Sunset sighed heavily. "I know. You're right. I just… don't know what to do now. I can't go back to Equestria empty-handed after just leaving like that…"
"Sure you can. What matters is you tried. But… maybe you won't have to. I might have an idea…"
Sunset lifted her head, looking at her friend questioningly. "You do? Tell me."
"A stakeout."
Sunset pondered this… and grinned at Starlight with newfound determination.