Sunset angrily raced to her suite. Throwing the door open, she raced about her room gathering supplies into her saddlebag. At her dresser, along with her book she scooped in as many gems as she could gather and all the bits she had in her possession. She wasn’t sure when she was coming back and she wanted to be ready for whatever she might face on the other side of the portal.
Aiko loped through her door as she put on her the saddlebags then her traveling shawl over that.
“Sunset, don’t do this! You don’t have to run away. We can work this out! I’ll help you!” Aiko called out, trying to calm her sister down.
“Aiko, you don’t understand! She betrayed us! I can’t be a part of this any longer!” stormed Sunset. “I can’t stay! I want no part of this! Stay if you want to, but I’m leaving!” She left her apartment, slamming the door then trotting down the hall.
With a pop Aiko appeared beside her. “No! Where you go, I go. We’re in this together,” she assured Sunset. Together they raced down the halls to the storage room housing Starswirl's mirror. Behind them they heard the guards yelling to each other in the halls.
“I think your mom is onto you,” said Aiko as she looked back down the halls. “The guards are coming.”
“They’ll be too late. Come on!” called Sunset, racing faster. They entered the room together, racing over to the mirror portal.
Sunset turned to Aiko. “Are you ready for this?” she asked.
Aiko nodded. “Where you go, I go,” she replied.
“Let’s go then,” said Sunset. Trotting into the mirror she disappeared through its surface. Aiko followed after her.
Aiko felt herself being stretched and pulled, her body morphing strangely as they passed through a space filled with mind bending colors and shapes. Ahead of her, she saw Sunset being pulled and shaped into a strange creature with a round head covered with her mane, weird forelimbs ending in fleshy nubs, an oddly shaped barrel, and two hind limbs that hung directly below her body. Her sister’s beautiful mane was transformed into a wild profusion of strawberry red hair. A moment later her shawl morphed into pants, a blouse, some kind of skirt, and a jacket, while her saddlebags morphed into a pack centered over the shoulders of her forelimbs.
Aiko looked down to see the same transformation was occurring to her.
“Sunset!” she called out. The creature ahead of her struggled to turn to her.
“Aiko!” Sunset called out. “I think wherever we’re heading must be very different from Equis!”
“You think!” called out Aiko in mild panic. “What the heck are we becoming? I’ve never had a portal do this before?”
“Don’t worry!” called out Sunset. “We’ll be fine! We have each other!”
As she said that a dark shadow passed over them. Two sinister eyes opened with evil glee.
A voice rasped out from the shadow. “I’ve been so looking forward to this moment, little one. It’s time for you to die along with all the works you were to do!” The voice cackled gleefully as lightning arced out from the darkness to encompass Sunset as she struggled.
“No!” shouted Aiko, willing herself towards her sister. Unsure and uncaring of how she was doing it at that moment, she drew closer to Sunset, reaching out and pulling her into her grasp. The lightning now arced and raced over both of them.
“Aiko! What’s happening?” called out Sunset. “I can’t see anything! I’m blind!” A moment later Aiko lost her vision also.
“We’re being attacked by whatever that thing is,” replied Aiko. “Hang strong, Sunset. Nothing can overcome us! We’ll stay strong together!” The two held each other close as the lightning raced and ravaged over their bodies.
“Die already!” screamed the voice at them. “Time to die! Why won’t you just die!” More lightning raced over the two girls as they held each other close, shouting encouragements to each other.
“Fine then! If I can’t seem to kill you I will reduce you both to nothing!” screamed the maddened voice. The lightning increased, then both Aiko and Sunset felt their bodies shrinking, growing smaller, their minds slipping away as well.
“Aiko! He’s regressing us! Try to hold onto your thoughts! Keep your memories in your thoughts so he can’t take them from us!” called out Sunset. Aiko tried her best, her precious memories of her sister and their times together vibrant in her thoughts as they fell through the void. Stripped of everything but the memories she held close, her vision returned. She saw a light growing ahead of them.
“Stay strong, Sunset! I think we’re almost there!” called out Aiko as they fell through the maddening void towards the growing light.
“No!” screamed the shadows voice, “I’m not finished with you, little one! I will never stop trying to destroy you!” it screamed. As they neared the light the creature raced off into the void, its lightning no longer playing over their bodies. Upon reaching the light they were pitched through it, launching into an alley with a flash, then tumbling to the ground together. The light faded as they sat up side by side in the alleyway.
“Are you okay, Aiko?” called out Sunset, brushing dirt and trash off her sister. “Are you hurt?”
Shaking her head clear, Aiko turned to look at her sister. “Wow, what the heck are we? I’ve never seen anything like this. You look like a cuter version of a storm beast.”
Sunset laughed. “Same to you, goof. I have no idea what we are. But if we look like storm beasts, I bet that’s how we’re supposed to move too.” She carefully rose, standing on her hindlimbs. “Yeah, this seems to feel natural. I’m gonna go with it. Let’s see how it moves.” She took a step forward, then another. She took one more then stumbled nearly falling. “Okay, yeah. Like a cute little storm beast. It works fine if I don’t think about it. The moment I think about how to do it, I stumble.”
She stepped back to Aiko, reaching down with her forelimb and holding out the appendage at the end. “Need help up, sis?”
Aiko took the offered support, pulling herself to her hindlimbs. Sunset was right, it did feel natural to stand like this. Still holding Sunset’s appendage she took a few steps, Sunset following beside her.
“Yeah, you’re right. If I don’t think too much about it, I can move fine.” Aiko scowled for a moment. “What was that thing in the void?” She thought for a moment then mildly panicked. “Sunset! I don’t remember anything from before the void! What happened! Did that thing take our memories away?”
“I think so,” replied Sunset. “All I can remember was I was running away from a princess who wanted to banish me. Or something. She was really mad and unhappy with me. I think we lived with her.”
Aiko shook her head. “I can’t remember either. Whatever that thing attacking us was, it took our memories. At least we still remember each other!”
Sunset smiled. “I’ll never forget you, Aiko!”
“And I’ll never forget you either,” grinned Aiko. Turning, she looked around, taking in the alleyway they had tumbled into. There was no sign of the portal, nor of any other creatures, save one cat sitting atop a trash bin eyeing them suspiciously.
“I guess there’s no going back for us now,” agreed Sunset. “I don’t see any sign of the portal.”
“Me either,” agreed Aiko.
“Let’s go look around. Maybe we can find some place to stay and something to eat. I’m kind of hungry,” mused Sunset. Smiling, Aiko nodded in agreement.
Still holding each other's forelimbs they left the alleyway, emerging onto a sidewalk filled with creatures like themselves only larger, all moving about to whatever destinations they had. Standing to the side to stay out of the flow of traffic, they looked up and down the street searching for any sign of a tavern or hostel. There were shops everywhere, most of them a bit run down, but no sign of food or lodging.
One other thing they noticed is how much larger the other creatures appeared. They were easily twice the size of the two of them.
One of the creatures noticed them. Drawing close, it bent down to speak.
“Little girls, are you lost? Where are your parents?” she asked in a kind voice.
“Uh, yeah? Kind of?” replied Sunset. “I have no idea where our parents are. My sister and I just kind of woke up here together. I don’t even know where we are.” she answered.
“You two are sisters? I would never have guessed,” responded the woman. “Well, no matter. You need to go to the shelter. Sister Mary can help you find your parents and make sure you stay safe. These streets are no place for a couple of little girls. Come on!”
Taking Sunset’s other hand, the woman pulled them along, Sunset and Aiko following her as she led them through the crowds and down the street.
“Where are we going?” Aiko asked the woman.
“I’m taking you to the Canterlot shelter Sister Mary runs. She’ll take you in and help you find where you belong. By the Maker, I am not leaving two helpless little girls on the street. Goddess knows what would happen to you out here on your own,” she answered as she led them along.
“Yo, bitch! What do you think you’re doing!” a voice boomed out from down the street. Glaring, an angry man approached them.
“Relax, jerk! I’ll be right back! I just need to get these two off the street,” answered the woman.
“You don’t get to be right back!” stormed the man. He slapped the woman, rocking her head back and causing her to let go of Sunset.
Holding her bleeding cheek she hissed at him. “I said I’ll be right back! I am not leaving these two on the street alone. It’s bad enough the things I have to do to get by! By the goddess there is no way in the seven frozen hells I am leaving these two to the streets mercies!”
She stepped back to the girls, blocking his way.
“Bitch! You don’t get to decide nothing!” screamed the man. “I got a mind to take care of these two myself. Get your owned ass back on the corner! Now!”
The woman continued to glare at him, standing between the girls and him.
Enraged, the man lashed out slamming his fist into the woman’s face, knocking her out cold at the girls’ feet.
“Bitch! You made me damage the merchandise. If you lose money because of that, it’s coming out of your ass!” He grabbed the hands of the girls, pulling them along after him. “Come on!” he hissed at them.
Cowed, the girls ran to keep up with his long strides, their hands firmly trapped in his grasp as he pulled them along.
“Where are we going?” asked Aiko fearfully.
“The bitch wasn’t wrong. I’m getting you off the streets before someone else claims you as their prize,” the man said, leading them into one of the doorways between the shops. At the end of a long hall there was a staircase. He dragged them up several flights of stairs then down a hall filled with doorways. Standing before one, he let go of Aiko’s hand and reached into his pocket to pull out a set of keys.
Aiko looked at him fearfully, ready to bolt.
“Stand right there, little bitch,” said the man. “Don’t even think of running off or I’ll hurt your friend. I’m taking you in here to keep you safe from the others. You’re with me now. So stand still, shut up, and just wait a second.” As he was saying all this he managed to get the door unlocked and open. Taking Aiko’s hand again he pulled the girls into the apartment and shut the door.
He led them down a hall and into a room, empty of any furnishings save for a ratty looking bed and a dresser with a mirror atop it. Dragging the girls casually to the bed, he left them sitting there, returning to the door.
“Wait here! I’m going to get you something to eat. Don’t try to leave.” He left, shutting and locking the door behind him.
Aiko got up and ran to the door trying to open it. It was indeed locked.
Sunset ran over to the window, trying to open it. She managed to get the widow open a few inches, nowhere near far enough open for them to slip through. Not that it mattered as the window was covered with bars, effectively locking them away from the street below.
“Aiko, I don’t like this at all. I have a very bad feeling about this,” commented Sunset.
“Sunset, I can’t get out. The door is locked, and my magic isn’t working. I can’t get through the door!” Aiko growled in frustration.
Sunset tried to reach her magic. Nothing happened. “Aiko! I can’t use my magic either! What kind of hell is this where magic doesn’t work?” Sunset called out in frustration.
“How are we going to get out of here?” asked Aiko, still looking over the door trying to find some way past it.
“I don’t know,” responded Sunset. “But you’re right, we can’t stay here! That creature is acting like we’re his property now or something. That can’t be good! And I think whatever that thing was in the void, it changed us somehow. I don’t think we are supposed to be this small. I think it changed us into young versions of whatever these creatures are, so we’re basically helpless against them. We’ve gotta get out and get to that place with Sister Mary,” she stated as she examined the window, struggling to find a way to open it further.
Leaving the door Aiko tried to help Sunset open the window. Together the girls were able to force the window all the way open, though they were still literally barred from climbing through it. Looking out over the street below they saw the woman they were with still laying on the street with people just walking around her.
They watched as she rolled to her side then sat up, shaking her head and rubbing her face. She slowly got to her feet, still holding her head, then she stumbled off down the street.
“Hey! We’re up here! Hey lady! We’re up here!” shouted out Sunset.
The woman looked up, seeing Sunset waving her arm through the bars. She shook her head, turned then stumbled off down the street.
“What’s a lady? And where is she going? She saw you, we’re up here. Why is she heading away from us?” asked Aiko.
“I have no idea what a lady is,” replied Sunset. “It just came to me as I was calling out to her that’s what she is, so I said it. And I‘ve no idea where she’s going. Maybe to get some help?”
“Yeah, after getting knocked out like that she probably needs it,” agreed Aiko.
“I meant for us, but that’s a good point,” agreed Sunset. Together, the girls watched the street below as they tried to find a way to get past the bars.
Several hours later, tired, hungry, thirsty, and thoroughly frustrated, the girls sat side by side on the bed, listening to the sounds of the street below.
“This is not what I imagined would happen when I went through the mirror,” sighed Sunset. “I just wanted to get away from the angry princess.”
“And I just wanted to be with my sister,” agreed Aiko. “So now what?”
“I guess we'll wait. Eventually that slimeball will come back. I hope he brings food, I’m starving. We’ll find a way to trick him or overpower him somehow so we can escape. Though good luck on that last one. These bodies seem worse than useless in a fight given how hard it was for both of us to even get a window open. And without magic we have no way of overcoming that,” responded Sunset.
Holding hands, the sisters waited together for the angry man to return.
A while later they heard the door open in the apartment outside. There was a slam and scuffle, like something was being placed roughly down. A few loud steps then the lock to their door was turned and the door opened revealing the angry man from before. He entered, shutting the door behind him.
“So, I bet you girls are hungry, huh?” he laughed. “I have a little snack for you right here before you get any dinner.” Leering, he headed over to the bed where the girls were sitting.
Aiko leaped up, running across the room and slamming into the man.
He stopped, looking down at where she had fallen when she bounced off his legs. “Got something to say, short stuff?” the man laughed.
Looking up at the man with a glare, Aiko stood, putting herself between him and her sister. “You don’t touch my sister, you slimeball. Nobody touches my sister!” she growled.
“You have a lot of spunk for a little Asian girl. I bet you’ll be lots of fun!” he grinned. “I’ll get a high price for you.”
“No one is getting anything for me or my sister. We’re not your property, you sick pervert! You can’t keep us prisoners! I won’t let you!” she hollered at the man, holding out her forelimbs like claws.
“Damn you're cute when you’re angry,” laughed the man, walking towards her as she slowly backed away. “I’m sure of it now, you’re going to be a lot of fun.”
Sunset rose and raced to her sister’s side holding her arms out, hands clawed as well. “We’re not going to let you keep us prisoners. And we’re gonna stop you. You can’t harm us!” shouted Sunset.
“Wanna bet?” leered the man. “I’m going to make you both scream! And eventually, you're gonna learn to like it!” He paced forward, both of the girls backing slowly away from him until they were pushed up against the bed.
“Time for your first lessons, little bitches,” he laughed, smacking them both sending them helplessly tumbling onto the bed. “Get ready for some fun! And if you're good enough, I’ll even let you eat!”
As he leaned down over the bed there was a crash in the apartment outside. A loud bang rang out, then a crack and crash as something slammed to the floor in the apartment.
“What the hell!” stormed the man, turning back to the bedroom door. As he went to open the door it was kicked in sending him sprawling on the floor with the door on top of him.
Standing in the doorway was a very angry priest, the woman who had found them standing right behind him.
“Stupid fucking priest! What the hell are you doing here? I’m gonna kill you for this, you know that, right?” gasped the man still trapped beneath the door.
“I’ll take my chances,” growled the priest. He kicked the door off the man, then bent down and lifted him, holding him off the floor with one hand. “You know better than to mess with children on my watch. Think you’re going to hurt me? Think you’re going to hurt them? I dare you to try, then see if I don’t hunt you down and exterminate you like the vermin you are!” Turning, he threw the man out of the bedroom onto the floor in the hall outside.
The man scrambled to his feet, glowering at the priest and the woman with him. “You’ll pay for this priest! I swear!” He then glared at the woman. “You’re dead!” he screamed at her. ”I’ll kill you for this! Your days are over!” Turning, he ran from the apartment.
The priest walked over to the girls. “Come on, little ones. Let’s get out of here before he returns with friends.” Bending down he scooped both girls into his arms, holding them close. He turned to the woman and nodded. They left the apartment, heading down the stairs.
“You did good, Fae,” the priest said to the woman. “You’re done on the streets though, you know that, right? He’s not gonna stop until he’s made an example of you.”
“I know,” the woman sighed. Together they stepped out into the street and headed back to the shelter.
In the shelter Sunset and Aiko sat at a table. Both had a plate before them holding the other half of the sandwiches they were ravenously eating. Almost empty bottles of water sat beside the plates as the girls hungrily consumed their lunch.
A young Asian nun smiled at the girls as they ate. “Well, you two were sure hungry. Don’t worry, there’s more if you need it,” she laughed. “So! Welcome to the Canterlot shelter. My name is Sister Mary Magdalene, but you can just call me Sister Mary, or Sister. I run this shelter, and the two of you are welcome to stay here for as long as you need.”
“Thank you!” said Sunset between bites of sandwich, Aiko nodding in thanks as well. “I’m Sunset Shimmer, and this is my sister, Aiko Adobaizā.” Aiko smiled and bowed slightly, still eating.
“Pleased to meet you both, Sunset, Aiko. Go ahead and finish your dinner then I’ll help you get settled,” Sister Mary smiled at the girls.
“So what’s gonna happen to that woman? Fae I think her name was?” Sunset asked.
“She’s going to stay with us until we find a safe place where she can live. If we let her back out on the streets she’s done for,” sighed Sister Mary. “That was extremely brave of her to come to us for help. If she hadn’t I shudder to think what might have happened.” She closed her eyes and actually shuddered. Opening her eyes, she smiled at the girls and took a chip from Sunset’s tray, grinning as she stuck it into her mouth and crunched it up. Sunset was taking a sip of her water and laughed, spilling some of it down her shirt.
“Hey, I thought those were mine!” Sunset teased, wiping off her chin and shirt with a napkin. “You should get your own if you want some.”
“I could,” agreed Sister Mary. “Or I could just get you more when these are gone. It’s all good.” She laughed, bending down and kissing Sunset on the forehead. “Don’t worry! We won’t run out.”
Sunset and Aiko giggled. They finished up their sandwiches and chips, drank the rest of the water and cleared their places. Taking them both by the hands, Sister Mary led them down the hall and into a bedroom at the end. It was a small room furnished with two beds and a dresser in between.
“Sorry for the small space. You’ll be sharing my room with me. I would rather keep you two close for a bit, and not have you living out in the dorms with everyone else. You two can have the bottom drawers. The very bottom one locks, so can keep anything valuable there. Not that we have much problem with thieves but it does happen, so it pays to be safe. Just push the few things I have in there to the side to make whatever room you need. I have the key with me at all times, so whenever you need to get something just let me know and I’ll let you borrow it, okay?” Sister Mary explained.
Sunset nodded. Aiko sat on the bed by the window as Sunset unpacked her now transformed saddlebag. As all she had were gems, bits, now transformed into shiny gold coins, and her book. Everything she had went into the bottom drawer with the bag itself going into the drawer above.
“Aiko, do you have anything to put in here?” asked Sunset.
“Nope! I didn’t bring a bag. I just joined you when I saw you were running away. No way I was letting my sister leave without me,” stated Aiko. “Though I wish I could remember why we were leaving. It’s frustrating, I hardly remember anything from before that mean thing attacked us.”
Sister Mary’s eyes bulged when she saw the pile of gems and gold coins Sunset placed in the bottom drawer, and got bigger as she listened to the girls talk.
“I know! It’s so frustrating! I vaguely remember we were running away from a very angry princess,and something about being banished. And ponies! We were supposed to be ponies! Wait….” Sunset mused for a second. “No. I was a pony. The princess was a pony too, a big one, with a long horn and a wavy mane. And wings! Really large ones. And you weren’t a pony. You were a fox!”
“Yeah. That’s what I remember too. I was a fox, and you were a pony, and we were sisters. Wait. We had two other sisters too! One was a pony with a horn like you. And the other was like the princess, she had a horn and wings, but was littler like us. There were four of us, and we were all sisters,” exclaimed Aiko.
“Yeah! That’s right! The four of us! We did everything together,” agreed Sunset. “But, what were their names? I don’t remember.”
“Me either,” sighed Aiko. “I can kind of see their faces though. One was purple, and the princess one was light pink. And skinny.”
“Yeah, that sounds right,” agreed Sunset.
“Girls,” Sister Mary stated, interrupting their reflections. “Are you making this up? Is this some story you made up to explain why you are here? You don’t have to make up stories, it’s okay to just tell the truth. You won’t be hurt here.”
“No, that’s the truth. It’s not a story. That’s what happened. But I can’t remember the rest. So frustrating,” sighed Sunset.
“So, you are telling me, you are a unicorn pony, and your sister Aiko her is a fox, and your princess is a unicorn pegasus pony?” asked Sister Mary, incredulous.
“Yeah. That’s right. And we had magic! I was very magical, and so was Aiko! And so was Tw… er…Twi… er… the purple one. But Ca… Ca…. ugh… the pink one wasn’t for some reason, even though we were all studying magic under the princess. I think,” replied Sunset. “And she got angry with me. But I don’t remember why. I just remember her yelling something about being banished and I had to run away.”
“Yeah, and I had to come with you because no way is my sister going anywhere crazy alone. I am your protector!” nodded Aiko.
“You are my bestest sister!” agreed Sunset, giving Aiko a hug.
Sister Mary just shook her head. “Girls, do me a favor, okay?” she asked.
“Sure!” agreed Aiko. Sunset smiled and nodded as she closed the drawers and sat on the bed. Sister Mary locked the drawer then sat down beside the girts on the bed.
“Please don’t tell anyone else that story. Just say you got separated from your parents and don’t remember anything else. If you tell people stories about being a pony or a fox around here things may happen to you. I want to keep you both safe, so please don’t mention this again, okay?” urged Sister Mary.
Sunset and Aiko just nodded.
“Okay, that’s settled. Feel free to explore around the shelter for a while. Stay out of trouble though, okay? I need to start some paperwork to get you both processed and into the system,and try to find if anyone is looking for you,” explained Sister Mary.
Seeing the worried look on Sunset’s face, she added. “Don’t worry. Even if there is someone looking for you, we’ll protect you if that’s what you want. We won’t just hand you over to whomever, I promise!”
Sunset looked relieved, so Sister Mary left them in the room talking, while she went out to file the girls into the system and make a few calls.
Sister Mary returned to the room a bit later to tell the girls what she had found, but instead found them snuggled up together on the bed sound asleep. Smiling to herself at the thought of how adorable they looked together she pulled the blanket up over them, kissing both of them on the cheek. “Sleep well, my little fillies,” she laughed. “Well, little filly and vixen I guess. Sleep well.”
Laughing to herself quietly she shut the door behind her, letting her two little charges sleep after the long misadventurous day they’d experienced.
Returning later to find them still sound asleep, she prepared for bed herself, then turned out the lights and climbed into her bed, falling asleep as she prayed.
The next morning Sister Mary woke. Stretching out realized she was not alone. She looked down to find both girls snuggled up beside her, one on each side holding hands over her stomach. Smiling, she gently pulled the girls into a hug.
Sunset woke, looking around confused for a moment, then seeing Aiko across from her and Sister Mary smiling, she smiled back. “Good morning my little ladybug. How did you end up in my bed with your sister?” Sister Mary grinned.
Snuggling up, Sunset smiled. “We woke up. Well, I woke up last night. It was dark and I got scared, not really remembering where I was or what happened. I grabbed Aiko and that woke her up. Then we remembered where we were and what happened. But it was still pretty scary in the dark with the lights out, so we decided to get into bed with you. We tried not to wake you up, but we just couldn’t fall back to sleep by ourselves in that bed in the dark,” admitted Sunset. “I hope you’re not angry at us.”
Sister Mary ruffled Sunset’s hair. “Not at all. I wanted you and your sister to feel safe, that’s why I offered my room to you, so you could be with me. And if that means sometimes you snuggle up in my bed together with me when you get too scared, I don’t mind one bit,” she smiled.
Aiko cracked an eye open. “What time is it?” she asked sleepily.
“Good morning Aiko!” chirped Sunset, squeezing her sister’s hand.
“Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” snarked Aiko, yawning. Sunset laughed.
“It’s 6:30 AM in the morning. I need to get dressed and set out the bagels and coffee for our early shows, especially those who were not able to get a bed for the night. Warm coffee after a cold night on the street is always appreciated,” Sister smiled. Giving the girls a final hug she slid out from between them, rising from the bed and slipping out of her nightgown to change back into her habit.
“Wow Sister Mary. You’re really pretty!” noticed Aiko. Sunset just nodded smiling.
Blushing, Sister Mary smiled back at the girls, pulling her habit on then quickly combing out her hair. “Thank you Aiko! That’s always nice to hear, though as a nun it’s not something I give much thought to. I try not to have pride in my looks but instead focus on doing the Makers work in this world. A humble heart is a useful heart,” Sister said. Finished with her hair, she pulled her headdress on, slipping the few stray hairs back under it. “And what about you two? Do you want your hair combed as well?”
“Yes please!” said Sunset, happily springing from the bed and into the chair with her. Sister Mary pulled her up into her lap and quickly combed out her locks, putting her hair up in a ponytail.
“Me too please!” said Aiko, leaping up into her lap as she placed Sunset back down. Sister Mary happily combed Aiko’s hair out too, placing it also into a ponytail. “Hmm. I guess we can’t say it’s a pony tail on you. A fox tail maybe?” Sister grinned. Aiko laughed as Sister Mary sat down next to Sunset.
“Okay girls, get dressed, then come join me in the kitchen. You can help me set up for the morning, and I will make you some breakfast,” said Sister Mary as she left the room. The girls scrambled back into their clothes from before then raced down the hall after Sister Mary as she headed into the kitchen.
“Coffee first,” noted Sister Mary. “It takes a while to percolate in these large carafes, so it’s first on the agenda.” Taking the tops off the enormous urns, Sister Mary pulled out large metal pans with odd lids. Removing the lids, she scooped coffee grounds by the cupful into each of them, a different bag for each pot. After several cups of grounds were scooped into each she placed the odd looking lids back on them. Taking a spray hose from the side of the sink she proceeded to fill both the urns with water, then placed the metal pans with their odd lids back inside the urns. Placing the lids back on the urns, she flipped a switch on each one. An amber light glowed on the side of each urn.
Sunset looked at Aiko, who shrugged. Neither had ever seen anything like that before.
Sister Mary then crossed over a large metal door with a lock on it. Taking her keys from her pocket, she unlocked the padlock on the door and walked in. Sunset and Aiko could feel the frigid breeze roll over them as she opened the door.
Sunset scrambled over looking into the room Sister Mary had entered. It was a small room filled with racks of food and very cold. Sunset could see ice hanging from some of the racks.
Sister Mary grabbed a rack full of bagels and pastries, pulling it behind her as she returned to the kitchen. Sunset stepped back out of her way.
“How is that room kept so cold? Is it magic?” asked Sunset in wonder.
“No, but it sure seems so sometimes,” smiled Sister Mary as they crossed the room to the large industrial ovens. “It’s electric. But it does the trick at keeping our food fresh.’
She loaded the trays of bagels and pastries into the oven, then set the dials on them and pushed a button. The girls heard a whoosh as the gas jets in the oven fired. “Okay, that’s set. Now to get started on the actual breakfast.”
The girls watched as Sister Mary pulled down several large steel mixing bowls placing them on the counter. She returned to the freezer room, returning a moment later with a rack filled with flats of eggs and several large bags of something on the bottom.
“I hope you girls like eggs and pancakes!” she smiled as she passed the girls.
Placing the rack by the counter, she took one of the bowls and a flat of eggs over by the sink. “Okay girls! Ready to help out?” Sister Mary asked, placing a chair before the bowl. “Hop on up!”
The girls giggled, climbing up onto the chair to help.
“Okay, here’s the fun part. I need you two to crack all these eggs into this bowl so I can make scrambled eggs for everyone for breakfast. The goal is to get the eggs into the bowl and the shells into the sink. While you do that I will start mixing the pancakes. Can you do that?” Sister Mary asked.
The girls nodded so Sister Mary left them to it, returning to the counter where she proceeded to fill the remaining bowls with the powder from the bags, as well as eggs, oil, milk, and water. Placing the first bowl under the mixer, she blended it up. When it was mixed, she lifted the beaters and pulled the now ready batter out, placing the next bowl on the mixer.
Turning to see how her little helpers were doing, she saw Sunset, her arms covered in eggs and shells, staring in awe at her as she prepared the next bowl. Laughing, Sister Mary left the bowl and crossed over to the girls.
“Wow Sunset. First time cracking eggs?” teased Sister Mary as she wiped down Sunset’s messy arms and hands.
“Actually, I have no idea. But it is my first day with these things,” said Sunset seriously, holding up her hands and wiggling her fingers, “So that might explain some of my messiness.”
Sister Mary laughed. “I guess that’s certainly true for a Unicorn from another world,” she teased. Sunset nodded in all seriousness making Sister grin widely. “Well okay then! Let me give you a few pointers.”
Taking a few eggs she showed the girls how to crack them over the side of the bowl allowing the egg to drop in but not the shell, then tossing the shell into the sink and grabbing another egg. After a few passes she let the girls try again with much better results than before. Laughing and giggling, Sunset and Aiko worked through the crates of eggs as Sister Mary returned to her mixer.
The girls did well, finishing up the entire crate, filling the mixing bowl with eggs. Sister Mary brought over another bowl and crate of eggs for the girls.
“Great work, Sunset and Aiko. I'm so glad you’re helping me out this morning. We’ll have this sorted in no time at all!” She thanked them, both girls beaming at the praise.
Sister Mary finished mixing the bowls including the bowl of eggs the girls had just finished filling. Taking them all over to the stove, she fired up the burners, pouring oil over the frying surface and brushing it into the steel. As the oil started to sizzle, Sister Mary took a large ladle and expertly scooped out dollops of mix, dropping it onto the grill where the pancakes bubbled and sizzled. After a half a minute or so when the bubbles had just popped, Sister Mary used a large spatula to flip them over to brown on the other side. As they crisped, she used the spatula to lift them off the griddle and onto a large serving tray, re-oiling the pan and beginning the process again. In the moments while she was waiting to flip the pancakes or lift them off the griddle, she fired up another stove top, oiling it up as well. On this griddle she expertly poured out the eggs keeping them on the grill. She folded the eggs into themselves as they cooked until they were cooked completely and ready to be pulled off the grill.
Sunset brought over the next bowl of eggs. Sister Mary took them gratefully, quickly mixing them. She brought over another mixing bowl and flat of eggs for the girls then returned to her cooking.
Before long the oven rang. Sister Mary crossed over to it and using a pair of oversized oven mitts pulled the warmed and steaming trays of bagels and pastries out of the oven, placing them back onto the racks. Turning off the oven she wheeled the rack over next to the coffee urns then returned to her grills.
Father John poked his head into the kitchen. “Hey Mary! I see you recruited some help! Glad to have you girls!” he teased. “I just got back from canvasing the streets. We have a decent sized crowd to feed this morning. Unfortunately, we lost another one last night. Old Lady Birdsong didn’t make it. I turned her over to the cops on patrol and helped them gather her things.”
“That’s sad,” nodded Sister Mary. “She was a real sweetheart. And always happy to sing on a moment’s notice. She’ll be missed.”
“Yes she will. I’ll call the parish downtown and set up services for her. I’m sure many of the regulars will attend,” agreed Father John. Unplugging the cart from the wall, he rolled the urns out into the dining room, returning again for the cart full of bagels and pastries.
“Someone died?” asked Sunset quietly.
“Yes dear, it happens too often. Life on the street is hard. The cold nights and weather take a lot out of a soul, especially our older regulars. We try to get as many into the shelter as we can, but we just don’t have enough beds to fit everyone every night. It breaks my heart,” sighed Sister Mary.
“Mine too,” agreed Sunset, a tear rolling down her cheek.
“Now none of that now. Old Lady Birdsong would have wanted you to be happy. She was one of the happiest people I’ve ever known, and I’m sure she is happy in the Makers arms. So let’s be happy for her, hm?” encouraged Sister Mary, drying Sunset’s tears.
Smiling, Sunset nodded.
“That’s my girl! Life is for living, be happy!” Sister Mary bopped her nose, making Sunset grin. Returning to their work, they finished making all the eggs and pancakes, filling several serving trays with fresh warm scrambled eggs and pancakes.
As they finished,Father John returned.
“I'll help you with that,” he offered, loading up the serving trays onto a cart while Sister Mary returned to the freezer, returning with a cart holding syrup and butter. Together with the girls they rolled the carts into the dining room where a sizable crowd was waiting, enjoying their bagels, pastries and coffee as they warmed up while waiting for breakfast to be served.
“Okay girls, do you want to take a break and eat now? We can get the rest of this,” offered Father John.
“Oh, no thank you! Can we keep helping and eat with you both later?” asked Sunset.
“Are you sure? We don’t mind?” offered Sister Mary.
“We like helping. We don’t mind either,” affirmed Sunset with Aiko nodding her assent.
“Okay then! Join us back here. You two can get the plates ready as we pass them out,” agreed Sister Mary. Grinning, Aiko and Sunset joined them behind the serving table.
“Alright everyone! Time for grace! Bow your heads please,” Father John boomed out over the chatter. Everyone stopped talking and bowed their heads.
“Dearest Maker, Lover and Creator of our very Souls and Lives, we adore and bless You, thankful for the gift of life and love you have seen fit to share with us. Bless us as we journey through this life and into Your waiting arms, hoping in the blessed eternity we will spend with You. Bless this food we share and the company we keep. Bless our friends and families and bless those who have gone before us, including our Beloved friend Lady Birdsong, who passed into your loving embrace last night. May your angels watch over us, your servants guide us, and Harmony embrace us as we wait for the day when we all return to You. Amen!” finished Father John.
“Amen!” called out everyone. They then rose and lined up for breakfast.
Sunset and Aiko worked tirelessly, exercising their hands as they filled up the plates with pancakes then handing them to Father John and Sister Mary, who placed a serving of eggs on each of them as they handed them over to their guests, always with a smile and a kind word. They kept at it until everyone had been served, including more than a few who returned for seconds or even thirds. No one was refused and everyone ate their fill.
When everyone was done, just sitting around eating the last of their meals or enjoying their coffees, Sister Mary made up four plates for themselves, passing each of them a plate. Grinning, Father John grabbed a couple of danishes off the rack, dropping them onto the girls plates while he grabbed two bagels for himself and Sister Mary.
“I figure you two might enjoy the sweet stuff more than plain bagels,” he grinned at the girls. They smiled back happily. Reaching back down to the bottom of the rack he grabbed four milks and four juices then led them over to a mostly empty table to sit. Handing out the drinks, he pulled over a plate of butter then passed it to Sister Mary, doing the same for the syrup.
Sister Mary helped the girls put butter on their pancakes and pour the syrup out over them, then did the same for herself.
Father John reached for the butter and syrup but Sister Mary laughingly pushed his hand away then buttered his pancakes for him and poured the syrup out for him as well.
Father John laughed. “You know, I am big enough to serve myself, Sister,” he teased.
“Maybe,” she agreed. “But how else can I thank you for leading me into this life? Let a girl help out sometimes, it helps her feel special.” She laughed as she handed him back his plate.
“You are that, more than you can realize,” he smiled. “If it weren’t for you I’d still be in my old life and never have known the peace we have now.”
“Amen to that,” agreed Sister Mary.
“Wow, are you like a couple or something?” asked Aiko, happily watching the two of them.
Sister Mary snorted, almost launching her coffee through her nose. Still laughing, she wiped up the mess. “No, not exactly. More like best friends for life,” she laughed. “We have a bond that’s closer than most marriages.”
“Well that sounds like a heck of a story! Can we hear it?” asked Sunset excitedly.
Sister Mary blushed. “It’s not a story for little girls. Or fillies or vixens!” she amended. “Maybe when you’re older.”
“Yeah, much older,” agreed Father John, blushing himself.
“Okay, not sure why you said that, but we will ask again when we’re older.,” agreed Sunset, tucking into her breakfast. Aiko just smiled and nodded as she powered through her eggs.
As they finished the regulars left, stopping to thank them for the breakfast and warm coffee on their way out. When everyone was gone except a handful of stragglers just talking and sipping their coffee, Sister Mary, Father John and the girls cleaned up from breakfast, gathering up the plates and unserved food to return to the kitchen but leaving out the bagels, pastries and coffee.
The girls had never seen an industrial dishwasher before and were delighted to see the messy plates go in one side emerging on the other less than a minute later totally clean and steaming. They helped put everything away, placing the leftovers in sealed trays back in the freezer, which was again locked.
Father John excused himself, heading back out to the street to be of whatever help he could to those unfortunate enough to call the streets their home. After he left Sister Mary pulled the girls over to a table in the far corner of the kitchen, giving them each another danish and a cup of decaf coffee while she sipped her own.
“Okay, I found some information last night, and didn’t get a chance to talk with you both before you fell asleep. So here’s what I know. Apparently Miss Aiko, you were kidnapped from Japan and are presumed to be dead, which is clearly wrong because you are sitting right here. And you Miss Shimmer are currently living right here in Canterlot with your parents, who assure me you are with them right now. So I’ve invited them over to help us sort this out. As for you Miss Aiko, would you like me to reach out to your family as well?” asked Sister Mary.
“No! I don’t want to be separated from Sunset. I’m sure it’s just because we aren’t from here, they probably did lose their daughter. But I’m not her and I don’t want to be taken away from my sister,” stated Aiko emphatically.
“Okay then,” noted Sister Mary. “Not the answer I expected, but I will respect it. We’ll just wait for Mrs. Shimmer and her daughter to show, then we’ll sort through whatever we need to.”
Turning to Sunset, she added, “In the meantime, I need to ask, where did you get those gems and gold pieces? You do realize just what you have there, right?” asked Sister Mary.
“Uh, I brought them with me. I wanted to have enough to be able to live when I went through the portal, so I dumped out all the gems and bits I had in my drawers into my bag with my journal and brought them. I’m not sure how much they’re worth but I hope it’s enough that we can live on them for a while,” Sunset replied.
“Sunset, listen to me. What you have in that drawer is more than most families see in a lifetime. Sunset, if you wanted that drawer could set you up for life. I can have them discreetly appraised, but I am fairly sure those gemstones are worth several millions ducks. And I believe those gold pieces are legit Spanish doubloons which are extremely valuable. You may have several million ducks sitting locked in my bottom drawer. So please don’t tell anyone about them, okay? A lot of people will do really bad things to get their hands on that much money,” cautioned Sister Mary.
“That’s these things, right?” said Sunset, holding her hands up and wiggling her fingers.
“I’m serious, Sunset. Tell no one. Father John and I will find a reputable bank then have them appraised and handled for you. But never let anyone know you have that much money or they will find ways to take it from you, not all of them kind,” Sister Mary reiterated.
“Okay. That’s more than I thought I had. Huh,” she mused. “I just thought it would be enough to keep a roof over our head and food on the table for a few months while we sorted things out. But I’m pretty sure I remember being a lot older than this too. I think we were both adults before we came here.”
Sister Mary sighed. “And were a unicorn pony and a magical fox, right.” She groaned. “But after seeing that pile of Lunch Money of yours and finding that one of you is supposedly dead while the other one is actually living right here in Canterlot while you are right here with me? I’m starting to believe you about the whole portal thing.”
“That’s good!” agreed Sunset. “You should believe us, it’s the absolute truth!” Sunset said happily, Aiko nodding as well.
“It’s just so much to take in,” observed Sister Mary. “But, the Maker is wise and powerful. If She wanted to make many worlds in many dimensions, who am I to say otherwise?”
“Exactly!” agreed Sunset. “And someday when we find how to get back, we’ll take you with us and you can see where we came from.”
“I look forward to it,” smiled Sister Mary patting her on the head.
She left the girls in the room to play together while she ran a few errands, promising to be back in time for lunch and their meeting with the Shimmers. Aiko and Sunset found an old encyclopedia and leafed through it discovering much about the world they had traveled to.
A few hours later Sister Mary returned, inviting the girls to help her setup for lunch. They happily agreed, dancing at her heels as she led them back into the kitchen where they pulled out trays of sandwiches already made, bags of chips, and bowls of salsa. They also set out a cart with a large urn of ice water and a tray full of cups.
Father John showed up with a large collection of regulars, joining those who were already there. He led them all in grace, then helped Sister Mary and the girls serve up the food. Once everyone was served, they took a plate with sandwiches for themselves, loaded up with chips and salsa, then sat again at an empty table to enjoy their lunch. As they were finishing up, there was a knock on the door frame of the dining hall.
Looking over they saw a family standing in the doorway.
“Hello! We’re the Shimmers! You called about our daughter? This is the Canterlot mission, right? And you're Sister Mary?” asked the woman, a strawberry haired little girl hiding behind her dress.
Sister Mary stood and walked over to greet them. “Yes, you’re in the right place! I’m Sister Mary,” she greeted, her hand extended in greeting as she approached.
As Sister left the table the Shimmers caught sight of the six year old little girl who was sitting beside the nun.
Mrs. Shimmer let out a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh! Oh my!” she called out, startled.
Her daughter peeked out from around her dress and caught sight of Sunset sitting at the table, her eyes wide as she stared in shock at the little girl across the room.
“Mommy, why is there a little girl over at that table that looks just like me?” the girl asked, pulling on her moms dress as she stared in shock.