Twilight and Pinkie found themselves momentarily struck speechless, their eyes locked onto the figure before them—a woman who bore a striking resemblance to their friend, Sunset Shimmer, though with noticeable differences in her hair and attire.
With a gentle, gracious smile, the woman who resembled Sunset spoke, her tone now polite and welcoming. "I must beg your forgiveness for any prior lack of courtesy. It seems I have been remiss in providing a proper introduction. My name is Sunset Shimmer. I hail from Manehattan and am presently visiting the illustrious Canterlot City." She extended her hand toward the two girls. Pinkie Pie eagerly accepted, her excitement palpable, while Twilight regarded this Sunset with a hint of suspicion, unnerved by her unreliable smile and the somewhat intimidating aura she exuded. She analyzed her silently and thought, "This is probably Sunset's human counterpart."
Pinkie, still shaking Human Sunset's hand with boundless enthusiasm, gushed, "Golly! You must be our friend's human version! You're so different from her! Your short hair, your style, you look so-"
Twilight intervened, gently placing her hand over Pinkie's mouth and pulling her aside, offering a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry for my friend here. She consumed a lot of sweets today, which is likely the cause of her high energy."
Pinkie Pie shot Twilight a disapproving look, but Human Sunset's unnerving smile remained. Twilight knew she needed to steer the conversation in a different direction to avoid any awkwardness. She glanced at the breast pocket of Human Sunset's attire and seized upon a topic. "Oh! You must be a student at Everton University! I rarely see anyone from that prestigious school. I intend to enroll there soon because I've heard that their Engineering Science program has a lot of fantastic offers!"
"Indeed, they do present a plethora of enticing propositions," Human Sunset concurred. "Following your visit, I would be delighted to arrange a tour of Manehattan for your enjoyment."
"Totally!" Twilight replied with a nervous chuckle.
Pinkie freed her mouth from Twilight's grasp, took a deep breath, and launched a barrage of questions. "Is that guy beside you your butler? Are you rich? Do you own a mansion? What's your butler's name? Have you met our friend, Sunset? She's you, but a pony version-"
Twilight's hand again restrained Pinkie's mouth, and she continued to laugh nervously. "Like I said, she's very hyper, and she doesn't even know what she's talking about. We're very sorry. We must have been wasting your time. We should take our leave now."
As Twilight Sparkle started to lead Pinkie away to make a hasty exit, Human Sunset called out to them, halting their retreat. "Why the hurry, I wonder? We still have ample time for conversation. There's certainly no time-wasting involved here," she remarked with a genteel tone.
Human Sunset directed her attention towards them and extended a warm smile, although it seemed to slightly unsettle Twilight. "I must say, your mention of this friend has piqued my curiosity. They do indeed seem to be a rather captivating individual," she remarked with a gentle smile. "I would be most grateful if you could share additional details about them."
Pinkie Pie, now freed from Twilight's grasp, hurried over to Human Sunset. "So this friend of mine is also called Sunset and is the pony version of you, who's living in another world called Equestria and has the same looks as you, but looks more punk and has long hair! She likes dark leather clothes and is a badass! You should meet her! She would be happy to meet you in person!"
Twilight rushed to Pinkie's side, realizing it was too late to stop her friend from sharing everything. Pinkie just smiled happily, and Human Sunset's expression remained friendly, if not a little too much so.
"This Sunset you speak of does sound intriguing," Human Sunset expressed. "I'd love the chance to meet her in person."
Twilight Sparkle scrutinized her more closely, and it didn't go unnoticed by Human Sunset.
Reaching into her breast pocket, Human Sunset gracefully retrieved a small business card and offered it to Twilight. "My contact details, including my phone number and email address, are conveniently listed on this card," she informed. "Currently, I am staying at the Canterlot Palomino hotel. Might the two of you be available tomorrow in the afternoon? I have a place reserved at the same establishment and will be having a tea party, and I would be delighted to meet this Sunset you've mentioned. During your stay, feel free to partake in any activities that may interest you, as all amenities will be at your disposal."
Twilight hesitated, her suspicions growing. "Perhaps we'll think about it."
Pinkie Pie, however, was quick to interject, her enthusiasm undeterred. "We're more than happy to be visiting you tomorrow! And also, who doesn’t want to attend a tea party? We don't have anything to do for the weekend, so it would be amazing!"
Twilight shot Pinkie a shocked glance. Human Sunset, on the other hand, responded with grace. "Thank you for graciously accepting my invitation, and I must extend my apologies for not inquiring earlier. Might I be privileged to learn your names?"
Pinkie beamed. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and this is Twilight Sparkle!"
Human Sunset offered a warm yet unsettling smile. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Pie and Miss Sparkle," she expressed as she bowed. "I am looking forward to our meeting tomorrow. Until then, ladies."
As Human Sunset departed with her butler, her smile gradually faded, returning to a colder demeanor, and Twilight Sparkle couldn't shake the shivers that ran down her spine. Twilight knew they were now caught in something much larger and more mysterious than they could have ever anticipated.
Twilight's concern deepened, and she couldn't help but think that she really couldn't trust her vibes. How does Pinkie not notice this? She cast a worried glance at Pinkie, who seemed completely oblivious to the unsettling undercurrent of the situation.
"What?" Pinkie asked, her expression one of pure confusion. "Who doesn't love to see their pony versions?"
In Rainbow Dash's house, Sunset continued her search beneath Rainbow Dash's bed, her sigh echoing the frustration that had built up over hours of searching for the missing geode.
"Still not here..." she muttered, her tone full of disappointment.
Rainbow Dash's frustration was equally evident, and she clenched her fists in annoyance. "Ugh! Darn it! I'm pretty sure it's just around here somewhere! I shouldn't have put it under the lamp!"
Sunset proposed a break, hoping it might clear their heads and rejuvenate their energy for the search. "Maybe we should take a break? To cool our heads off. That way, we can get the energy to find your geode."
With a weary sigh, Rainbow Dash agreed, "You're right. I'm a bit tired too. I'll go get some drinks in the refrigerator and some snacks."
As Rainbow Dash made her way to the door, fate took an unexpected turn. The tranquility of the moment was shattered as Rarity and Applejack burst through the door, causing all three friends to stumble and fall.
"They're missing!" Rarity and Applejack exclaimed in unison, panic etched on their faces.
"Your sanities?" Rainbow Dash quipped, momentarily confused.
Sunset's anxiety spiked. "What's missing?"
"Our geodes! They're gone, missin' too!" Applejack clarified, her voice heavy with concern.
Sunset couldn't believe their misfortune and couldn't fathom the mounting troubles. "Dear sweet Celestia... could this day get even worse?"
Their momentary respite was shattered when they heard Pinkie screaming outside the door. Pinkie and Twilight arrived, both out of breath, and Pinkie seemed to be bursting with excitement.
"SUNSET! SUNSET! SUNSET! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Pinkie exclaimed as she panted, her eyes gleaming with exhilaration.
Twilight, equally breathless, leaned on the doorframe for support. Pinkie, despite her fatigue, wore a gigantic grin as she addressed Sunset.
"Don't tell me that your geodes are missing too?!" Sunset asked in a more anxious tone.
Pinkie, still panting, corrected her, "NO SILLY! I HAVE GOOD NEWS!" She squealed with joy and enthusiasm.
"Did you win the lottery or something?" Rainbow Dash smiled in anticipation and curiosity.
Pinkie built up the suspense, "EVEN BETTER! WE SAW HUMAN SUNSET!"
The room was filled with gasps, smiles, and shock as the gravity of the revelation hit them. Sunset, on the other hand, had a mix of fear and shock on her face as she realized the implications.
"Don't tell me... No... A-Are you sure about this, Twilight? Now is not the perfect time..." Sunset stammered.
Before Twilight could respond, Fluttershy appeared at the door, explaining her presence. "Oh, it looks like I'm not the only one who wants to help Rainbow Dash search for her geode."
Sunset was growing more anxious by the minute. "Wait, wait, wait. Twilight. Pinkie. What do you mean by Human Sunset? You both saw my other counterpart?"
Pinkie eagerly confirmed, "Indeed, di doodo liii! She's like you, but has short hair and goes to Everton University in Manehattan! She actually wants to meet all of us in the Canterlot Palomino hotel tomorrow for a tea party!"
Rarity gasped in sheer astonishment, her sapphire eyes wide with amazement. "A student from the glamorous streets of Manehattan?! And, oh my stars, she's lodged in the Canterlot Palomino hotel? Canterlot's most exquisite 5-star and extravagantly opulent hotel?!And she's hosting a tea party tomorrow?!"
Rainbow Dash was equally incredulous. "Dude!!! Only rich people who can afford such things can enter that place! Don't tell me that Sunset's other counterpart is that rich?"
Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! And she invited us there tomorrow for a tea party!"
The girls gasped once again, their excitement and anticipation growing. Sunset, however, was left speechless and overwhelmed. Three of the geodes were missing, and now her human counterpart had suddenly appeared in their lives. She glanced at Twilight, who shared her concern.
Applejack interjected, bringing them back to the pressing issue. "Y'all girls keep on chatterin'! So what if Sunset's human counterpart is in town? Y'all forgot that me, Rainbow Dash's, and Rarity's geodes are missin'."
"How did you lose your geode, Applejack?" Fluttershy inquired, her face showing worry.
Sunset pressed further, "And yours too, Rarity?"
Applejack explained their predicament. "Same reason as Rainbow Dash's. We lost it while we were catchin' some Z's. It's mighty strange 'cause I always keep my geode in a secure spot in my locked drawer, but when I woke up, that drawer was wide open, and my geode had done up and disappeared. I tried askin' Big Mac and the others about it, but they didn't know a lick about what happened."
Rarity shared her own experience with a gasp of distress. "Oh, darling, I always kept mine in the most secure, exquisitely adorned chest right beside my impeccable bed. But, to my utter dismay, when I awoke, my splendid chest had vanished! And, can you believe it? The bedroom window was wide open, despite the fact that I unfailingly close and lock it every single night!"
The tension in the room tightened, and the girls exchanged concerned glances. Sunset couldn't help but voice her growing unease. "Someone has been stealing the geodes..."
The mystery was deepening, and the arrival of Sunset Shimmer's human counterpart only added to the complexity of the situation.