Twilight jumped back as sparks of lightning shot out at her from a magically worn-out mirror, “Ha! Finally, I got a different reaction!”
She checked the video camera was indeed recording before she quickly moved to her notebook, scratching out the new steps she took and the type of reaction that had enacted from it. After much research online, she found that many gems were used in spiritual ‘magic,’ as those types of people called it. Twilight of course knew gemstones had symbolic meanings but she always overlooked the speculated abilities of the ‘special’ rocks. But when it came to science and research, all possibilities were to be tried. Even the ones that didn't seem plausible. After extensive research, Moldavite had been her target of practice. She had read many reports of it being a good tool to use for portal hopping and she had managed to get her hands on it. Of course, it was all word of mouth, but with the magic the researcher had gathered, she figured with nothing else, it wouldn’t hurt to try. Fortunately for her, it did cause some sort of reaction other than the water warping she kept seeing.
“Hello?” A faint voice called out. Twilight whipped around and gasped at the burry, warping image of a… pony! The only feature she could make out was a purple coat on a lean equine figure, “Oh my Celestia! The portal seems to be repairing!” The voice sounded so far away that it was hard to make out. The pony galloped off with another purple, much smaller figure, following her. The mirror then sparked again, letting out many tiny bolts of lightning, and returned to the reflection it was meant to be.
Twilight stood frozen and baffled for a moment before a large grin stretched across her face and she let out a squeal of excitement. Her puppy Spike suddenly hopped out of his bed and grabbed a toy. His master’s excitement woke him up and reached him, causing him to want to play. He was made to stop shaking and squeaking his toy as his human picked him up and swung him around. When they stopped in the middle of the makeshift lab room Twilight squeezed him to her chest, “We’re getting so close, boy!”
She placed him back down and he barked happily at her. She giggled at his seeming agreement, “Shhh, Spike. I don’t want anyone to hear and find out about you being in the school.”
He stared at her and panted joyfully as his tail wagged. “We are so close to making a huge discovery and gaining the tools to make science in every way reach new heights!” Twilight said, her heart pounding with anticipation and pride. Her phone buzzed and she raced to gather all her belongings, as she knew her father was the one outside waiting. She left the bag open and lowered it to the ground, Spike hopped in without missing a beat and slung the bag back over her shoulders. Her puppy poked his head out as she started to walk out of the closet-turned-science lab, “Just wait until Shimmy hears all about our progress today!”
Spike licked her right cheek before ducking back into the backpack as Twilight locked the door.
The early Saturday afternoon approached quickly and Twilight typed away on her computer (checking that her research data was logged in correctly for the third time) as she waited for her fiery friend to arrive.
Luckily she didn't have to wait long as Spike hopped up at the sound of the front door being knocked on. With, the technology that aided her poor hearing at its charging station, Twilight Sparkle didn't hear her mother's call that Sunset had arrived. She also didn't hear her otherworldly friend’s boots beginning to rise up the stairs until she poked her head in the door.
Sunset knocked on Twilight’s door, only to never receive any answer. She cracked the door open, a little fearful her friend wasn't prepared to be walked in on.
“Sparkes?” Sunset asked, keeping her eyes low. Yet again, she wasn't answered. With her signature eye roll, the redhead lifted her eyes and smirked as she saw Twilight practically kissing her computer screen.
‘That should be me.’ Sunset thought briefly before shaking the idea out of her head, her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
As Twilight still hadn't acknowledged the former unicorn at the door, Sunset slipped inside and closed the door behind her.
The young scientist jumped slightly at the tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw her expected companion smiling at her before she opened her mouth to speak. With years of experience under her belt, Twilight read her lips, “Hey Gadget-girl, forget about me?” Twilight made out.
The lavender-skinned girl hopped up and said, “Just one second!” a little louder than necessary.
Sunset watched as the other girl hurried to the nightstand by her bed to grab up her hearing aids before she adjusted them to her ears. As she did teal eyes couldn't help but scan the human body they found attractive.
Long indigo with magenta streaks flowed down to her mid back as Twilight had opted out of her usual ponytail and instead placed a black headband with white stars on, behind her bangs. She had on black Mary Janes with navy blue knee-high socks that led up to a dark pink plaid dress that had a decorative silver buckle, tightening the dress to her waist. A black collared undershirt with puffy sleeves sat under the dress.
Twilight turned to her with a curious look, “Is everything okay?”
Sunset nodded quickly with a deep blush consuming her face, “Huh? Oh, y-yeah. Why?”
The other girl shrugged as she joined the blushing club, “You were staring-” Twilight grabbed her arm, suddenly feeling shy, “Do I look bad?”
“No!” They stared at each other with wide eyes before Sunset rubbed the back of her neck as she felt awkward and flustered by her outburst.
“Sorry, I- you look great, Sparkes. Really great.”
Pink cheeks turned to crimson on both parties. Twilight smiled, “T-thank you, Caddy helped me choose it. You look good too but you always look good.”
Sunset straightened her signature leather jacket, “Thanks, I know.”
Twilight giggled and playfully scoffed before her face lit up with excitement, “Are you ready to go? I have full confidence we can finish the motorbike today! We only need to connect the largest pieces and finish the wiring!”
Sunset joined the excitement with a large smile of her own, “I sure am! I’m looking most forward to our test drive,” she confirmed as she opened the door for her geekiest friend.
The girls raced down the stairs, and without fail, Twilight tripped and nearly took them both down. They laughed before the smaller girl announced their departure. They went over their blueprints and plans for completing the vehicle in hushed enthusiastic whispers on the bus ride to the junkyard.
Nearly half an hour later, Twilight was polishing the windshield glass as Sunset threw off the cover sheet.
“So, how'd you get your hands on the rest of the parts, like the windshield and the gallon of gasoline?” Twilight questioned.
Sunset maneuvered her way around the bike, double-checking the works and engine before attempting to start the motorbike. They had already made sure everything was working correctly in large dismantled pieces. Unfortunately, that could have been messed up with the bike all put together.
“I have a friend who knows a guy who works at a tow yard. Luckily he was able and willing to lend me the rest of the pieces.” She confirmed as she secured the engine inside the transmission.
“Mhmm,” Twilight hummed in understanding, “I also have a question- or rather, report on the portal.”
Sunset paused before she continued her analysis of the motorcycle midsection of auto components. Her back faced Twilight. The indigo-haired girl waited for a response, wondering what the other side of Sunset was emoting. When she never got anything, verbal or visual, Twilight spoke, “Do crystals or gemstones hold any magical prowess in your world?”
A small sigh barely caught by Twilight’s ears came for Sunset before she answered. The scientist noted that the redhead's back was still turned to her.
“…They do. Gems and crystals, depending on what kind, can amplify spells or aid in giving a specific ability, because of that gems can be weaponized through magic. They're much larger in Equestria compared to this world,” Sunset explained, she finally turned but she didn't look happy, “Why?”
“I used the stone, Moldavite, on the portal.”
Sunset’s frown and brows deepened.
“I saw and heard someone! It was all warped and unclear but still! I even got it on video! We are finally getting some promising results!” Twilight exclaimed.
“We?” Sunset snapped as she picked up the heavy piece of glass before turning her back to her friend.
“I-” Twilight paused, unsure what to say. It hadn't crossed her mind that she excluded Sunset from the research and experiments of making a new portal, but Sunset showed disdain and… fear toward it. Maybe that's because Twilight hadn't been waiting for them to do it together.
“I- I'm sorry. I hadn't meant to exclude you. I just couldn't wait and-”
“It's fine.” Sunset cut off her guilty rambling.
There was silence as Sunset began to attach and fasten the windshield.
“I'm sorry, Sunset,” Twilight said. The sad and guilt-ridden look on the lavender-skinned girl's face made Sunset huff out her frustration.
“It's fine Twilight. I just wish you would at least let me know or consult me before you do stuff like that. Not after.” Sunset said as she messed with the clutch and throttle cable.
“You're right. I didn't want to upset you so… I just went ahead and did it. Which probably wasn't the right way to go about things.” Twilight admitted.
“Yeah, probably,” Sunset said, more bite than she meant.
“Let's just put it behind and make sure this will get up and run.” Sunset offered a smile.
Twilight smiled back as she picked up the gallon of gas and handed it off to Sunset.
“If you don't mind my asking, what do you mean gems can be weaponized?” The young genius asked, her mind too curious to hold off on learning new information.
The former unicorn slumped in defeat but answered nonetheless, “The elements of harmony are my home world's greatest and most powerful weapon. They purify what the holder sees as evil. They are believed to be five gems within rocks that create a magical spark to make the sixth and most powerful one,” Sunset pulled the key Flash’s friend provided her with from her bag before continuing to explain- the wonder and curiosity on Twilight’s face showed she was ready to inquire more information.
“They’ve been lost for a long time but I read they will return when the true beholders find them.” Sunset finished and got the bike ready to be filled with gas.
Twilight pushed her glasses up, suddenly having the ich for her notebook, “What do they look like? What happens if they are brought to this world?”
“Twilight,” Sunset said sternly. Violet-eyes behind thick frames looked up to see the serious look on her friend's face, “Don't do anything crazy because your curiosity gets the best of you. Messing with the elements could be harmful to Equestria. Like I said, they are powerful weapons for powerful magic.”
“I understand. I’m just curious.” Twilight replied.
Sunset tapped her finger on one of the handles of the completed motorcycle before speaking, “I'll admit- at one point before I met you. I planned on stealing the element of harmony. Just one, the most powerful one, the element of magic.”
“Really? Why?” Twilight leaned with anticipation of gaining more knowledge of magic and what it can do. The gears in her brain moved fast as ideas and plans for the portal and benefit of magic for the world.
“When you bring an element of harmony into a world without magic it brings the type of magic it carries. So, if the element of magic itself was brought into this world… magic would reside and possibly grow here.” Sunset explained. She started to hesitate as she suddenly felt like she was talking too much.
“Hmm, how interesting.” The indigo-haired girl noted.
Sunset shrugged as she hoped a nonchalant attitude would deter any of Twilight's interest. The redhead finished filling the tank and her heart pounded with excitement as she clamored onto the motorcycle, “Alright, let's test this baby out.”
Twilight gleamed as she stood back, ready for Sunset to turn the key that would confirm if they were successful in building a vehicle from the ground up. The girls let out shouts of excitement as the motorbike roared to life.
“We did it!” Twilight ran up to the fiery-haired girl and hugged her tight. Sunset hopped off the bike as it continued to rumble and picked up Twilight in a swirling hug. They laughed until Sunset placed her friend back on the ground, “Come on! Let’s take it for a spin.”
Twilight started to join Sunset on the seat but froze mid-way, “Wait. You only have a permit.”
Sunset shrugged, “Eh, what the police don't know won't hurt them, plus we’re just going down the road and back. Now hold on tight.”
“Sunse- Ah!” Twilight shrieked as the bike took off.
Sunset let out her yell but not of fear, “Woohoo!”
Her voice of excitement carried in the wind with her hair as they flew out of the junkyard and down the road. Twilight's head leaned further into her back between her shoulder blades and her arms tightened around Sunset’s middle.
Twilight let out another scream as the bike turned, her heart jumped and froze at the same as she felt she was falling. She had a feeling Sunset got them too close to the road on purpose.
After what felt like hours, which in reality was only three minutes, Twilight shakingly climbed off the bike, “That was terrifying.”
Sunset smiled and rolled her eyes as she placed the sheet cover over the bike, “Please, it was fun and you know it.”
Twilight nodded, “Yes, terrifying yet so invigorating! We’ll have to do it again!”
Sunset used her hands to make a slowdown motion as she laughed, “Okay okay, we will as soon as it’s legal,” she brought her hands to her hips and smiled proudly at the invention, “I’ll come back later with my friend to take her home. I would do it now but being behind bars doesn’t sound fun.”
‘Especially after the other night.’
“Good, I would not be happy about that either,” Twilight said letting out a breath. She grabbed her backpack and checked her phone, “Mom says dinner will be ready in an hour. Shall we head back?”
Sunset grabbed her bag and led Twilight through the gate, “Definitely, I’m starving.”
Twilight Velvet heard the lock of her front door turn as she turned down the stove to the lowest setting. The sound of sizzling freshly cooked chicken with melted cheese on top simmered down. A separate much smaller dish of cheesy vegan pasta also sat finishing inside the oven. That dish was for her daughter's best friend, despite Sunset being adamant about bringing food for herself to ‘not trouble’ her friend's mother, Velvet was also adamant about including meals for the loner. She enjoyed cooking anyway but the mother hated that Sunset thought she was a bother simply because someone else was making her food to come home to.
“Mom! Sunset and I are home!” Her daughter's voice rang out. As the girls entered the kitchen Sunset smiled and greeted Velvet.
“Hello, Miss Velvet. Thanks for letting me join you guys for dinner.” Sunset said, her polite attitude making Velvet feel as if she were some regal official.
“There's no need to thank me, dear. I'm more than happy to have you here,” Velvet said with a kind warmth only a mother could have, “Nonetheless I appreciate your gratitude.”
The girl's arrival must have been what dragged the rest of the household out as soon, Cadence, Shining Armour, and Nightlight all gathered in the food-scented kitchen.
“Food!” Shining shouted like an excited child on Christmas morning.
“Agreed,” Sunset laughed.
The family soon got into the motion of piling food onto their plates and gathering beverages before they moved to the dinner table.
They started with a casual conversation. They were asking and telling each other about their Saturdays. Twilight and Sunset explained how they had successfully built their own vehicle. Shining Armour and Velvet showed nervous concern over the fact, and the additional information of the vehicle being a motorcycle didn't help. Sunset was able to decrease their anxiety with the compromise that Twilight would only ride the bike a) when a professional examined and confirmed it was safe and b) when the older teenager officially had her license. It was an agreement that neither girl fought on.
Afterward, the conversation flipped to gossip that Shining Armour had.
“I was gaming with my buddy who is a cop and he's got an interesting case that showed up a few days ago,” he grinned ear to ear as he recited what his friend had said, “He said there's a new street artist and she successfully outran him and his backup.”
Sunset choked on her drink and her eyes bulged. The table looked at her as she coughed, a hand placed itself on her back and rubbed up and down, “Are you okay?” Twilight asked.
Sunset nodded sheepishly, “Y-yeah, sorry. I don't know why-”
Cadence refilled her water and offered it to her, “It's okay. Drink some, it'll help.”
Sunset nodded and did as told. Shining went on to say they had no information on her as it was too dark outside for her appearance to be seen and the art was signed under a name that didn't exist.
As they finished up, Sunset helped pick up the dishes and deliver them to the sink. Before she could help with cleaning them, Twilight grabbed her hand and started to drag her up to the room.
“Sparkes, wait-” Sunset tried but Cadence and Velvet giggled at them as Shining and Night prepared to clean.
When they made it up the stairs, with Spike at their heels, Twilight closed her bedroom door, “Come on I need to show you the video research!”
“Oh, right,” Sunset said dryly.
Twilight whipped around, “Are you not interested?”
Sunset ignored the snip to her voice and sighed as she sat on the bed, “No, Twilight, go ahead.”
The experimenter hesitated but eventually moved to her computer. She grabbed a purple flash drive and inserted it into the USB port.
The documentary video went into full screen as Twilight clicked on it. Sunset stared dumbfounded as she watched a past Twilight in her school uniform explain the research and the new strategy for this experiment. She saw the makeshift mirror portal begin to warp until a purple blob spoke in bewilderment until it ran off.
Sunset stood out of her spot and darted over to the screen before tapping the rewind button. She nearly couldn't believe her eyes. Sunset knew Twilight was smart, almost too smart- no, definitely too smart as proven. Witnessing Twilight getting closer and closer to breaking the code of making a multidimensional portal… it strikes a spear of fear into the equestrian-born girl that she couldn't explain.
As her heart started to race, the memory of finding the magical journal that was now sitting in her faux leather bag downstairs invaded her mind. She hadn't seen what had been newly written in it. Maybe it was a warning as the Princesses noticed the portal was being repaired. Sunset hoped… it could be used to get Twilight to back off.
“Isn't it amazing!” Twilight said excitedly.
Sunset didn't answer, her thoughts running rampant to agree.
“What's wrong?… Do.. You know something?” Twilight asked slowly. Sunset teal eyes full of fear glanced at Twilight. Violet-colored eyes stared back. Sunset had seen that look before. Once again Twilight somehow that Sunset knew more than she did. That's the whole reason Twilight had crawled her way under the former unicorn’s walls in the first place.
“Twilight, I-” Sunset tapped her short nails on the desk, “I found something that I had forgotten about.”
Twilight smiled wide, “What is it?”
Sunset held up a finger and left the room. When she came back she placed her bag on the ground and reached in, “This is a journal.”
Twilight indeed was looking at a journal bound together with a brown leather cover that had a sun logo in the center, “…okay” she dragged out, confused about what this had to do with anything.
“It's not a normal journal,” Sunset started. Twilight picked up that she was hesitant and anxious about what she was about to reveal.
“It holds communication magic. Anything that is written in it, the pony who has the other journal linked to this will see it and be able to respond.” Sunset started at it and held her hand to the cover with a longing.
“I found out a few days ago that it still works-”
“Multidimensionally?!” Twilight asked, becoming giddy.
“…yes…” Sunset confirmed quietly and with cunctation.
“That's amazing! We can find a way to drain that magic out and use it for the portal, that could be our final piece!” Twilight theorized.
Sunset's demeanor changed as she brought the journal to her chest defensively, “No. That's not what I was suggesting. I think the recent message I got is a warning for us to stop.”
Twilight also grew defensive, “Stop? We are too far in to stop.” she pointed at the journal, “That holds the magic you were saying last week that we need. It travels dimensionally!”
Sunset shook her head, a weird feeling of fear that she hadn't felt since she was a bullied filly was starting to take over her body, “N-no. We are not risking losing my journal and I-… I don't think we should be doing this anymore.”
“Why?!” Twilight asked, raising her voice in frustration.
Sunset couldn't help her flinch, “B-because we're messing with something we shouldn't be. It's jeopardizing Equestria and this world.”
“I can understand your concern for your home world but we are not putting our world in danger. If anything we are making it better by producing a way to utilize useful magic in the modern world. To further advance science to help humanity prosper!” Twilight declared.
“Just think. If I do this, I'll be set for the rest of my life. Nobody will ever doubt me or underestimate me again. I will prove that I'm worth my intelligence!” Twilight said, her voice rising again.
“That's what this is about?” Sunset asked, fed up, “I knew I should have done something about those damn bullies. They got to you.”
Twilight swallowed the anger tears welling up, “That's not true. I couldn't care less about them and what they've said and done,” she pointed an accusatory finger at the redhead, “You're letting your trust issues get in the way of my research.”
“T-that's not true.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, “Yes it is. You've been bullying others for a year because you didn't trust anyone to be nice to you!”
‘Actually, it was longer than that.’ the unicorn-turned-teenager thought bitterly.
“I'm not going to let you get in the way of my progress and opportunity to do something monumental.” Twilight snapped.
Sunset hadn't felt a pure pained heartbreak like this ever. It was almost a literal physical pain that caused her heart to constrict in her chest and clouds of sorrow filled her throat, blocking off her airways. She's had this similar feeling of betrayal but those times didn't stab her soul in a way that made her want to keel over. In Sunset's eyes, it was now clear that she had become a tool for Twilight. Or maybe she had always been.
“When did this become all about you? Your progress? Your research? This was supposed to be a joint effort and you completely left me out!” Sunset threw the journal on the bed and pointed to it with hot tears running down her face, “Is this what you've wanted from me the whole time?!”
Twilight crossed her arms over her chest, “Sunset Shimmer you have known from the start that I have been investigating magic. I didn't know what it was back then but the goal for many months now has been to study and apply the energy to advance everyday life. YOU were the one who agreed to help me remake the portal, Don't pretend you haven't known my intentions.”
“I agreed to help to learn how the portal was made in the first place. You haven't let me do this this whole time you have just been using me for information. Was that your intention this whole time? Just prying magic information out of me to ‘advance’ the human race.” Sunset argued.
When Twilight didn't respond and stayed in a guarded position Sunset’s head throbbed.
“I was so stupid.” Twilight heard the redhead mutter, “I should have known. Nopony- nobody has ever wanted to be my friend without some backward intention. I should have never trusted that you were the different one.”
“You believe whatever you need to, Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight said before turning to her computer and pulling up the notes sheet.
In the emotional haze Sunset found herself in she hastily grabbed her backpack and ran out of the room.
Twilight Velvet stood at the bottom of the stairs, the book she had been reading was closed in her hands. The sound of shouting coming from her daughter's room had her worried. As she was about to start heading up the stairs to check on the girls when the door was suddenly thrown open. The fiery-haired girl darted out and down the stairs passing the woman, seemingly never noticing she was there as Sunset burst out the front door. It slammed behind her. Velvet’s head whipped to see Spike whining at the door entrance of his owner's room.
Sunset tripped on the uneven sidewalk. Her eyes were burning and overflowing with salty tears that caused her vision to be impaired. Her head was throbbing, she could practically feel her brain pulsating.
No matter what she did or how hard she tried she couldn't get a complete breath. The teenager's lungs would only take in short breaths of air and her air pipe felt like a hand had a strong grip on it.
Her face was red and her eyes were bloodshot as they felt like thousands of wasps were attacking them. She let out a short cry as her trouble breathing and pounding headache made her heart thrash against her chest. Sunset continued down the street and simply let her feet carry her home as her body was too focused on its panic.
‘I should have known nobody- thing! Would ever want anything to do with me ever.’
At that moment, when Sunset thought of herself, she hated it. She hated herself. She hated everything about her. Nobody would ever actually like her, which was fine because she didn't like herself either. Whatever she did in a past life that cursed her with nothing but negativity in this life made her wish she had never been brought into existence.
Her parents regretted her. Princess Celestia regretted dealing with her. Everypony turned on her.
‘Why did I have to turn out like this?! An unlovable loser that is nothing but a huge failure and mistake.’
Sunset finally reached her door with swollen, puffy eyes, a wet nose, and a migraine with left her light-headed and swaying. She fumbled with the lock on her door for longer than should have been. When she finally got inside her home Sunset fell to the couch and curled in on herself, continuing her cries.
Moments later a new weight was added to the sofa with a meow. Sunset didn't acknowledge the cat and sobbed silently to herself. Magma squeezed himself into his mother’s arms, feeling her misery. His sandpaper tongue swiped his cheek taking a tear with it. Despite how much it hurt, Sunset opened her eyes, and her head screamed at the action. Even with the lights still off, the room was too bright.
“M-magma,” she said in a watery whisper before pulling him in closer, “Thank you for caring about me… you are the only one to ever do so.”