Sunset Shimmer's return to consciousness was a slow process. The shock of what had just occurred had blacked out her mind completely, leaving everything in an empty, dark void. The first sense to come back was her hearing, which consisted of the gentle roaring of a car engine and two indistinguishable voices talking about something in front of her. Next came her sense of touch, telling her that she was currently on something leathery and smooth. Sight struggled to return, but the sudden introduction of light as she opened her eyes stung like she had just placed her head in a beehive.
But none of that compared to the smell. As her ability to distinguish scents returned, she began to pick up the aroma of fine perfume and numerous cosmetics mixed with cheap pine air freshener. The fragrances seemed to dance about in her nostrils before punching through to her brain, finally causing her to snap back into the waking world with a loud gasp for air and mumbled cry of pain from her aching head. The sudden outburst attracted the attention of the two others, who quickly spun around and sighed in relief at their friend's return to the realm of the living.
It took Sunset another moment to fully realize where she was, if only because her vision was still incredibly blurry. She was sitting in the back seat of Rarity's car, a position she had often taken during the group's occasional trips to neighboring towns and places of interest. She looked out the nearby window, and despite having to squint her eyes against the glare of the setting sun, she could make out the familiar streets she crossed on her own way to school. She could make out Twilight Sparkle staring back at her from the front seat, and could also see Rarity staring ahead and focusing on traffic.
The only issue was that everything was now far, far taller than it should have been. She could barely even make out Twilight's head thanks to the massive size of the seat in front of her. She was still in her oversized clothes, including her lab coat, and was rather tightly pinned down by the shoulder strap of her seat belt.
“...unset? Sunset?”
Sunset gave her head a good shake, finally pushing out enough of the mental cobwebs that she was able to make out that Twilight was talking to her. “Sunset, are you alright?”
“I-I'm fine,” mumbled the former teenager. She pulled one of her arms out of the coat and stared at her stubby little fingers. “I mean, as much as I could be right now.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Twilight said, which also allowed her to let out an obviously exasperated breath she had been holding in. With a great deal of effort, she managed to force her lips into a smile. “You were out for almost an hour. We were lucky nobody saw us while we got you out of there.”
“Yeah...good thing,” Sunset muttered, now pulling at her fingers.
“Well, now that you're up, we really need to go over what we do next,” said Rarity. Her eyes were still firmly fixed on the road, her hands at ten o'clock and two o'clock, and her cell phone was still tucked away in her pocket – truly, she was putting that Driver's Education class to good use. “Because quite frankly, having a partially-undressed child in my backseat is making me incredibly nervous. Not to mention that she used to be significantly older.”
Sunset finally put her hand down and leaned back against her seat. Her mind was still shaking, but her senses had calmed down enough for her to start thinking rationally. She looked out the window at this unfamiliar part of the city. “Starting off, where are we?”
“We were on the way to Twilight's home,” said Rarity. “I had offered to give her a ride, after all. But then she...well...she...” The “proper lady” centers of Rarity's brain quickly kicked into gear and forced her to bite her lip, lest she say something undignified about her new friend.
Thankfully, Twilight was there to intercept Sunset's curiosity. “Let's start from the top, okay? What happened back at Canterlot High?”
Sunset sighed as she struggled to put the pieces back together. “I was looking over our data. I just wanted to see if there was some obvious lead there, but everything was the same as before. And then the machine started overheating and shaking.”
A small hiccup left Sunset Shimmer's lips before she could continue. A slight burning sensation was beginning to spread from behind her eyes. “I tried to shut it off, but nothing was working. And when I tried to run, I got tangled up in some cables, and...and then it started melting and...”
“Here.”
The sudden interruption broke Sunset from her trance. Twilight was facing her once again, holding a small plastic package of tissues in her hand. She slowly took then, ripped the wrapping off, and began wiping her eyes clear of tears. Thankfully, whatever momentary weakness she had experienced had passed; it was humiliating enough looking this way without having a meltdown. Unfortunately, such concerns were easy to pick up, even for eggheads still new to the idea of friendship. “Look, it's okay to be scared. That must have been a terrifying experience. But...I just don't get how it happened.”
“You mean the whole 'explosion' thing?” Rarity said as they turned into a nearby parking lot. “I'm probably the least...qualified person in this car to comment on such things, but...perhaps it had the same problem your last attempt to drain our magic did?”
“That's impossible!” Twilight snapped, taking both Rarity and Sunset aback. “Everything we did was designed to avoid that outcome. Larger containment area, significantly smaller sample, everything! We didn't even touch...whatever powers that statue! We must have done everything, right! How did...?”
Rarity pulled into a spot and put the car in park. She placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder, which seemed to calm the panicking scientist-in-training down enough for a bit of rational thought to return. “Nobody is blaming you, Twilight. I was just making an observation. The important thing is that we figure out what we're going to do next?”
Sunset scoffed and folded her arms across her chest, which looked rather unimpressive considering one of those arms was still covered by a floppy coat sleeve. 'Isn't it obvious? We regroup. We look back over what we have, we figure out what happened, and we get me back to the right age.”
“That's...kind of what we were planning on,” said Twilight.
“But in the meantime, there is the...clothing situation to deal with,” Rarity said, her face contorting into an expression similar to someone who had just realized they had swallowed an ipecac. Not that Sunset Shimmer particularly cared, what with all her own blushing and bunching up in her oversized garments in embarrassment. “Which brings us to this...contemptible institution of exploitation and deceit!”
Sunset looked out the window, but from her position, all she could make out were more cars and, through tinted glass, a bit of a big white building. “I...don't get it.”
Twilight sighed and adjusted her glasses. “It's just a Rich's Barnyard Bargains.”
Sunset rolled her eyes as everything clicked into place. She had been to several of the many Rich's Barnyard Bargains that dotted this twisted version of Canterlot, and she had observed the same theme in all of them. They were cheap, they were often of lower quality, and most importantly, they were often the only stores her broke self could afford to shop in. If they had to buy clothing in a hurry, it was the obvious choice.
Rarity's left hand tightened its grip on the steering wheel as her right turned the car off and removed her keys. “Now, are you absolutely positive this is the only choice?” she whined. “Do you know how hideous the fashions are here?”
“They're not hideous,” Twilight muttered. “My family shops here all the time. I mean, it's not that far from the house or anything.”
“B-But...they're...vile,” Rarity moaned. “Are you certain I can't just take her to the boutique? Or any of the other local clothiers? I'm certain we could-”
Twilight's eyes narrowed. “You do know I'm paying for this, right?” She reached into her backpack, pulled out a wallet, and removed a few bills. “I'm not exactly burdened with cash, so we take what we can get. We just need a full change of clothing for one night.”
Rarity looked at the money, then back at Sunset, then at Twilight, and finally back to the money. With a labored noise that sounded like something between a sigh, a whine, and a squeal, she took the lucre and unbuckled her seat belt. “Very well,” she said as she opened the car door. “I shall return momentarily, my dears. Please try to keep anyone from looking in the back seat while I'm gone.” She then closed the car door and walked briskly towards the building.
“And nothing that makes me look like a kid, okay?!” Sunset shouted after her, although it was very likely Rarity could not hear her.
As soon as she was certain she was out of earshot, Twilight lifted her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Is she always like this?”
“She has some strong opinions when it comes to fashion,” said Sunset. “But more importantly...what are we going to do after this?”
Twilight returned her glasses to her face, fidgeting with them until they were resting perfectly on her nose and eyes. “The first thing we need to do is identify exactly what happened. We know the machine was holding a significant amount of magic, and we know it exploded. Could it have had a similar effect to what happened to me at the Friendship Games?”
Sunset waited to see if any reassurance was needed, but this time, Twilight seemed a bit more resolute than she usually was when the topic drifted back to the Games. Perhaps the problem at hand was overriding her guilt, even if only momentarily. “It's certainly possible, but the changes are completely different. I didn't grow wings or become more powerful, for one thing.”
“Is there any record of something like this happening on Equestria?”
“Not that I've ever se-”
Sunset's face fell. “Wait...there is something. This...might be difficult to explain, but I might know what type of magic this was.”
“If it helps us get closer to the truth, then please, tell me,” Twilight said. Her voice betrayed the pleading for more understanding of magic in the back of her mind.
“There are a lot of different spells in Equestria, but the only one I've ever heard of that can do this is an Age Spell.” Sunset leaned back in her seat once again, her eyes closing as her mind strained itself. “With those spells, a unicorn could change a pony's physical age, either accelerating it or regressing them. I don't know how or why, but it's possible that instead of just another mass of magic exploding in my face, we...ended up creating an Age Spell.”
Twilight was silent for a good long moment. Her brain danced with the possibilities this theory brought forth, bringing a slightly reassured smile to her lips. “So...we can create spells in this world?”
Sunset smiled and shook her head, eyes still closed and head still reclined. “If you mean we've proven our theory right, I don't think so. I certainly didn't want to get turned into...this.” She positioned herself back into a neutral seated position. “Back in Equestria, magic only happens when you decide to do it, and it makes something specific that you choose to happen happen. I didn't want to turn into a child. I didn't even think about any spells that could turn me into one. And even if I did, Age Spells are among the hardest types of magic to actually use. I don't think even I could pull one off.”
Twilight's face fell. “Oh,” she said dejectedly.
“B-But that doesn't mean we're completely stuck,” Sunset quickly stated, if only to bring her friend's feelings out of the dumps. “I mean, we were already working together on this project. What we're dealing with is just another mystery to be explored.”
As minor as the statement was, Twilight's feelings began to rise a little. “Thanks,” she said. She then turned around to face Sunset. “But we still can't leave you unobserved. We have no idea what we're dealing with, and besides, I'd much rather not leave a kid running around without supervision.”
Sunset's eyes narrowed. “I'm not a kid, remember?”
Twilight, however, was not really paying attention by this point. “I know! How about you spend tonight at my house? Nearly all of my equipment's there anyway, so we would be able to get a good start in the morning. Plus, I could be there in case anything else happens, or you turn back to normal on your own, or, I dunno, you explode.”
Sunset felt her body tense up. “First, I am not going to explode...I hope. Second, how are we even going to explain this? You were so scared of your parents just for being late to a bus.”
Now it was Twilight's turn to tense up. “I-I know. But...if we can give them a convincing cover story, then perhaps they'll accept this as something it isn't and we can...proceed with the experiment in secret.”
“In other words, we lie.”
Twilight rolled her eyes away and bit her lip. “Yeah...that.”
Sunset sighed. “I see. Well, I do have some experience with manipulating people, so I think I can help on that front.”
And so they came up with the perfect deception. It was a lie so ironclad, so perfect, and so wonderful in its intricacies that mortal minds could not comprehend its majesty. While the majority of it was the product of Sunset Shimmer's experienced mind, Twilight Sparkle freely added her own little touches, using her knowledge of her family to shape their explanation into an armor so strong that no inquisition could hope to break it down. The cleverness of the deception was so enthralling that the duo barely noticed Rarity returning to the car until she threw open the passenger's side rear door and set a plastic bag next to Sunset.
“I made it,” she said, her tone not far off from a soldier returning from a bloody and costly battle. Her frazzled hair and the sneer in her nose only added to the idea. “They tried to trap me by only opening one of the thirty registers, but I made it.” She turned to Twilight, who was still watching from the front seat. “Now, if you wouldn't mind joining me out here, we can give Sunset some privacy.”
Twilight nodded, unbuckled her seat belt, and exited the vehicle. Rarity flashed a smile at Sunset and closed the door. Once she could see that Rarity had circled around to where Twilight was standing, and that both weren't looking, she looked in the bag...and her smile immediately evaporated.
Rarity hadn't heard her.
After a few minutes of rustling and the car occasionally shaking, punctuated by a couple of words that would earn an actual child's mouth some quality time with a bar of soap, Sunset Shimmer slowly exited the car, doing her best not to look at either of her friends. For all of her complaining, Rarity had at least found something workable in the store. Sunset had changed from her more grown-up clothing into a pair of faded blue jeans, off-white tennis shoes, and a pink shirt with a yellow, smiling cartoon sun in the middle. She let out a low moan and leaned against the open car door, doing her best not to appear as weak as she felt. “How do I look?”
“Well, considering where your clothes came from, I suppose you look quite smashing.” Rarity smiled. “Then again, I was the one that picked them out for you. I suppose my eye for fashion works at any price point.”
Sunset sighed. “...I look like a little kid, don't I?”
“Well...that's kind of hard to avoid right now,” Twilight said nervously. “I-I mean, it's not like this is permanent or anything. We just need something to...tide us over until we get you back to normal.” She shifted her eyes away from her miniaturized friend. “W-We are getting you back to normal, right?”
Sunset's free right hand slowly tightened into a fist. She still refused to lift her gaze from the parking lot pavement, but she didn't have to. “Of course we're going to get me back to normal. There is no way I am going to-”
That was when she let go of the car door.
Almost immediately, Sunset's legs began to quiver as she tried to orient herself. Her vision seemed to shake as she found herself leaning backwards and forwards at near-random, as if she was a float balloon that had broken free of its cabling. Finally, her right foot scooted against and slid off the ground, sending her tumbling onto the asphalt. Her hands shot out to break the fall, but as they did so they curled themselves into clenched fists and slammed to the ground knuckle-first, eliciting a cry of pain.
Both Rarity and Twilight were on Sunset in a second, dusting her off and pulling her back up while questioning her about her well-being with the usual platitudes. By this point, though, the girl was having none of it. “I'm fine!” she snapped. “I just lost my-”
She broke free of her friends' grasp, only to immediately find herself wobbling once again. With a small shout of alarm, Sunset left leg finally gave out and tucked itself into her right, sending her falling backwards onto her rear. And yet again her friends were at her side, albeit this time settling for just kneeling next to her and checking for any bruising or the like on her face.
“Whatever is the matter, dear?” asked Rarity. “You don't seem to be...young enough to have trouble walking.”
“Your legs didn't get injured in the explosion, did they?” Twilight's breathing became just the teensiest bit more labored as she spoke. “I mean, we didn't really have time to give you a full physical. Maybe there's some nerve damage, or your bones didn't regress at the same rate, or...”
“My legs are fine, Twilight,” said Sunset. She winced as she rubbed the injured parts of her body. “And I have no idea what's going on. I haven't felt like this since...”
Her eyes widened with terror – not the kind brought on by the maelstrom of conflicting emotions and impulses in her mind, but rather what could only come from rational thought and analysis. “I haven't felt like this...since I first stepped through the portal.”
“Beg pardon?” asked Rarity.
Sunset let out a noise that was something like a cross between a sigh and a gasp. Slowly, she pulled herself back to her feet and lunged back at the car, leaning herself against it for support. “When I first came to this world, I had no idea how this body worked. I didn't know how to walk on two legs, use fingers, open doors, anything. I-It wasn't enough to just learn it, either. My brain kept telling me that I was supposed to do things like a pony would. It wasn't until the end of my first year here that I finally had everything under control.”
Terrible realization washed over Twilight as she took in Sunset's words. “You're talking about instinct and reflexes, aren't you?”
Sunset nodded. The explanation had apparently given her a boost of confidence as well, and she finally pulled herself away from the car. Her legs still felt alien and weird, but her mind had adjusted to the new center of gravity enough for her to stand and take a few uncertain steps. “Exactly. But why is it a problem now? I still kn-” She nearly tripped over her own toes, but managed to regain her balance at the last minute. “I still know everything I need to do, but there's...something...”
Sunset froze as she felt another headache coming on. Rarity mostly nodded along, having witnessed the same behavior with Princess Twilight during her occasional visits to their world. This world's Twilight, on the other hand, was mostly observing in silence, trying to figure out the right words to define all this. Thankfully, Sunset managed to do that for her, to an extent. “When my body was made younger, I think my brain was affected, too. I can still remember everything that's happened to me, but...it feels like everything else is...I...”
She fell to her knees, not because she lost her balance, but because she was slowly losing her mind. “I'm not a child...I'm a filly!”
Once again, both Rarity and Twilight were at her side in less than a second, doing their best to provide what little comfort they could. Sunset, meanwhile, just did her best to calm herself back down, taking in deep breaths and trying to fight against the urge to get on all fours and gallop about. “I-It's not all bad,” said Twilight. “You conquered these reflexes before, and you can do it again!”
“And you are a fairly adorable child,” said Rarity. “If you wanted to, the shop's having a photo shoot in a couple of days, and you would look wonderful...”
“Just...please, let's get going,” Sunset muttered as she climbed back to her feet. She looked much stronger now, even if she had to stop every once in a while when her legs seized up. “I don't want to stay like this any longer than necessary. And...”
That was when all three heard a loud growl. Its origin was quickly pinpointed to the deepest depths of Sunset's little stomach. She giggled nervously as she placed a hand over her loudmouthed midsection. “I...um, skipped lunch.” She slowly pulled the car door open, doing her best not to notice her greatly reduced strength. “C-Could we go now?”
Twilight's house was a fairly compact, two-story affair, not too far from the bustling of Canterlot's midtown. The wooden exterior was painted a bright white, making it almost indistinguishable from the similarly-painted homes that surrounded it, save perhaps for the rose bushes that surrounded the front porch steps and the planters boxes full of lively, seasonal flowers. A small garage sat on the side, with a short driveway going off from the road leading to the currently-closed door.
All in all, it was a surprisingly mundane affair, considering the person who called it home.
Rarity's car pulled up alongside the curb, and Twilight and Sunset exited. The passenger side window rolled down, revealing the concerned driver. “Now, are you certain you don't need anything else, darling?”
Twilight shook her head. “No, you've done enough. Thank you so much for everything you've done.”
“Think nothing of it,” said Rarity. “I'm always happy to help friends in trouble. Just...let me know what develops, okay? And Sunset?” Sunset Shimmer walked around Twilight, if only to get far enough back that she was in plain view of Rarity. The fashionista gave her a warm smile. “Good luck.”
Sunset nodded. “Thank you.”
The window rolled back up, and the vehicle departed for parts unknown. Or rather, Rarity's house, but it might as well have been unknown for one member of the party. The two exchanged brief, worried glances before turning towards the house itself. Twilight took the lead as they approached the door, although there was hardly a choice; Sunset's little legs struggled to keep up with the teen's long strides. This wasn't made any easier by the inherent awkwardness of this form, forcing her to fight the urge to just get on all fours and gallop. Nevertheless, she preserved and continued onward. She would not let such a stupid little thing defeat her.
And then she stopped by the rose bushes. Her stomach began to growl as the scent reminded her of the old days, back when she would purchase rose petals as snacks for when she was studying. And she was feeling quite hungry...
Just push it out, Sunset. You're a human teenager. You're a human teenager. Just don't look at the rose bushes, and you'll be fine.
She looked at the rose bushes.
Okay, so you're looking at the rose bushes. Admire them like humans do. Do not pick up any petals, and you can get through this.
She reached out and picked off one of the petals.
Listen, Sunset. Roses are not a snack in this world. Do not-
“I better go in first,” said Twilight. “I'm sure...”
She stopped and spun around as Sunset suddenly spat and gagged. At the girl's feet was a rose petal with a chunk taken out, and the missing piece appeared to be stuck to Sunset's lower lip. Twilight narrowed her eyes as Sunset cast hers back and forth in desperation. “Uh...the wind blew it in my mouth.”
“Uh huh.” Twilight sighed and adjusted her glasses. “As I was saying, I'll go in first. You...may want to keep away from the door for just a moment.”
Alas, Twilight's advice fell on deaf ears. Sunset flicked the remains of the petal from her mouth and walked up next to her nerdy companion, just as she was opening the door. “If this is about your parents, we're fine. Just stick to the story, and everything will be fine.”
“Yes...Yes...Just stick to the story, and everything will be fine,” Twilight muttered.
The door squeaked open, revealing a modest entryway leading into a decently-sized living room. Black-and-white tiles covered the floor in a small rectangle right at the house's entrance, before breaking away to a dark brown carpet. The living room itself had two large, leather recliners, an olive-green couch that stretched across the wall underneath the window, a simple coffee table, and one of those artificial fireplaces Sunset had heard about in magazines. An ancient wooden clock loudly ticked and tocked away above the fireplace, and nearly all of the other spots were taken up by scenic paintings, family pictures, and awards of some kind. As the two stepped inside, Sunset noticed a large television set her view had previously hidden, tucked away in the far right corner next to the couch. To their left was a wall with a closed door not far from the front, and straight ahead, she could make out what looked like a kitchen and dining area on the other side of the living room wall, as well as a glass door leading out into a back yard.
There were already two others present in the room. The first was a lightly gray-skinned woman, looking to be about in her mid-forties, with white-and-purple hair streaked in a manner similar to Twilight's and wearing a simple black shirt and dark gray sweat pants. The second was a blue-skinned man that appeared to be a few years older, with slightly graying blue hair and a simple sweater/dockers combo going on. Both of them were seemingly quite engrossed in the books they were reading and did not even raise their heads or say a word as Sunset closed the door behind them.
Twilight cast her eyes left and right. The staircase was on the far side of the room, across from the kitchen. All they had to do was step quietly, avoid eye contact, and they wouldn't have to...
“How was your day, Twilight?” asked the man, not even looking up from his book.
Shoot, Twilight shouted internally. She switched to nervously scratching the back of her head and chuckling. “Um...hello, dad. Hello, mom. Things went...okay?”
“Your experiment go okay?” asked the woman, again not directly looking at her audience.
“Well...not really, but I do have someone I want you to meet.”
This deflection was finally enough to get their full attention. The parents looked up from their reading material to find their teenaged daughter standing next to a small child, both of which were rather nervously twiddling their fingers and obviously wanting to escape being the center of attention. Of course, such a thing was not to happen. “Twilight, who is that?” asked the mother.
Twilight looked about nervously, tiny beads of sweat running down her brow as she did so. She could feel her muscles tightening as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Still, it took only a look at her friend, silently pleading with her to give them the story they had crafted, to give her the strength to go on. She opened her mouth...
“This is my friend Sunset Shimmer who is actually just a little bit older than me at least she usually is and is actually a pony that was turned into a human and got turned into a child when my experiment kind of blew up and I'll probably be in a lot of trouble but I need to keep an eye on her until we find a way to change her back!”
There would have been more, but Twilight's brain had finally caught up to what her tongue was doing and ordered her hands to clap themselves around her mouth. The jaws of the other three in attendance dropped, especially Sunset. The little girl struggled to say something – anything – to try and get the deception back on track, but the stares of the two adults caused the linguistic centers of her brain to implode, reducing her to stammering while searching desperately for an escape. Twilight's parents rose from their seats...
And her mom was instantly upon Sunset Shimmer, sweeping the girl into her arms and lifting her off the ground. “Oh, she is just adorable!”
“W-WHAT?!” Sunset screamed. “Put me down this-”
Her pleas for mercy only encouraged the mother to pull her in tighter. Sunset wheezed and squeaked as her spine was twisted in unnatural angles, and she found herself wishing for the sweet embrace of death. The onslaught only ceased when the father, who was now sporting a very goofy grin, clasped a hand on her shoulder and nodded. The bear hug released immediately, sending Sunset plummeting onto her hindquarters. The moment she struck sweet, glorious carpet, she scooted behind Twilight, desperate for any sort of shield from any further attacks.
Twilight, meanwhile, just shook her head, her lips curled downward in something between a sneer and shock. “B-But...I just told you I turned my friend into a child! Why aren't you freaking out about this?”
“Oh, honey, we are freaking out,” the father said, his voice somewhere between neutral and euphoric. “We're freaking out because after all these years, you actually have a friend.”
Twilight felt something give way in her upper arms, causing her limbs to fall slack. “Wh-What?”
Twilight's mom bent down until her knees were almost touching the floor, her eyes locked on Sunset. The teenager that had once ruled a school, stared down mind-controlling monsters, and saved reality from crashing into itself, was still hiding behind her now-bigger friend. “I'm sorry if I startled you, dear. It's just that we've been pushing Twilight to make some friends for years, especially after we moved to Canterlot. And now she has some!”
The father leaned to the right, his eyes also fixated on Sunset. “I apologize about my wife. She can be a little excitable when it comes to our children and their social lives. My name is Night Light, and this is Twilight Velvet.” Velvet waved a hand at Sunset, who nervously returned the gesture. As she did so, the rumbling in her tummy returned, once again reminding her and her teenage human shield of the more immediate of her plights.
“Sounds like you haven't had dinner yet,” said Velvet. “The rest of us have already eaten. Oh, you just missed Shining Armor. He had to leave early for his night class.”
“Oh, I see,” Twilight said while chuckling. “I...guess we'll explain this to him later...maybe...” If I'm lucky, no.
“We saved you a plate,” said Night Light. He looked down at Sunset Shimmer. “Are pork chops okay with you?”
Sunset blushed and looked away. “Um...I'm actually a vegetarian.”
“Oh, that's no problem!” Velvet said as she started towards the kitchen. “You can wash up in the kitchen sink here. It'll just be a couple of minutes to heat everything up!”
As Velvet disappeared behind the wall, Sunset Shimmer look up expectantly at Twilight. Her friend nodded back approvingly, and the mare-turned-teenager-turned-filly-turned-child walked around her friend's legs and into the kitchen area, leaving only Twilight and Night Light in the living room. “So...she's a pony?” said Night Light.
Twilight gulped and nodded. “Y-Yeah.”
Night Light nodded back. “Well, just let us know next time you bring a friend over, okay? We'd like a little time to get ready. We still have to clean out the guest room.”
“I...guess she can sleep in my room tonight,” said Twilight. “I still have that old sleeping bag in my closet.”
Night Light smiled and patted his daughter on the shoulder. “Glad to hear that, princess. Now go wash up before your mother throws a fit.” He chuckled as he stepped into the kitchen/dining room. “Oh, my little angel just brought a friend over for dinner! I can't wait...”
Twilight, meanwhile, just felt like burying herself in the back yard.
Twilight Sparkle was a proper child raised in a proper household. Her parents had silently insisted on keeping up good table manners, even when there were no guests present. After all, she wanted to become a scientist, and she may one day be dining with the head of some institute or state – would they give a research grant to somebody who let their utensils touch the table? Maybe things would be a bit looser around her friends, but in the formal environment of her home, politeness was an absolute. She had to show her parents that they had raised their daughter well. That meant cutting a small piece of pork chop with her right hand, moving the fork to her mouth with her left, and making absolutely certain that her fingers were in just the proper positions on the handle.
Sitting across from Twilight was the exact opposite.
Certainly, Sunset Shimmer had started the meal with the best of intentions. Twilight Velvet had prepared a plate with an extra serving of potatoes and vegetables to make up for the missing pork chop. The young girl started off just fine, holding a fork like a natural-born human would and taking small, lady-like bites, but something changed right after the third forkful of mashed potato. Perhaps it was her hunger, or the childishness she was trying to soldier through, or her pony instincts beginning to manifest again, but Sunset's bites soon became larger and less spaced out. Within a matter of minutes, she had resorted to hunching over her plate and shoveling the food in, not even bothering to chew or close her mouth between bites.
Twilight tensed up. She looked nervously at her parents, who were still sporting the same happy faces from when they “discovered” their daughter's friend. “So, tell us more about this experiment of yours,” said Velvet.
“W-Well, it was an attempt to store and examine the strange energy that's been coming from Canterlot High,” Twilight stammered. “I was hoping this attempt would be more stable than when I tried during the Friendship Games, but I...guess I had miscalculated.”
She chuckled nervously as she looked back at Sunset, who had finally abandoned simple human silverware altogether and settled for sticking her entire face into her plate. The pounding of her heart increased, to the point where the organ was threatening to smash through her skin altogether and throw itself on the table – assuming it wasn't cracked in twain from her fingers tensing up against the edge. The endless darkness of oblivion was fast approaching. Everything was falling apart. There was no hope for the future. Her parents were going to-
“Would you like some more, Sunset Shimmer?” asked Night Light, still smiling and pretending like he wasn't ready to throw this brat and his failure of a daughter out the door the minute she...
Sunset finally looked up from her plate. The dish itself was actually quite bare, mostly because whatever was left had ended up on the girl's face and hair instead. She opened her mouth to say something, most likely after a couple of partially-chewed peas came falling out, but in moving her head upwards, she was finally able to catch the horrified expression plastered over her friend's face. Now separated from her food with a full belly, she closed her eyes, sighed, and wiped her face down with her napkin. “I'm sorry. I-I'm usually much better behaved.”
“She is!” Twilight quickly added. “Whenever everyone gets together, she's always the one who takes charge, a-and did I mention she's a straight-A student?!”
“Really?” Velvet clapped her hands together, her grin intensifying as she did so. “That's wonderful! You two little geniuses must be so cute together!”
Twilight set her silverware down on her plate, making certain the tines on her fork were pointing downwards. Her plate was still quite full of food, but she did not care. She rose from her chair and motioned to her friend, who could only shrug and follow along. “Well, if you'll excuse us, we have a lot to get ready for tonight, and I'm feeling very tired, and Spike probably misses me and we have to get going come on Sunset let's go!”
“B-But you haven't finished dinner yet!” said Velvet.
“I had a big lunch!” Twilight blurted out. She immediately blushed and bowed her head. “I'm sorry. I'm just...not very hungry right now. And I'm certain Sunset Shimmer has had plenty.”
“Actually, I'm-” Sunset stopped as she saw the glare in Twilight's eyes. For just the flash of a moment, she swore she could see her friend's magic-enhanced form staring back at her, condemning her. She sighed and dropped her protests. “I'm feeling pretty full. Thank you so much for your hospitality.”
“Ha, no need to act so formal!” said Night Light. “You two have fun!”
“I'm making some pudding later!” Velvet shouted as the two departed up the stairs – or rather, as Twilight dragged Sunset up the stairs as quickly as she could. “I'll call you when it's done!”
The moment the two came up the stairs, a rustling sound emerged from a room just to the right of the staircase railing. As the two approached the darkened doorway, it became clear what it was. Spike, the little purple dog that had accompanied Twilight pretty much everywhere, charged the door and leaped into his master's arms, barking enthusiastically and licking her face. For just a few seconds, Twilight's stoney demeanor seemed to soften, and she couldn't help but walk inside and seat herself on the edge of her bed to play with her little bundle of joy.
Sunset followed after her, taking her time to take in her friend's bedroom. As expected, there were books everywhere; the entire wall running along the right of the door was lined with shelves, and there was hardly an empty space on any of them. The bed itself was directly across from the door, running underneath a window facing out to the street. Next to it was a desk, which was covered in notepads, text books, various chewed pens, scattered papers, and a computer of some sort. On the far wall was a small walk-in closet, not much bigger than a broom closet back at CHS.
As the scratching of the ears slowed, Spike finally seemed to notice the new girl in the room. “Who's your friend, Twilight?” he said.
Twilight smiled and coked her head slightly to the right. She was still getting used to having her beloved pet speak like a person, or at least a person that needed to go walkies and kept getting into the garbage. “That's Sunset Shimmer. You remember her, right?”
This was enough to perplex the small pup, prompting him to leap from his master's lap and approach the smaller girl. A part of Sunset's mind wanted her to turn and run from the beast, but thankfully her higher reasoning recognized that Spike was a harmless predator that wouldn't eat her flesh and chew on her bones. He curiously sniffed up and down her leg. “I guess she kind of smells like her, but...I don't remember her being so...so...?”
Sunset rolled her eyes and sighed, an accepting smile on her face. “Short?”
“Yeah, that.”
“It's...a long story, Spike,” Twilight said. “Suffice to say, she's going to be staying with us for a little while. So be a good boy and...”
While Twilight was saying this, Sunset Shimmer had crouched down and began rubbing the back of Spike's head. The little doggy rather liked the little human hand that managed to scratch the tiny spots Twilight's bigger hand missed, and returned the kindness by raising himself on his hind legs and licking Sunset's face. His tongue tickled as it lapped up the remaining juices from her dinner, causing Sunset to fall backwards while laughing. In turn, this caused her to stop petting him, which only intensified the licking in an attempt to make her start again. By the time Twilight had realized what was happening, Sunset Shimmer was clutching her sides and, between giggles and chortles, begging the little puppy to stop.
The spectacle only lasted until Twilight clapped her hands and motioned Spike over. He spun around and ran back to the bed, jumping back and snuggling next to his master. Now that she was free of her cute little tormentor, Sunset Shimmer slowly climbed back to her feet, letting out a final few chuckles as she did so. “I apologize about that,” Twilight said as she rubbed behind Spike's ears. “Spike is usually such a well-behaved little guy.”
“It's fine, Twilight.” Sunset barely held in another giggle. “He just tickles, is all.”
“Well, it's good to see you in such a good mood.” Twilight's own mood, however, quickly downshifted into cold neutrality. “Especially after what happened at dinner.”
Sunset's own smile disappeared. “I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I was just...so hungry.”
“And I understand that, but you have to be more dignified than that.” Twilight grimaced. “We're humans, not...wild animals. We do not eat like that.”
Now it was Sunset's turn to frown and grumble. “First, I am not a human. I am a pony in the body of a human. And second, what does it matter?”
Twilight sighed. Now came the “funnest” part to explain. “Sunset Shimmer, you are the first friend I've brought over since Kindergarten, and the first period who stayed for dinner. My parents have been pushing me to be more social for years, and as crazy as this whole situation is, you really, really have to make a good impression on them. My parents travel in very high circles, and they will be judging everything you say and do while you're here. And they won't care that you're a teenager in a child's body. They didn't care when I was growing up, always telling me how awful I was behaving and saying everything I did was wrong.”
Sunset stared at Twilight with a blank expression, then rolled her eyes towards the left wall. “Um, that really isn't the impression I got tonight. They actually seemed pretty friendly.” She winced as the pain in her spine shot back up. “At least when they aren't trying to smother you to death.”
“I know they seem nice, but that's only a facade.” Twilight bunched her legs against her chest and collapsed onto her side, her glasses defiantly staying stuck to her face no matter what. “They won't tell you how bad you're being to your face, but you can see it in their eyes, their fake smiles, their every movement. If you slip up in even the slightest way, they'll never forgive you.” She pointed a finger towards the closet. “There's a sleeping bag in a black duffel bag in there. I can get you a pillow after pudding.”
Sunset nodded silently, not quite sure how to respond. Instead, she settled for going to the closet. As she switched on the light, she noticed the number of clothes Twilight had hanging from the rod – or rather, the lack of them. Outside of some spare Crystal Prep uniforms and a couple of dress shirts and skirts, there were only a couple pairs of faded and torn jeans, a couple of plain colored shirts, a few skirts like those the girls at CHS preferred, and a whole bunch of empty hangers. The floor was likewise fairly bare, save for a pair of boots that looked hardly worn and some broken white tennis shoes. There was a dresser at the far end, but Sunset didn't need to dig through her friend's...private things. Thankfully, the black bag Twilight had mentioned was in plain view on top of the dresser; it was a simple matter to pick it up and pull out the bedroll within.
As she switched the closet light off, Sunset's eyes turned back to her friend, who was still lying on her bed and looking dead to the world. She sighed. “Twilight...I don't think you're right about your parents being judgmental.”
Twilight gave a dismissive tsk. “How would you know?”
Sunset laid down the simple navy blue sleeping bag. “Well...I actually have a parent like that. Or, I guess, a substitute parent. Back in Equestria, that is.”
The mention of that magical land caused Twilight to slowly rise up, until she was sitting cross-legged on her bed. Spike took the opportunity to prop himself into her lap, where she instinctively began scratching his fuzzy little head. “Really? You almost never talk about how things are back there, other than that you're a pony.”
“It's because...I don't like to talk about it.” Sunset sat herself on the sleeping bag, her head resting on her knees. “My actual parents weren't bad, but there was Princess Celestia. I mean, she wasn't my mom or anything, but I was her personal student. I spent every day with her, learning about magic and other subjects. She...was the pony I respected more than anything else.”
Twilight nodded along. Even someone like her could sense what was coming. “But...I made a stupid mistake,” Sunset continued. “Or...a lot of them. I allowed my ambitions to take over, and I became greedy and impatient. I wanted to know everything right away. I wanted to be a princess like her. And instead, I pushed her too far. The last time I saw her, she...disowned me.”
“I'm so sorry,” Twilight whispered. Spike let out a sad whimper as well. “B-But couldn't you go back and apologize? Maybe you made a mistake before, but you're a much better person now, right?”
Sunset let out a laugh. There was no mirth or joy in it. If anything, it smelled of self-hatred and disgust. “Princess Celestia is perfection. She raises and lowers the sun every day, her every word is law, and she is just a wonderful and pleasant pony despite having all of Equestria resting on her. The worst thing you can do is fail her, and that's what I did. She wanted me to learn about how important friendship was, and all I could care about was making myself more powerful. I ruined her lessons by demanding that she teach me things I wasn't ready for. I ordered her to make me a princess when I was far less than qualified. I lied, cheated, and stole my way through life, and she knew it. Princess Twilight probably gave her a nice long report of all the terrible things I did at Canterlot High before I realized she was right.”
Sunset wrapped her arms around her legs and coughed. She could feel the tears welling up, and despite her best efforts, they would soon be pouring forth. “Sometimes, I dream that I'm back in Equestria, and I can see the shame in her eyes. She'd probably banish me and throw me in a dungeon in the place she banishes me to. That's assuming she doesn't bring back the death penalty just to have me executed. I-I-I'm scared of her, okay? I admit it. She scares me. There's no way she could ever forgive me for what I did. A-And now I'm stuck in this world forever and-”
The rough texture of a dog's tongue against her cheek snapped Sunset Shimmer out of her funk. She turned to find Spike sitting next to her, staring at her expectantly. A hand clasped on her shoulder, revealing that Twilight had also moved to her other side. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. We're going to get through this together, just you see.”
Sunset stared blankly ahead for a moment, then smiled, wiped her eyes, and nodded. “You're right. We're going to find a way to get me back to normal. And then, we're going to figure out how to better utilize magic in this world.” She rose to her feet, feeling far more like her old self. “And hey, a couple days off of school could be pretty nice.”
That was when they heard Twilight Velvet's voice from a story below. “GIRLS! PUDDING'S READY!” And the two dashed away to get themselves some delicious dessert, Spike following in hot pursuit. Twilight only deviated from her running path to plug her cell phone into its charger. Nothing was going to interrupt her pudding, especially after a day like this.
The hour was late, but Rarity was not tired. She sat at her laptop in her bathrobe, her hair still wrapped up in a towel. Her homework was done, her designs were at a good stopping point, and now there was one last ritual: check her social media accounts to see if any exciting buzz had come up. I wonder if Rainbow Dash ever responded to my message about the team uniforms. It would certainly get my mind off of what happened this afterno-
That was when she saw them.
Plastered in her feed was a few dozen pictures, all of which were clearly taken on a cell phone camera. And in them was herself, Twilight Sparkle...and the young Sunset Shimmer. The first batch was from the school parking lot, when they were carrying Sunset to her car. The second batch was of Sunset flailing about in the Barnyard Bargains parking lot. And then there were a couple more of the blown-up science room. Even worse, they had already been liked hundreds of times, and some casual scrolling showed the usernames of several students she knew at Canterlot High. And none of them were all-too-pleasant in the comments, either.
Rarity's jaw didn't drop so much as plummet. B-But how? Who could have done this? They must have been some kind of genius magicia-
Then she saw the user name of who had posted the pictures: “gr8t&powaful97.”
Her eyes narrowed. There was only one person she knew that would use that username.
Trixie.