//------------------------------//
// Chapter 31 
// Story: You Can't Help Who You Love 
// by Feather Flyer 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight flipped through the pages of her textbook and sighed. It had been about forty minutes since she came into the library to continue working on the Biogeochemical Cycle project that was due to Dr. Test Tube next week and she already finished it. It really wasn't that hard a task, just do a little research and you were set for your presentation. Having no homework to keep her occupied, however, was a hard thing. Twilight sighed again before shutting the book and standing up. She needed something else to do, and by looking at the clock on the wall, she had plenty of time before the next bus came around.

To escape the boredom that plagued her, the nerd decided to walk among the bookshelves and skim over the many titles. She had already read most of them within the first week of her Freshman Year but still found pleasure in re-reading them every once in a while. Dragging a finger across the binding of the books, she hummed to herself. Reading had always been something she enjoyed. It was second nature to her, next to eating and sleeping. Books were a good distraction from the world. Unfortunately, she would not be able to busy herself with one before the library doors opened with a loud crack. 

Crack!

Twilight jumped and whirled around in surprise to see the very person Sunset warned her about come in, her gaze focused solely on her.

"Bow to Trixie! The Great and Powerful Trixie!" the girl announced as she strut into the room, the doors somehow not having been destroyed by the tremendous force. 

Twilight frowned. What was the point of making an entrance like that? She sighed. "What's your purpose here?" 

"Oh, just to look around Sunset's new school..." the girl told her, but her eyes told her a different story.

"What's the real reason," Twilight said flatly.

The magician sighed dramatically and struck a pose. "Trixie just wanted to know...why aren't you at CHS?" Twilight blinked. Surely that can't be why she came all the way to another city with those girls. "What do you mean?"

"Trixie means why aren't you attending Canterlot High anymore, you dingbat. Is it because Sunset transferred? You two aren't...?" Trixie arched her index fingers and thumbs in such a way that it made a heart. Twilight sputtered. Really? 

"No! I seriously doubt that's what you came here to ask me!" 

The other girl shrugged. "It was just a question that came across Trixie's mind. What Trixie really came here for was to escort some of your friends here. They're looking for Sunset Shimmer."

Without much thought, Twilight said to her, "Oh, she's not here. Both of them went to the bus stop a while ago." 

"Huh? Looks like the trek here was a pointless one. Both of them you say?" Trixie repeated. She finally stopped posing and stood straight, her eyes shining. 

Oh snap. Twilight bit her lip before grabbing the nearest book and cracking it open. She looked at it in hopes that it would make her look occupied. "My bad. I thought you said Sunset and Shimmer. There's a girl here that, um, goes by that last name." Coincidentally. She coughed and glanced at the other girl nervously.

"Trixie has seen them both at the dance," Trixie said. She sniffed. "They both must be tearing up the school. Two of them! Trixie is so very fortunate that neither are at CHS."

"Actually...Shimmer's a good person. Sunset is still a bit questionable in behavior but so far she's not too bad," Twilight told her. "Um, could you tell those...my 'friends' that Sunset left?"

Before Trixie could reply, a stream of girls found their way into the room and smiled with delight to find a purple nerd standing by a bookshelf. "Twilight!"

All five of them ran around Trixie and hugged her tightly. 

"Ah! H-Hi?" Twilight squeaked.

"I like your bun, and those glasses, too!" Pinkie Pie yelled.

"We were wonderin' bout you, Twi," Applejack said, with a big smile on her face.

"Yeah," chimed the girl who Twilight remembered had had a dispute with a car driver. "You left without telling us a thing at the Spring Fling."

The group of teens released Twilight from their grasp and had more serious expressions. Rarity crossed her arms before speaking. "What brings you here? You seemed awfully distracted by something the last time we met."

"Um...that's because I was researching...?" Twilight knew they were mistaking her for someone else. She wanted to tell them this and be left alone. Having this many people chat so easily to her was odd; she wasn't one to be sociable. "It's nice that you all were concerned about me but I need to get going. My parents don't want me breaking curfew."

Rainbow Dash put her hand out in front of Twilight, preventing her from moving forward. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Parents? Where? Last time I checked they were probably on the other side of the portal. And I'm sure I remember you telling us you were a 'grown mare'."

Grown mare? Wha...? The purple girl glanced at their faces before breaking out of the little circle they formed. "I got to go."

Fluttershy tilted her head. "What's wrong, Twilight?"

The said girl didn't respond and packed her bag before putting the strap over her shoulder. Normally, she'd be happy to stick around for a chance to get some information on this other world, but it was getting late and she meant it about that curfew. Besides, she collected a day's worth of valuable info from Sunset. That, she deemed, was enough for now.

Before she could walk out the door, the country one called out to her. "Can't you at least tell us what's going on, Twi?"

The nerd turned around. "I'd love to stay and talk about ponies and magical beams coming from the sky but maybe some other time. Besides, you all got the wrong Twilight Sparkle. That one is more than likely in Horselandia or whatever. I got to go." 

The girls stood in silence as she left. Trixie slipped away without saying a word, her mind full of what she overheard. After a good ten minutes, Pinkie Pie looked to her friends. "So that's what Sunset meant. Why didn't we even think of that?"

Rarity shook her head. "We...why didn't we?"





Shimmer's POV

"Sunset told you not to talk to Trixie," I said, after listening to my friend's story the day after it happened. "She seemed a bit shady."

Twilight frowned at me. "Since when did you follow your double's orders?"

I blushed. "I never did! I'm just saying that Trixie girl seemed mean so Sunset wasn't telling you the wrong thing."

The both of us pushed away our trays of food. It was our lunch period and we barely paid any mind to what was on our plates. I was too busy listening to Twilight's story to even think about eating. I brushed a piece of loose hair away from my eyes and bit my lip. So those five girls from Canterlot High know Twilight isn't this pony princess they know. There was no harm in that, I guess. At least they'll stop confusing the two. Before long they'll come to know about me, too, since they all know Sunset. It was bound to happen eventually, I guess. We're all kind of bunched between two cities. 

"Make sure you don't tell Sunset about this. She'll be mad," I told her. 

The amateur scientist waved a hand at me. "Not like I was going to anyhow. The hot head won't find out. I didn't tell her 'enemy' anything bad."

"She needs to loosen up a bit, I agree," said I. I stood up and grabbed both our trays. Neither of us were going to eat, that was apparent, so I made my way to the trash can and threw it away. 

"How's it going, sophomore?" 

I turned around to see Stella Luna standing beside me with a smile on her face. I felt my cheeks burn and quickly turned my head hoping she didn't see the redness in my face.

"All's...well," I replied awkwardly.

Stella Luna chuckled before patting me on the shoulder. "That's great, sophomore. I just wanted to check up on you. The last few days you were walking around looking a little gloomy. I couldn't ever ask you since we'd pass by in the halls."

I smiled to myself. She actually was concerned about me? My heart wanted to jump into my throat but I didn't allow it. Swallowing, I answered her. "Oh, it was nothing. Just been deep in thought and bogged down with homework." In reality, though, it was Sunset who was causing me grief those days with her sudden appearance and smart mouth. She wasn't as bad now, but she still needed to be checked to stay in line.

"Hey! Throwing away food doesn't take five minutes!" Twilight called playfully to me from our table. I nodded to her and walked back over to the table. "Sorry about that," I said. "Just got caught up in a conversation."

Twilight pointed behind me. "Oh, with her?" Turning, I saw that Stella Luna had followed me from the spot I had stood at before. "Oh! Yeah!"

Stella grinned. "I have nothing to do right now; it's a free period for me. Mind if we chat some more?"

I waved her to a chair. "No, no. Sit. We can talk." 

Twilight glanced at me with a questioning look. She could tell that I was more upbeat than usual. Before long, she just shrugged and turned her focus on the older girl with us. "I remember you. You walked with us to school one day."

"Yeah, I did. Your friend here was all bummed that day, too. I was just asking how she was doing. Turns out it was a bunch of homework." Stella folded her arms and chuckled. "I bet it was old Patters who loaded work on you guys, huh?"

Twilight paused before answering her. "He does have a tendency to do that."

Our conversation went on for a good twenty minutes before we heard a loud thud right next to me. All three of us turned our heads to see Sunset standing behind a chair she had just dropped her bag into. Stella's eyes widened and she glanced at the both of us in surprise. Sunset looked her up and down in disgust. I glared at her but she continued to be critical in her gaze. Finally she spoke in her usual low, bored voice.

"Who the hell are you."

I jabbed an elbow at her but she dodged it. "Take that back," I hissed.

Before she could reply, we heard Stella Luna laugh. I looked at her in surprise. 

"Man, you have a twin? I never knew! And she's so different from you, too." She put a hand on my head and my cheeks burned. "You're all nice and polite. But your sister here...hahaha!"

Sunset looked at me curiously, clearly noticing my red face. Her eyes studied me for a little. I could see a tinge of annoyance in the turquoise pools. She plucked the older girl's hand off my head like it was a smelly rag and frowned at her. "I'd rather you not dirty her hair with your germs. Got to keep up a good image here."

Twilight looked at my counterpart over the rim of her glasses like she was crazy, but quickly made her expression unreadable. I stared at Sunset in disbelief. What was her problem? We were just fine yesterday. Stella chuckled awkwardly. "I apologize...what's your name?"

"It's Sunset Shimmer," she told her. She sat down beside me and took out a book. Stella looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't--"

"Both of our names are Sunset Shimmer. We just go by one or the other. She's Shimmer and I'm Sunset," the alien next to me said.

"That's really neat!" Stella replied.

I smiled at her. "It is."

For the rest of that time, Twilight, and I talked to the older girl and Sunset "read" her book. She would say something snarky that made the light mood go away and so we'd be sitting there awkwardly. The whole time I could feel her eyes watching us and it felt uncomfortable. I tried to get her to move but she wouldn't, and when the three of us moved, her eyes followed. There wasn't a way to get away from the scrutiny of her gaze.

After twenty minutes, the bell rang. It was time to transition from lunch to class. Stella waved goodbye to me before leaving and I nodded. Twilight looked at me and mouthed, "Sunset's a bit cranky today."

I sighed and agreed. Deciding to figure out what was wrong, I walked over to her. "What's with you today?" I asked.

"My bag is with me today."

"Give me a real answer."

"I don't like that chick you were talking to."

"Why? Did she do anything to you?"

"Nope."

I tilted my head and bit my lip. What? "Then...why don't you like her?"

Sunset shrugged. I glared at her and gritted my teeth. So she just bothered us the whole time just because? For no reason?? My face heated up in anger as I opened and closed my mouth, trying to answer her, but nothing came out. Sunset just glanced up at me from her book and smirked. "Keep doing that and you'll swallow a fly."

I hit her on the arm out of frustration and spouted," I can't believe you! You just didn't like her for no reason? And so you messed with us the last twenty minutes? Ugh!"

Sunset grabbed my flailing arm. "I'm sure there was a reason, but I can't think of what it was."

It was an extremely lame answer that I could not accept. I shook her off and turned away. "You're going to be late for class if you sit there."

"Oh, well, I'm in in-house suspension so this is where I have to be."

I stamped my foot on the ground and stormed out the cafeteria. Of course. Of course she would.