There was no homemade breakfast at the Sparkle household on Wednesday morning. By the time Sunset had willed herself out of bed, Night Light and Shining Armor had already left for the day, and Twilight Velvet was already locked away with her work. Twilight Sparkle, on the other hand, was already up, having just returned from taking Spike on his morning walk. The dog let out a loud bark as Sunset finished descending the stairs, with only a few seconds passing before he charged and leaped into the girl's face, whimpering and licking every inch of it.
Sunset tried to suppress her laughter, but the tickling of his tongue and fur was just too much for any human or pony to handle. The sudden burst of child-pitched laughter caught Twilight's attention, and she turned away from the pot she was working with on the stove. At the same moment, Sunset finally broke free of Spike's demands for attention, giving him just enough petting to let him know that he had done well before he scurried up the stairs, allowing her to turn her attention fully back to Twilight.
“G-Good morning,” Twilight stammered. Her hands, however shakily, scooped something out of the pot and deposited it into two bowls on the counter. "Have a seat. I just finished some oatmeal."
The brief bit of joy Sunset had allowed herself to experience shattered in her heart. She lowered her head and slowly approached the table. “Hello, Twilight. So...last night...”
Twilight adjusted her glasses, if only to give herself something else to focus on. “The girls told me everything. Pinkie may have been out of line, but that really isn't an excuse for pushing her over like that. Running off like that only made things worse.”
Sunset pulled herself into the chair. “I know.”
Twilight lifted the two steaming bowls and moved to the table. “And furthermore,” she said as she sat them down, “you need to promise me that you'll check your behavior before I ever leave you alone with anyone here again. Rainbow Dash told me how awkward she feels around you right now.”
Sunset slowly turned her head upwards towards Twilight. “A-Are you lecturing me?” she asked, her jaw hanging a bit on the last two words.
“I am not lecturing you.” Twilight closed her eyes and crossed her arms. She was attempting to look authoritative, powerful, and adult. If Sunset was not so offended, she would have been laughing. “I am simply reminding you that you are a grown woman, not a child, and you are expected to behave accordingly. That's all.”
Sunset's eyes rolled one direction, and then another. “Twilight, if you're looking to kick me when I'm down, I'm way ahead of you. Why are you acting like this?”
“Because I...I...”
Twilight's bravado broke down as she took a closer look at Sunset. The child's weak posture, sad face, and mangled hair struck at her heart. Her arms slowly descended until her hands were resting on her lap, and her back soon followed. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I mean...”
Sunset quickly raised up her own hands. “No no no no, it's okay! I was just kind of curious, that's all. Just...what happened?”
Twilight sighed. “Well, after you went back upstairs...”
Twilight came down the stairs to find pandemonium waiting for her. Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were lying together in a mangled heap next to the couch. Night Light and Shining Armor were crouched next to them, slowly working the limbs to where their owners could be safely separated. Rarity rushed to join them, while Twilight stared in horror. “What happened?”
“That horrible little barbarian you call a friend pushed the pink one,” said Twilight Velvet, her voice full of happiness and smiles. “Just what I would expect from my daughter.”
Twilight shuddered and joined Fluttershy in approaching the rest of their friends. The untangling was successful, and the downed teens were able to get back to their feet. Pinkie let out a sudden, cheery cry, sending the two males backpedaling. “Wheeee! That was fun!”
Rainbow Dash rubbed her cheek. There was some bruising, but otherwise no obvious damage. “Not...really agreeing with you there, Pinkie.”
“I haven't felt like this since I ate those month-old fritters when I was nine,” Applejack mumbled, her hands clasping over her abdominal area in an attempt to stop the pain.
Night Light turned towards Twilight, his worried smile doing little to hide his utter contempt for his disgrace of a second child. “You're lucky nobody was seriously hurt. And all because this poor girl wanted to throw Sunset Shimmer a birthday party! How can our family live with the shame of having such delinquents visiting?”
“Thanks again, traitor,” Shining Armor said using his powers of ventriloquism.
Sweat ran down Twilight's brow. Her family stared at her with the kind of hatred normally reserved for serial killers or people who cut others off in traffic. Her new friends, meanwhile, made no effort to save her, instead focusing themselves on making sure three of their own were still among the living. She twiddled her fingers together and rolled her eyes left and right, looking for support but finding none. “Oh...that's not good. I can go see if she'll...”
Twilight jumped as a hand clasped her shoulder from behind. Her mother's voice soon followed. “If you don't get that brat to respect authority, I will kick you out of this house. We will drive by whatever alley you end up living in and pelt you with garbage. Your name will be scrubbed out of our family history, and every picture of you burned. You will forever be a secret shame to this family!”
“And after that, the girls and I talked for a little bit.” Twilight concluded her story with a shrug. “Not much else.”
Sunset's first response was to just stare at Twilight. No motion, no words, just her silent gaze. Then she let out a small gasp, not unlike the air being let out of a balloon. “Really, Twilight?” she said. “They really called you a 'traitor' and 'disgrace?'”
Twilight's hands twisted against her arms. “Not...outright, of course. B-But it was very heavily implied.”
Sunset shook her head. “Look...I'm probably not the best pony or person to talk to when it comes to family, but there is no way the people I've seen the last two days could have talked to you like that.” Her eyes narrowed. “And what was all that about 'respecting authority?'”
Twilight turned her eyes away. “W-Well...you did push several of our friends over...”
“And I feel terrible, really.” Sunset shoved a spoon into the lumpy oatmeal, breaking the exterior to reveal the mushy undersides. “But yesterday was just a misstep. In fact, could I borrow your phone for a second?”
Twilight shrugged, reached into her pocket, and handed Sunset her phone. After a few slides and pokes, the screen finally displayed Pinkie Pie's number. It wasn't exactly hard to remember; she had called Sunset so much since they became friends that the sequence was permanently etched into her memory. There were a few rings, followed by a squeaky voice. “Hello?” said Sunset. “Is this Pinkie Pie?”
A pause, followed by what sounded like laughter. Sunset couldn't help but chuckle a little herself. “Yeah, it's me. Listen, I just wanted you to know I'm really, really sorry about yesterday.”
Some high-pitched chattering noises bellowed out of the receiver. Sunset nodded along, taking the time to flash Twilight a triumphant grin as she did so. Twilight rolled her eyes and began eating her oatmeal. “Exactly. It's great that you're always so understanding...”
Sunset's grin disappeared. “Wait...I didn't say...”
Her fingers tapped the table in frustration. “No, Pinkie, I still don't want a pa-”
Her lips curled into a sneer. Her pupils dilated, and her breathing became more and more shallow. “This is not me overreacting! You're wrong, Pinkie! If you would just listen to people for once, I wouldn't have to shout, now would I?!”
“Understood, Captain Grumpy!” Pinkie giggled. “I'll call you back once I got everything planned! Bye!”
Pinkie switched her phone off and placed it back in her pocket, making it just before Rainbow Dash entered the classroom. The two exchanged a customary “'Sup?” which was accompanied by the latecomer flopping into the chair and staring ahead with an expression of sincere apathy. On the plus side, her face had mended quite nicely overnight, leaving barely a mark from her blow last night.
“Sooooooo....” Pinkie leaned back in her chair, her lips curled up in a fish-like pucker, before suddenly snapping forward and leaning against her desk. “Are you free after school?”
Rainbow shrugged. “Nah. I've got practice today, remember?”
“Oh, right...you still do that sports thing. Gotcha!” Pinkie clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers. “But I could really use some help. Do you think Sunset likes clowns?”
A sudden burst of pain erupted in Rainbow Dash's cheek. She turned towards Pinkie with a narrowing gaze. “I thought she said she didn't want a party.”
“That's what she said, but that's not what she means.” Pinkie rolled her eyes at Dash. “She might want to say that she doesn't want a reminder of some deep-seated childhood drama, but that means she needs this party more than ever! She needs to find something happy to replace the terrible, horrible memory with! And once she does that, poof, she'll be back to normal and we can all go to Sugar Cube Corner for milkshakes!”
Rainbow briefly looked out the window at the gathering storm clouds, shook her head, and returned her gaze to Pinkie. “Why does every plan you have end with milkshakes?”
“Because they're yummy! Duh!”
It took all of Rainbow's willpower to limit her response to a growl, a facepalm, and turning herself away from Pinkie. “Fine. Just...don't go crazy, okay? The sooner this whole freaking thing is over, the better.”
“Aaagreed!” Pinkie reached into her hair with both hands and pulled out a pad and paper. “Now, do you think Sunset would like pony rides, or would that be racially insensitive?”
After a few tense seconds where Twilight's phone almost met a swift and violent end, breakfast resumed in the Sparkle household. Sunset deliberately chewed each bite of her oatmeal while keeping her eyes away from her friend. On the other side of the table, Twilight had finished her bowl, wiped it clean in the sink, and returned to her chair before her friend was halfway done with her own breakfast. “So,” she said, “feeling better?”
“No,” Sunset muttered, a few drops of chewed, tasteless oats dripping out of her lips and back into her bowl. “So, what are we going to do today?”
“Rarity invited us over to look at some clothes.” Twilight shrugged. “Are you okay with...you know, going out in public?”
Sunset released her spoon, letting it bang loudly against the side of the bowl before descending into the brown muck. “There's no reason not to be. Everyone already knows what happened. I take it we're meeting her after she's out of school?”
“That was the idea.” Twilight rose from her chair, leaning herself slightly against the table as she stood. “I also have something I want to show you.”
“Will it make me ten years older?” Sunset mumbled.
Twilight leaned her head back slightly. “Well...no, but it's something you might enjoy. Meet me by the garage once you're done.”
The garage door opened, revealing what looked to be a normal garage. Even with the family car gone, the whole thing still felt very small, especially thanks to the mass of boxes and shelves on the far end. Twilight hummed a small tune as she walked to the other end, stopping at what appeared to be some metal bars slammed together. The darkening clouds above blocked out the ambient light; it wasn't until Sunset drew closer and Twilight flipped on a light switch on the back wall that the shadows receded, revealing a small, cobweb-covered bicycle.
Sunset tilted her head. “Okay? I...really don't get it, Twilight.”
“Well, after watching your little...dance yesterday, I figured you needed a less 'bouncy' way of burning off that childhood energy of yours. Then I remembered your motorcycle, and how awesome you and Rainbow Dash were during the motocross event at the Friendship Games.” Twilight lifted the bike up and set it in front of Sunset, grinning like she had just placed first in the Nerd Olympics. “And lo and behold, I still have my old bike from when I was your age! Perfect, huh?”
Sunset scanned the bicycle from top to bottom. The seat looked rock hard and had pieces missing. Both of the tires were flat. The chain was rusted and looked like it was a hair's breadth from snapping. The bike's red paint was chipping away, with several parts now completely bare. The whole thing looked like it was begging someone to finally crush it completely and let it go to the big bike park in the sky. And that was before factoring in all of the stickers of smiling books and pencils extolling the wonders of learning and reading. There's no doubt about it, this is Twilight's bike.
Then she made the mistake of looking at Twilight's face. That smile was overpowering, even when she was grown up. “Um...it looks like it needs...work?” Sunset mumbled, nervously scratching the back of her head. “I-I mean, it would be nice to have something to ride for now, but...”
Twilight shrugged. “I know. That's why we were going to stop by Barnyard Bargain on the way to seeing Rarity. We pick up the parts we need, fix this up, and we should be good to go. I just need to go grab my bus pass.”
Sunset's eyes widened, causing her cheeks to push her mouth into a little frown. “Oh. I-I thought we were going this afternoon.”
“We're going to Rarity's place this afternoon. We need to get to Barnyard Bargain before then. Otherwise, we'll have to deal with everyone rushing in after work.”
Sunset turned her head in the direction of the house. “We could just do this tomorrow, you know. I mean, we should be looking at fixing the storage device.”
Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head in a very motherly way. “If fixing this up would have impacted getting you back to normal, I wouldn't have even suggested it. And besides, procrastination is nobody's friend.”
“Y-You could always go without me.” Sunset could feel her brow growing hotter as she struggled to find the right words. “I mean, there are certainly more important things I could be...”
“Sunset...we have a DVR.”
Sunset Shimmer spun her head back towards Twilight in surprise. “What? What do you mean?”
“If you were really wanting to watch that show of yours, we can record it.” Twilight removed her glasses and began massaging the bridge of her nose. “We can watch it tonight, once mom and dad have gone to bed.”
For just a brief moment, an expression of glee passed across Sunset's face. Before it could transition into something like a hug or a chorus of profound thanks, however, the rational and adult part of Sunset's mind managed to kick back in, and she regained her normal, cool demeanor. “That's very...nice of you. So, shall we be going? I'd hate to leave Rarity waiting.”
Barnyard Bargains was its usual busy self. The tile floor echoed with the frantic footsteps of a hundred shoppers, whether they be hastily shoving goods into their carts or casually browsing while talking with friends. Children cried and begged their parents to purchase the priciest toys they could find, and harried and panicking workers rushed to and fro in a futile attempt to balance cleaning and maintaining their departments with serving as the venting system for everything wrong in their customers' lives.
Thankfully, going shopping mid-morning had some advantages. Most people were still at work or school, and the rain had dissuaded even more from making the trip, meaning there were relatively fewer people for Twilight and Sunset to deal with. It also meant that crossing through the parking lot to get from the bus stop to the store entrance was much safer, as they were only nearly ran over three times. By the time they had gotten to the very far back of the store, where the bikes and toys were displayed, Sunset could feel her legs and lungs burning. Thankfully, there was a bench nearby for just such a purpose, and after a few minutes of reclining and basking in the air conditioner, Sunset had managed to barely escape the grip of death itself.
Twilight, on the other hand...
“How are you not tired?” Sunset groaned, having finally regained the ability to speak.
Twilight looked back from the shelf of bike supplies. “Huh?”
“I mean, we just walked about half a mile, in the rain, dodging people that have no idea how to work one of those...things you people have, and you're not even sweating. Back in the Friendship Games, you couldn't even jump a hurdle or use a bow!”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Thanks for reminding me. And besides, I've been making that walk since the seventh grade.”
“It's just...these things suck, okay?!” Sunset motioned a hand over her legs. “They're so short and wobbly and...stupid! It was bad enough when I first got here, and now I have to walk twice as far to everything! I wish I was back on four freaking legs again!”
Two seconds passed before Sunset realized what she had just shouted. The two blushed as they felt a few eyes turn towards them. Thankfully, most shoppers at Barnyard Bargains were used to the tantrums and wails of children, and a little girl declaring that she used to be grown up were mostly regarded with a sense of apathy. Grabbing a couple of boxes from the shelf, Twilight walked over to the bench and took a seat next to Sunset. “You could have said that a bit louder,” she grumbled.
Sunset sighed and exhaled. “I'm sorry. I'm being stupid again.”
“You're not stupid,” said Twilight. “You're just...a little overtly emotional right now. It comes with...well, your age.”
Sunset allowed herself a half-smile and an eye roll. “You should see me once I hit puberty. I'd probably poof into a raging she-demon again.”
Twilight snorted and blushed, but otherwise fought back the urge to laugh. Taking advantage of the brief break in the tension, Sunset turned her attention to the small collection of bike components. “Are you sure those will be enough?”
“We have just about everything else back at the garage. We just need to take these to the front and...” Twilight's gaze slowly locked onto the far side of the store, where Sunset could just barely make out a hardware section. “Although, they did have a sale on wrenches...”
Knots formed on both ends of Sunset's stomach. She grit her teeth and grabbed onto the bottom of the bench with both hands. “Wait...you don't mean...”
Twilight hopped back to her feet, which clapped against the ground with a happy thud. Sunset followed suit, albeit without the happiness. “And then we need to see if they have anything new in electronics, and I do need some new socks...”
Sunset growled as she slid to her own feet. Her poor soles cried out in agony as she touched the cold, hard tile once more. “Is this going to take long?” she mumbled. “Couldn't we just get lunch and check out?”
“Relax, we've got plenty of time." Twilight laughed and shook her head. "It's not like anything bad could happen by us killing some time here, right?”
“You just had to say it, didn't you?”
The storm was not unexpected. The gray clouds had been building since yesterday, so it was only natural that rainfall would follow. What was not expected was how suddenly, and how fiercely, it came. The clouds unleashed their payloads in sheets, starting the moment Twilight and Sunset stepped out of the Barnyard Bargains and only intensifying since. By the time the two had reached the shelter of the bus stop, both they and their purchases were soaked.
Twilight shrugged as Sunset repeated her accusation. “Yes, well, I don't control the weather, now do I?”
If the statement had been meant as a joke, Sunset wasn't laughing. In fact, she didn't do anything except stare and the sky and, despite the futility of such things, hope to see a pegasus or two pushing the clouds away.
Thankfully, the rain had let up by the time the bus pulled into their next stop. Twilight and Sunset hastily departed out the back and, after an uneventful walk down one of Canterlot's busiest streets, found themselves standing before a garishly purple boutique. The design stood out against the more plain buildings that surrounded it, and the windows were lined with fanciful, exquisite, and prohibitively expensive gowns. “So...this is Rarity's boutique,” said Twilight. “Looks...extravagant.”
“Apparently the place really turned around after Rarity started working here,” said Sunset. She turned her eyes to the sidewalk, easily making out Rarity's car. “Looks like she beat us here.”
Twilight shrugged. “When you ride a bus everywhere, you get used to showing up last.”
With there being no point in delaying the inevitable, Twilight pushed the door open. Immediately, the two were confronted with the overwhelming scent of a thousand intermingled perfumes and dyes. The cold wind blasting through the air conditioning only intensified the odor. After a few seconds, however, their senses adapted to the smell, giving them the resolve needed to actually step inside.
The boutique itself was a lavish affair. Dresses and outfits lined the walls, seemingly all leading to a large mirror at the far side of the room. There were a few shoppers moving about, either perusing the store's inventory or modeling themselves in front of the mirror, but it was a far cry from the mass of bodies they had seen at Barnyard Bargains. Twilight blushed at the lavishness of it all, and even a veteran like Sunset could not help but marvel at the majesty of these gowns.
The employee operating the cash register, strategically placed right next to the register, finally looked up from her fashion magazine. She looked the two up and down, found nothing of worth, and sighed exasperatedly at this waste of her time. “Welcome to Canterlot Carousel,” she said in a hushed but confrontational tone. “Can I help you?”
“Um...we were looking for Rarity,” said Twilight. She nervously adjusted her backpack. “Is she in?”
The clerk rolled her eyes and pulled the magazine up over her face. “She's in the back.”
“Oh...okay.” A pause. Another pause. Three more pauses. “Can we see her, please?”
The moan the girl emitted was like the death wail of a manatee. She methodically set the magazine on the counter and walked towards a door at the other end of the building, taking every step like she was wading through quicksand. Many, many seconds later, Rarity finally emerged from the employee section of the store. Measuring tape was wrapped around her shoulders, bits of fabric and string were hanging from her clothes and hair, and her fingers showed the tell-tale little pricks of errant needles, but otherwise she was as fabulous as ever.
She bounded up to the two, who likewise strolled forward to meet her at the boutique's midpoint. Rarity took Twilight in with a hug as soon as they were within arm's length of each other. “I'm so happy you made it!” said Rarity. “I must admit, I was certain you would cancel on me.”
Twilight wanted to question that statement further, but quickly decided to accept it as a compliment. “So,” she said as they disengaged, “this is your famous boutique, huh?”
Rarity laughed and waved her hand. “Well, it's not my boutique, per se, but I have worked here since I was old enough for a work permit. It's been my dream to one day open a shop like this, and dazzle the world with my...”
“Ahem.”
Sunset's curt harrumph jostled Rarity out of her sparkly gaze. “Oh...um...hello, Sunset,” she said, her eyes darting about nervously. “So...ready for the...wondrous world of fashion, hmm?”
Sunset smiled. “Yes.” Then she frowned. “On two conditions.”
“Um...okay?” Rarity said.
“First, please keep it simple. I really don't want anything really...fancy or frou-frou.” Sunset shuddered as she said those words. “Remember, I'm not going to be wearing these very long.”
“That...is the typical mindset regarding children's clothing.”
“And second, could you please stop acting so awkward?” Sunset rolled her eyes. “I'm still the same Sunset Shimmer, just...shorter.”
Rarity rubbed the back of her head – scratching would only ruin her nails, and she was not going to go through life with hands like a barbarian – and rolled her eyes about. “Well...I understand that, it's just...”
Sunset growled and smacked her face with her palm. “I can't believe this! First I get lectured before breakfast, then I get dragged to a store against my will, and now you're still going to treat me like I'm some little kid? Why is this so hard for anyone to-”
“ANYWAY,” Rarity stammered, quickly diverting the subject at hand, “welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique and magnifique! I've already taken the liberty of setting aside some marvelous outfits for both of you to try. I'm certain that we'll find something to suit both of your...moods, as it were.”
Twilight shrugged. “If you insist.”
Sunset rolled her eyes. And once again, nobody listens to me.
Rarity motioned to a large mirror at the other end of the boutique, next to some dressing rooms. “I suppose we should start with something simple. I have something that will just go beautifully with Twilight's complexi-”
“RARITY!”
The three turned to the door Rarity had previously exited, making it just in time to catch a tall, thin, blue-skinned woman stumble out. Her white shirt was creased and stained with sweat, which was just barely hidden by her vest and tie, and her black skirt was covered in tiny bits of fabric and needles. None of that compared to the crazed look in the eyes. Even at their young age, they could recognize them as the eyes of someone who had not gotten a lot of sleep recently.
Rarity let out a gasp and leaped to the woman's side, pausing to exhale dramatically before grabbing her by the shoulders and bracing her straight up. “My goodness, is everything all right?”
The woman looked Rarity straight in the eyes. “No, it's terrible! We had just gotten everything together when one of the girls' mother called. The dear came down with the flu and had to drop out! There's no way we can get this shoot done on time now!”
“That's simply awful!” moaned Rarity. She was preparing to throw herself into a swoon when Twilight loudly coughed behind her. “Oh...these are my friends, Twilight and...a little girl she's watching,” she said in a completely normal voice. “Twilight, this is the store's manager, Sassy Saddles.”
In an instant, the woman's stress seemed to vanish. She grabbed Twilight by the hand and gave her a good shake. “You must be the Fall Formal Princess Rarity has told me so much about! It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance at last!”
After a bit of struggling, Twilight managed to pull her hand free of Sassy's iron grip. “E-Excuse me, but I think you're...” It took another moment for the reality to hit her, crushing her mood spectacularly as it did so. She lowered her head and rubbed her hand. “Oh...right.”
“I was just going to show her and her...young friend some of our designs,” said Rarity. She looked nervously at Sunset as she spoke. The girl shrugged her shoulders and nodded along, her face still reflecting her sour mood. “But pray tell, whatever is the matter?”
In an instant, Sassy's face melted into a mask of sheer despair. “It's absolutely awful! One of our model's parents just called and cancelled! It seems there's some plague going around the elementary schools and...she's got it, too!” Sassy's eyes rolled upwards as she swooned into a strategically-placed seat – yet another sign of Rarity's employment there. “And now we have no one to model the centerpiece of our new youth collection!”
Rarity's jaw appeared to unhinge. “Wh-What? B-But I worked so hard on that dress! Surely we can find some way to...”
“C-Couldn't you just find another girl?” Twilight interjected.
“It's not that simple, dear,” said Rarity. “The photo shoot's today, and we wouldn't have time to make any of the necessary adjustments to fit a new child. Whoever we find would have to already be the same size and dimensions as the model they're replacing. There's only one child I've seen that could possibly match her measurements...”
Sunset sighed and shook her head. As miffed as she was by the day so far, Rarity was still her friend. “For what its worth, I'm sorry things didn't work out with your modeling thing, but I'm sure you'll think of something. Someone as smart as you must have some kind of...”
That was when she noticed three pairs of eyes staring at her. The big blue ones in particular seemed to be scanning every inch of her. Sunset reflexedly shuddered and darted behind Twilight, but she could feel the look even through her friend's torso. “No. No no. No no no no no no!”
“You're the same size she was,” Rarity said, tapping the side of her chin with one finger. Sunset blushed and grimaced. When Rarity was looking at someone like that, it could only mean she was measuring you with her eyes. “The dimensions are close enough to be unnoticeable unless scrutinized. Her face needs a little cleaning, but...”
That was when Twilight's train of thought finally switched to the same track as everyone else. “Wait...are you suggesting Sunset model for you?” she whispered curtly.
Just then, the back door opened up. Another teenager, probably a year or so younger than Rarity and Twilight, leaned herself against the door. She brushed her fingers through her blue hair, which did little to mask her obvious frustration. “M-Miss Saddles, one of the children just bit someone!”
Groaning, Sassy pulled herself up, her confident rise only briefly hampered by slipping a bit on her heels. “I'm coming, dear,” she said to the girl. She then turned back to Rarity. “I'll see what Coco Pommel and I can do to salvage things. In the meantime, please show your friends around our boutique.” She turned her attention back to Twilight, even as she began walking to the door. “I swear, if it weren't for this girl, this would have just been another failed boutique months ago!”
“Th-Thank you, that is most kind to say.” Rarity's blush did little to hide a smidgen of egotism that managed to creep into her words. Thankfully, Sassy Saddles was safely in the back room, where she could not see her most beloved and cherished employee fall to her knees and grab Sunset by the shoulders. “Please, you must model that dress for me!”
Sunset stared at Rarity. “No.”
Tears began to run down Rarity's eyes, leaving streaks of mascara in their wake. “Please, you must!”
Sunset glared at Rarity. “I said no.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes. “She did say no.”
“Puh-leeze do this for me!” Rarity wailed. “I worked so hard on that dress! It was going to be the piece de resistance of this entire line! If it can't be shown to the world, I- it will just be another gown in a sea of them! My entire career depends on this! My LIFE depends on this!”
Sunset opened her mouth again to refuse, but something caught her tongue. She sighed and shook her head as she accepted the inevitable. “Fine, Rarity,” she mumbled.
The tears stopped flowing in an instant. Rarity looked up from behind her hands. “Really?”
“Your my friend, and you've...definitely helped a lot the last couple of days.” Sunset scratched the back of her head and turned away. “So if it's just some simple modeling, then...fine, I'll do it.”
Rarity gasped, this time in exuberance, and pulled Sunset into a hug. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me!”
From within Rarity's crunching grip, Sunset let out a loud sigh. It means giving up more of my dignity. But what are friends for?
Rainbow Dash adjusted her backpack, wiped the last beads of sweat from her brow, and pushed open the school doors. The rest of the soccer team had already departed, as she had needed a few extra minutes in the showers before grabbing her belongings. Thankfully, the rain was gone by the time she was done, even if the sun had still not pierced the clouds. Not that it bothered her at all. Why's everyone so upset about a little rain? She paused briefly to inhale. Clean air, refreshing coolness...and we get to use the gym for once!
Shrugging at the oddities of her species, Dash continued down the front steps and towards the street, humming the Rainbooms' latest tune under her breath. She had just turned the corner when she heard a loud, indescribable noise come from behind. She turned back to the ruined statue, and gasped...
The back room at the boutique was obviously built for the nitty-gritty aspects of running a clothier. Sewing machines were lined in with precision, their old needles still showing specks of fabric from outfits long past, and numerous work orders and sketches lined the shelves. For today, however, there were several photographers and industry types buzzing around, eying each of the new items with severe scrutiny. A small wooden stage had been set up, allowing the children a place to prop themselves up with enough room to move and turn.
As Sunset emerged from the changing area, she stared at the actual children with a mixture of horror and frustration. There were about a dozen in all, mostly girls with a handful of boys mixed in, and all dressed like miniature fashion victims. Most were just bouncing left or right, struggling to find some way to combat the boredom. A couple, however, were excitedly talking to each other about something Sunset could not quite make out. And there were one or two trying their best to stick to the shadows and shut out the world.
“Alright, everyone!” Sassy Saddle's voice echoed from next to the stage. “We'll call you up one at a time. Please be very careful with the clothing and remain calm until you have been called. Once your session is finished, please step to the side and speak with Miss Pommel. She'll help you put the clothes away.” From the right side of the screen, Coco Pommel smiled and waved to the kids.
What didn't help matters was the outfit Sunset had been picked to model. The clothes being modeled were obviously high-end attire, with a couple middle-tier offerings to placate price-savvy parents. Sunset's lavish pink party dress was definitely in the former category. The girl Sunset had been swapped in for really was almost her exact dimensions, so at least the accursed garment fit, but the dress seemed to radiate an aura of sophistication and class that made Sunset's stomach churn. She had nothing against dressing up – she wasn't prone to grumbling or cursing about it like Rainbow Dash so often would – but she was still not the kind of person, or pony, to take joy in such things.
The fact that the last time she did take joy in such things was during the most wasted and horrible years of her life did not help sell her on the matter.
Shuddering, Sunset took her place amongst the crowd of actual children. None of them seemed to pay her any mind, save for two girls in the back. Even they, however, were more focused on whatever gossip they had mulling about in their minds than the newcomer in their midst. This made it all the easier for someone to simply blend in and await their turn...
Sunset's shoulders shuddered at the notion. Deep within, something pulled at her heart, causing her brain to shiver and her fingers to tap against her hip. No. I'm not going to just sit around and hide. I'm a kid now? Then I'm going to make myself some friends, ones that won't treat me like I'm helpless or be scared of me. I just need to find someone I can connect with...
“This is taking forever.”
Sunset's ear twitched. One of the two girls was talking just a little bit louder, making it impossible to escape her voice. Her nasally, spoiled, whiny voice. And her friend was no different. “I only did this because mom made me. Why can't they just take our pictures?”
“Because they're stupid, that's why.” The first girl, a maroon-skinned child wearing what looked like a miniature pantsuit, humphed and crossed her arms. “Missing school is cool and all, but this is just a big waste of time.”
“Do they have any idea how many shows I could be watching now? I wouldn't have to wait 'til Saturday for dad to stop hogging the TV!” The second girl, a dark olive green child wearing a bright yellow blouse and blue jeans, tapped her foot impatiently. “This is a stupid waste of an afternoon.”
Sunset sighed. Out of all the kids, these were the only ones she really had to work with. Okay, so just...approach them and join in the conversation. They have a point, after all. This is just a waste of time.
Swallowing her pride, Sunset took a few steps towards the two. “You're right,” she said, her voice peppered with as much enthusiasm as she could spare.
The two girls turned to the newcomer in their conversation. Sunset wasn't even certain why she had decided to jump in. Even so, she smiled back at them, acting as cheerful and friendly as she could given the circumstances. At the very least, talking to someone was better than standing around being bored. “This whole thing is stupid,” she added. “I'd rather be anywhere than here.”
“Um...yeah, that's what we just said,” said the first girl. She leaned over and grabbed Sunset by the shoulder. “Listen...uh....”
Sunset could feel her smile slipping away. “I-It's Su-”
“Whoever-you-are,” continued the first girl. “This is a private conversation. You know, no losers allowed.”
The second girl grabbed Sunset's other shoulder, and between the two of them, the teen-turned-child found herself being spun around on her heels. “So why don't you go bother somebody else, okay?”
Sunset's mouth hung open just slightly, ready to unload some protest to the girls' overwhelming rudeness, but her brain caught the words and filed them away. At the very least, she settled for a groan and an eye roll, with a bit of a huff tossed in for good measure at the end. Okay, so that didn't work. Just...try approaching someone else.
She walked up to another girl and said, “Hello.” The girl ignored her.
She walked up to a boy and repeated the greeting. The boy gave her a halfhearted acknowledgment and then turned away.
She finally walked up to another girl, and repeated her greeting. The girl returned it...and then sneezed without covering her mouth. “Sorry,” she said as Sunset wiped the bits of saliva off her face. “I've been sick for a while.”
“That's...fine,” said Sunset. “So, what's your...?” By then, the girl had wandered off.
“Sunny S! You're up next!”
Sunset turned around as Sassy Saddles called her name. The photographer, an ocean blue man wearing trendy and suitably artistic clothing, had just finished setting up his camera, and was obviously eager to begin shooting. Sighing, Sunset stepped up to the stage and smiled as best she could, even as her soul screamed with every flash of the camera.
One thing was for certain, though: she wasn't making any friends here.
Twilight emerged from the dressing room, clad in her street clothes once more. She handed the lavender-and-green dress back to Rarity before brushing off some of the stray shiny bits that had gotten onto her sleeve. “It looks wonderful, Rarity. But...are you sure you can afford it?”
“Oh my stars, darling, did you think I would make this offer if I couldn't?” Rarity laughed as she set the dress back onto the hanger. “I must admit these aren't the most eye-catching outfits I've ever designed, but...”
“Hello, Twilight. Hello, Rarity.”
The two turned about and downward, finding Sunset back in the clothes she had been wearing for two days by now. Her hands were tucked into her pockets, her shoulders were slack, and her face was stuck in a mixture of broken dreams and total apathy. It was only natural that Twilight would respond by grinning like a loon. “So, how'd it go?”
Sunset rolled her shoulders. “They took the pictures. The dress was nice.”
Rarity bent over and pulled Sunset into yet another hug, doing her best to ignore her sour attitude. “Thank you ever so much for doing that! I'm certain they will look spectacular.”
As the bear hug receded, Sunset finally looked up and got a good look at Rarity's face. The fashionista-in-training was beaming with pride, and as much as she wanted to remain perpetually grouchy, Sunset could not help but smile back a bit. Then she got a good look at Twilight, who was positively glowing in awe at the sacrifice of Sunset's self-respect to help a friend. She may have been diminutive in height, but at that moment, Sunset felt taller than she had ever been.
It's not so bad, I suppose. At least I know I can still trust my friends.
“Rarity!”
Everyone turned as Coco Pommel approached, exhausted but still bursting with joy. “I'm sorry to interrupt, but Sassy wanted me to thank you for your amazing suggestion.”
In an instant, cold sweat began to pour down Rarity's brow. “S-Suggestion? I-I don't know what you're...”
“That little girl you brought in was a hit! Fashion Plate can't stop raving about her and your wonderful dress! He said he's personally going to push for her picture to be front-and-center in an upcoming issue of Cosmare!”
Rarity could feel her heart, lungs, and other assorted important organs screeching like nails on a chalkboard. She had never known that joy and horror could be shared in such measure. “P-Please, Coco, it's nothing to be...”
“And to think, none of this would have happened if you hadn't convinced the previous model to stay home!” Coco hugged Rarity, who was by now resembling a trapped spirit more than a human being. “It's such an honor to work with someone as...talented and wonderful as you!” She pulled away, waved goodbye, and departed back to the workroom, leaving Rarity standing in the middle of her boutique...
And staring at a very cross little girl.
“Th-That wasn't true what she said, right?” asked Twilight.
“Well...not...exactly,” said Rarity. “The little darling was sick, and I knew you were coming in, and I...may have forgotten to mention this to Sassy in all the confusion, and...”
“You used me.”
Twilight and Rarity both turned their attention to Sunset, their eyes widening in horror. The girl's hands were curled into tight fists, and her yellow skin was now a considerably darker shade. Her voice lacked the squeaky pitch of the last few days, but was far from her normal tone as well. To Twilight, it was alien, yet tinged with familiarity. To Rarity, it reminded her of a Fall Formal both girls had long wanted to forget.
“W-Well...” Rarity stammered.
“Don't lie to me!” Sunset's eyes were burning. Tears were forming in the small ducts underneath. “You used me! You concocted this whole little scheme so you could guilt me into helping your career! All of this was a...a...” She coughed, the rage overwhelming her from the inside. “You...selfish...greedy...” The rest of her words were mangled and indecipherable, but the spirit of them came through with resounding clarity.
Rarity could feel every nerve in her body shake under Sunset's broken glare. She scanned the boutique from one end to the next, but could find no support. Her boss was in the other room, the girl at the register was useless as always, Twilight had her arms crossed and looked slightly betrayed herself, and she couldn't exactly bolt to the door in her footwear. No amount of apologizing could make up for this. Sunset would never forgive her, especially in her current state.
Then she saw the shop just across the street, and with it, the solution to all her problems.
It was fortunate that the air conditioning at the ice cream parlor was working, for if it had been broken, the burning heat of Sunset Shimmer's anger would have resulted in a very tasty city-wide flood. It was also fortunate that both Twilight and Rarity had gone to get the ice creams, giving her time to fume and tap her fingers in a not-evil-but-still-very-upset way.
When they returned, Twilight was holding two small waffle bowls full of ice cream, one with a single scoop of plain vanilla and the other with several scoops of Neapolitan. And in Rarity's hands was a giant, rectangular bowl, filled with several sliced bananas, large lumps of mint and chocolate ice cream, a tree's worth of nuts, so many sprinkles that it might as well have rained within the building, chocolate and strawberry syrup, hot fudge, and a layer of whipped cream with nine cherries on top. The other patrons gasped in horror as they beheld the crime against healthy eating.
“Here is your Out-Of-This-World Super Ultimate Banana Split.” Rarity sat the bowl down before Sunset, and then seated herself across Twilight, who had taken the spot next to Sunset. The youngest of the group had, of course, gotten the window seat, giving her a pleasant view of the various people running about their daily lives in this strange version of Canterlot. The wind was still blowing, rustling the trees and bushes something fierce, particularly a bush next right next to the window.
“So, are we on speaking terms again?” Rarity asked, her eyes firmly shot and nose held slightly aloft.
Sunset slowly scooped a small bite of the ice cream, not even bothering to wipe the trail of syrup from the side of her lips or the tabletop. Twilight and Rarity rapped their fingers against the table and chuckled nervously, watching and waiting for some kind of reaction. Sunset slowly chewed the cream until it was a warm sludge before swallowing, and then took another bite. And another. And another. After the sixth bite, she let out a happy squeal and dropped her spoon, her little body already surging with sugar and artificial flavorings.
Rarity coughed loudly. “I-I suppose that's a yes?”
Sunset nodded slowly. “I'm still mad, but...this helps.”
Twilight quickly took a bite of her ice cream and giggled. “It's like my uncle always said. 'There's nothing a little ice cream can't solve.'” She let out another small laugh and gazed deeply into her waffle bowl. “Except for his heart disease, of course.” And she began shoveling the stuff in much more quickly.
“That would explain why you got such a...small amount?” asked Rarity.
Twilight shrugged and wiped some of the excess cream from her mouth. “I don't want to spoil dinner. Speaking of which, are you okay eating that much this late?”
Rarity looked down at her bowl, let out a small chuckle, and began smoothing the ice cream's lump exterior with her spoon. “You need not worry, darling. Something like this won't be enough to...'ruin' dinner.”
She would have continued with that line of conversation, but a buzzing noise from her skirt interrupted any further discussion. Sighing, Rarity reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. “Huh, it's from Rainbow Dash. What could she be calling about?”
Sunset, meanwhile, was happily gorging herself on the oversized ice cream abomination. As she struggled to finish the mountain before it melted into a puddle, she continued to stare at the world outside. It may have been the sugar, or perhaps her brain going into the early stages of freezing, but everything seemed a lot calmer all of the sudden. The frustration of being dragged about against her will, of being used by someone she called a friend, of having to sit in the pouring rain for thirty minutes waiting for a bus...all of that seemed to wash away with the ice cream.
This wasn't a good day, she thought to herself, but I can't say it was completely...
“We're at the ice cream parlor,” said Rarity. “Uh-huh. Yes, they're with me. Why is this so...?”
The chiming of small bells suddenly echoed through the parlor, signaling a new arrival. “You guys might want to look up here,” cried out a familiar voice.
The three turned their attention to the front entrance. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash was standing there, doing her best to look cool despite the situation. Standing next to her was another teenager, this one wearing a blue shirt with a pink bow and a purple skirt. Her skin was purple, much like Twilight's. Her hair had a stripe running through it, just like Twilight's. Her backpack was bulging so much that the edges of books could be made out, which was just like Twilight.
“I-Is that...?” muttered Twilight. Sunset only nodded in response.
Standing in front of them was Princess Twilight Sparkle.