//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Running 
// Story: The Center of Her World 
// by SaintChoc 
//------------------------------//

Rainbow took Sunset's hand and let herself be pulled up, knees wobbling. "Woah!" Her every instinct told her to drop back to the ground.

"Yeah, it'll take a bit," Sunset said, adjusting the straps of her backpack. "Basically, you have to learn to trust that you can balance on two legs now. It'll take time, but that's basically it." Sunset held her hand gently. "Huh. Same clothing and everything…"

With a flash, Twilight came out of the base of the statue behind them. "Rainbow, you can't just toss other ponies around like that! The last thing we need is to damage the mechanism and turn it off when you're halfway through, or send you somewhere else, or… all sorts of things! Be more careful!" She ducked as one of Rainbow's flailing arms flung out towards her. "I wanted to come through first so I could help you with this whole 'upright walking' thing, but… I see you're moving forward on that." She looked Rainbow up and down. "Huh. Same clothing and everything."

Rainbow's feet were planted far apart from each other, putting her in an awkward squatting position. "You said we don't have a lot of time. Can we just—" She started shuffling towards the school entrance in a slow crab walk.

Sunset snorted, lifting Rainbow up by her arm and tucking herself under it, supporting her weight. Twilight did the same with her other arm and they moved for the entrance, Twilight attempting to offer advice. "Okay, that's it… You've only got one foot to support yourself at a time while you're walking now, so remember that. Alright, stairs! Just—Lift one foot, and—There you go…"

A buff student in a football jacket jogged up the stairs next to them. "Ha! Rainbow took a nasty spill, huh? Nice." He went through the door in front of them, throwing it open enough for Sunset to catch it. 

Sunset chuckled. "Thanks," she called after him. The trio made it through the doorway and into the lobby. "Alright, the classroom I'm aiming for is on the second floor, so…"

"More stairs! Awesome," Rainbow said, as they lurched towards the stairway. She broke away from the helping hands of Twilight and Sunset and stepped onto the stairs on her own, clinging to the handrail for support. By the next landing, she was relatively steady.

"It's two doors down on the right. 216," Sunset said as the trio reached the top. This hallway was thankfully empty. They followed Sunset's directions and moved into the classroom. Rainbow leaned against the teacher's desk within while Twilight inspected one of numerous counters in the room, each with a sink and a gas nozzle. "Ooh! Fancy. I don't think I've been in here before."

Sunset closed the door behind them and set her backpack in the corner of the room. "So! We should be all clear. There's a big field trip today, so this lab's empty at least for this period." She leaned back against a counter and folded her arms. "So let's get this started, then. What did you want to know?"

Rainbow slid herself back until she was solidly sitting on the teacher's desk. She breathed out. "Tell me about the other me. The other Rainbow Dash."

Sunset nodded. "She's brash, independant, brave… She's loyal to her friends, and isn't afraid to get in anyone's face, especially if they're messing with her friends. She loves to be the hero, which results in both that protective nature as well as making her super-competitive. More often than not, though, she really does manage to be the hero." She paused, thinking. "What else… If you prove you're not a quitter and can take some ribbing, she'll be a fast friend, but if you start showing her up or ignoring her, she can get a little cold. Well, not cold. More like hot, actually." Sunset chuckled.

Rainbow stared into the corner of the room, mimicking Sunset's pose and crossing her arms. Her jaw was set. 

Sunset studied her expression for a bit. "I'm not sure what more I can tell you. Can you be more specific? What exactly about her did you want to know?"

Rainbow's eyes met Sunset's. "Where was she when this thing between Fluttershy and Pinkie started?"

Twilight cast an awkward glance towards Sunset. Sunset exhaled. "Ah-ha. Well, uh… I mean, I dunno. Fluttershy and Pinkie were just spending more and more time together and then, one day, Pinkie passed me in the halls and said 'I have a date with Fluttershyyyyy!' and kept going. That's how she told all of us. Basically everyone in the whole school, actually." She paused awkwardly. "Was it any different for you and Fluttershy?"

Rainbow clenched her teeth. "Not really," she mumbled.

"Okay. Well… our Rainbow didn't seem to react with anything but genuine happiness. I'm pretty sure I saw her hugging both of them and talking about how awesome it was. I mean, I didn't talk to her in-depth about it or anything, so… it's possible she wasn't as happy as she acted? I honestly don't know, but she seemed perfectly fine."

Rainbow uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on the edge of the desk on either side of her. Her knuckles turned white as she squeezed.

Twilight's expression was a mix of concern and frustration. "Rainbow… there's nothing wrong with this. If everyone on this side of the mirror is happy, then there's nothing to be done. Is the problem that you're 'losing'? You didn't win Fluttershy in every universe, so that makes you a failure?" She opened her mouth to continue but stopped, her hand going to her forehead. "I'm sorry. I'm not a psychologist. I shouldn't be trying to guess at this." She looked to the ceiling, her hand falling to her side again. "I'm just… I know there's something going on, but it's frustrating that you won't tell me. I can't help you until you talk to me."

Rainbow stared back at Twilight for a moment, then sighed and nodded. She opened her mouth to speak before being cut off by the school bell ringing.

"Woops." Sunset looked up. "Guess we spent a bit longer than I thought setting this up."

"No, no, no!" Twilight said as the noise in the hall grew with the bustle of students. "Gah! We won't be able to leave until lunch is over!" She slumped back onto the counter behind her.

"Well, we'll just have to wait it out. Luckily, I came prepared." Sunset picked up her backpack and opened it up. She took out a sandwich covered in plastic and unwrapped it, dropping the bag. She leaned against the wall and took a bite. "So, read any good books lately?"

Twilight squinted at Sunset for a moment before resignedly answering. "Of course I have."

Rainbow stayed seated on the desk, thinking over what Sunset and Twilight had told her, and watched them idly compare experiences they'd had with their own Rarity or Applejack and chat about what they'd read recently. She lay back, staring at the ceiling tiles.

Several minutes passed. Rainbow stood up off the desk and wandered over to the window and glanced out over the courtyard, seeing various students milling around between the school's entrance and the statue she and Twilight had emerged from. Some students had familiar hair and features, while others were total strangers.

Suddenly, she stopped, her eyes locked on a figure with distinctive rainbow-colored hair and the same clothing she herself had on. She was dribbling a soccer ball back and forth across the grass near the statue. 

"What's up, Rainbow? Recognize someone?" Twilight said from the other end of the room.

The other Rainbow Dash dribbled her ball around the corner of the school and out of sight. "Uh… maybe. Out of curiosity, how many of these guys can you recognize?"

Twilight and Sunset both walked over and peered through the window. "Mmmm…" Twilight squinted. "Ooh! I've seen her around. Usually carrying that cello. Oh, and she's a big-time fashion photographer. Fluttershy and Rarity have worked with her."

"Seriously? That's awesome!" Sunset said. "I wonder what she would say if we told her she already achieved her dreams in another world?"

Twilight laughed before continuing to scan. "I've seen her around, I think… oh, and that's Lyra Heartstrings beside her! I was friends with her in Canterlot!"

Rainbow inched back gradually as Twilight and Sunset were focused on the courtyard. Once out of their peripheral vision, she turned around and headed for the door. 

"Oh, and there's Sweetie Belle and Rarity. Mmm… I think that's it. Anyone I missed, Rainbow?"

Sunset was turned around, eyes wide. "Uh… Twilight?"

Twilight turned around and made a strange choking sound. The classroom door was wide open.   

"Oh, no, no…" Twilight sprinted to the door and looked both ways down the hall, seeing only miscellaneous students "...no, no, no, no, no!" Sunset appeared next to her, appearing equally fearful.

Twilight clutched her head. "What do we do now?"