Shining Together

by Bookish Delight

7: Doubles

Starlight exhaled and slouched, her breathing slowing back to normal. "All right, so. Now that that's over: which car is ours?"

"None of them," Sunset said. "Our ride's over here." She gestured with one hand towards her motorcycle, sporting an orange-trimmed black paint job. Silver frame components gleamed in the sunlight, though without any overpowering glare.

As Sunset expected, Starlight looked upon its majesty... and returned a blank expression. "All right, guess we're doing this all over again." She pointed at the vehicle. "What's that?"

"This is my motorcycle. It's..." Sunset searched her brain for analogies, then went out on a limb, based on some of her more casual conversations with Princess Twilight. "...kind of what our Scootaloos ride, but you sit instead of stand."

The venture paid off. Starlight snapped her fingers. "Ohhhh, I got it! Wow, I didn't think your Scootaloo also—" Starlight froze and gasped loudly, slapping her hands to both cheeks. "Sweet helpless Celestia," she whispered.

Sunset stepped towards Starlight, reaching out a hand in concern. "Are... you okay?"

"Two Scootaloos," Starlight intoned. "Because two worlds. Two of everything and everyone," she said, wildly gesticulating. "That's why you let me come along the first time, because you said you hadn't 'seen me' here, and I thought that was strange for someone to say but this also explains why there are other versions of Twilight's friends here and why Princess Twilight and I also had to smuggle basically clones of the pony versions of us through the mirror that one time she tried to explain it to me but I just kept asking her more questions about the nature of existence and eventually she just gave up!" She gasped for breath for several moments before adding, "Wow. It really was as simple as she said it was. I should apologize."

"Wait." Sunset gaped. "You're... just now getting all this?"

"Hey, now," Starlight said with a nodding smile. "I think very deeply about these sorts of things." She sighed, and rolled her eyes. "And... everything else. Just add that to the list of reasons why I'm here. I'll explain, I promise. If you're ready for a long story at this point."

"Are you kidding? It's only been fifteen minutes and I can't wait for this doozy." Sunset took Starlight's hand. "That aside, though? If you have any other questions about this world, just ask me. I've got all the time in the world to humor them. And anything I don't know the answer to, I'll just... say I don't." She shrugged and chuckled.

"Why, thanks, that's awfully sweet of you." Starlight put the back of her hand to her forehead, tilting as if on stage. "Oh, Goddess Sunset, what ever would I do without you?"

Sunset laughed. "Let's hope we never have to find out. Anyway, to rewind, yes. Two of everyone. Well, most people. I've never seen another you here, or, confusingly, another me. Also, this world's Scootaloo's experimenting with hover boards right now."

As she saw Starlight raise her finger and open her mouth to speak, Sunset quickly continued, "Definition later, I promise. Otherwise we'll be in this parking lot forever, and I don't know anyone who could stand that." She grabbed twin helmets—one orange, one lavender—from the motorcycle's trunk, tossed Starlight the latter, and fastened her own. "Ready to go?"

Starlight put on her helmet, fastened it, and nodded.

"Awesome." Sunset mounted the bike, patting its painted front, her usual warm sense of owner's pride washing through her. With a lick of her lips, she turned on the ignition, then pointed to the climbing pegs on the left side of the bike, tracing a path to the rear end of the seat. "Climb on behind me, when you're ready, and don't let go for anything."

"O-okay." Gingerly, Starlight approached the motorcycle, and slowly climbed on, following Sunset's instructions as she talked Starlight through it. By the time both had gotten comfortable, Sunset decided her engine was more than warm enough.

Mischief bubbled up from within Sunset, and she gave herself permission to indulge. She held the clutch, and twisted the throttle, revving the engine to a tangible, vibrating roar. Instantly she heard Starlight squeal, felt her hold Sunset tighter.

Starlight's next words were heavy breaths in Sunset's ear. "You say you... use this all the time?"

"Uh-huh," Sunset said with a knowing grin as she tapped coordinates into her phone's GPS. "How's it feel?"

She looked back at Starlight, to see the latter licking her own lips, and gazing through Sunset, towards and quite possibly past the horizon.

"Like... magic Equestria doesn't have," Starlight breathed.

Sunset's smile was Cheshire. Worries were officially a thing of the past. "And that's why we're not in a car. Vacation starts now, by the way."

She accelerated, leaving Starlight to yelp in delight, loud and long, as they took off.

Comments

[ShadowLDrago]

I don't know why the whole fandom agrees on Sunset being a biker, but I do very much enjoy it.

[Bookish Delight]

9704163

but I do very much enjoy it.

[NaiadSagaIotaOar]

"Like... magic Equestria doesn't have," Starlight breathed.

This is a fabulous line

Liking this so far

[CapNTilfy]

"Two Scootaloos," Starlight intoned. "Because two worlds. Two of everything and everyone," she said, wildly gesticulating. "That's why you let me come along the first time, because you said you hadn't 'seen me' here, and I thought that was strange for someone to say but this also explains why there are other versions of Twilight's friends here and why Princess Twilight and I also had to smuggle basically clones of the pony versions of us through the mirror that one time she tried to explain it to me but I just kept asking her more questions about the nature of existence and eventually she just gave up!"

Ooh, philosophical!

Let the chillaxing commence!

[Darkstarling]

Vrrooooom!

Yes. That is all.

9704183
It's perfect

[twience]

Oh my gosh, what a laugh! <3

[FanOfMostEverything]

And anything I don't know the answer to, I'll just... say I don't.

"Just hold that thought until I can check the Internet."
"The what?"
"Oh, are you in for a treat..."

In any case, always fun to see someone comprehend the surreality of parallel worlds for the first time. If nothing else, this trip is offering a lot of distractions from Starlight's problems.

9704163
Well, the intermural motocross in Friendship Games certainly supports it. I don't buy it myself, but I can see the appeal.

[Lurks-no-More]

Add me as another who loves seeing Sunset on a bike. It just suits her!

[howard035]

9704163

9704300 The motocross thing, and also Sunset constantly wears a leather jacket, and we can't bear to think that she's a poser.

[BenRG]

I'm wondering if Sunset may accidentally turn Starlight into an adrenaline addict!

Starlight, here's a tip: Sometimes extra-dimensional duplicates are just extra-dimensional duplicates and nothing more!

[PresentPerfect]

And Sunset always keeps a lavender bike helmet around because...? :3

[Akwolfgrl13]

I love sunset haven a motorcycle

[Csquared08]

"Uh-huh," Sunset said with a knowing grin as she tapped coordinates into her phone's GPS. "How's it feel?"

Coordinates? Who says that instead of address or directions? Sunset confirmed weirdo