Sunset Shimmer thumbed through the sheaf of papers Twilight had handed her a few minutes ago, her lips pressed into a slight pout.
This seems like a really bad idea.
“So,” Sunset said, her eyes trained on the documents in her hands. “This chemical looks… interesting. Are you planning on synthesizing it?”
Twilight shook her head with a smile and adjusted her glasses. “No, I’m planning on ingesting it.”
Sunset gulped.
This is a horrible idea.
“This list of side effects seems a little troubling.”
“Side effects can be mitigated with proper preparation.” Twilight hummed a bit. “The thing is…” she trailed off as she bit her lip.
“Go on,” Sunset said as she continued paging through the information, “I’m listening.”
“Well, uh.” Twilight looked up and to the left. “I really want to reexperience the sensations I encountered while in the Midnight Sparkle state without, the, uh.” She giggled. “Trying to destroy all of reality part.”
This sounds like the worst idea ever.
“And this… chemical… is what your research led to?”
“Yeah,” Twilight said with a delicate nod, “I cross-referenced the feelings and sensations I, uh, felt, on a search engine, and all roads led here!” She clasped her hands together.
“Mhm.” Sunset put the stack of papers down on the table next to her and clasped her own hands together. “Well, it’s clear to me that you’ve done the appropriate research.” She looked down and to the right. “I’m just not sure why you decided to tell me.”
Instead of replying, Twilight offered a two-page document to Sunset.
Sunset took it, looked at it. Frowned. “You need someone to watch you.”
“Yeah, uh.” Twilight reached over to the paper stack, flipped to the page she was looking for, and pointed out the appropriate section. “It’s recommended that the intoxicated party has a sober partner to mitigate any possible incidents, like cutting yourself by accident, falling down the stairs… emotional support…”
“You already have this notarized,” Sunset mused. “Well, I guess I could—”
“You could?” Twilight asked with a wide smile on her face and a pen in her hand.
Sunset returned the smile and took the pen. “I’m somewhat honored you decided I was the person you wanted to keep you safe,” she said as she signed the form and handed it back to Twilight.
I can’t even begin to express how inherently awful this idea feels.
“I couldn’t think of anyone else more appropriate,” Twilight said with a slight chuckle as she set the signed form to the side, her smile appearing more natural.
Sunset leaned in. “So, now that that’s out of the way,” she said before she pursed her lips a bit, “I didn’t really see in the information you gave me where one would get this.” Sunset rolled her wrist. “What… store, would we find this at?”
Twilight’s eyes popped open before she snorted a bit, licked her lips, and looked to the side. “Well, uh.” She sighed. “Let’s just say it’s somewhat nice to see this level of innocence still in you.”
“This is hilariously illegal, isn’t it?”
Twilight looked down, licked her teeth, and nodded her head. “Not if, we file a request with the appropriate federal agencies and wait a few years for them to honor our request.”
Sunset groaned. “But I’m guessing you didn’t do that.”
“Right you are, Sunset!” Twilight said as she raised a finger, then put her hand to the side and blushed. “You’re so perceptive.”
“Mm.” Sunset cradled her forehead in her hand. “So how are you obtaining this?”
“I’m glad you asked!” Twilight clapped her hands together. “So, I’ve been making friends outside of our normal circle.”
Sunset sighed. “Uh-huh.”
“And these friends know people who know people who can obtain the materials that I was seeking!”
Twilight’s eyes darted left and right. “Well, when you put it like that, sure.” She fidgeted with her fingers a bit. “But they seem to be on the level. They’re not like, bank robbers or murderers or anything.”
Sunset looked up. “Well, actually—”
She was interrupted by Twilight’s phone buzzing, at which Twilight’s face lit up. “She’s here!” she said with an expression that could only be described as innocent delight. “Stay here while I get the door, okay?”
“Sure,” Sunset said as she leaned back with a grunt as Twilight practically skipped out of the living room towards the front door. Sunset closed her eyes and put a hand over them.
She planned this from the start. She knew I’d agree for some reason and set this whole thing up. I’m now wondering what would’ve happened if I said—
“This is a very lovely home you have here,” a syrupy voice she had thought long banished said. A voice that twisted into her heart and pulled her into a seated position.
No. Oh no. It can’t be.
“I’ll be sure to pass the compliment on to my parents, Dagi,” Twilight breathed out. “I’m just really glad you’re able to help me like this.”
All of Sunset’s nerves stood fully on edge as voluminous orange and yellow tresses and a slim, female body entered the room accompanying Twilight, a shoulder bag slung over her form.
“I must say,” Adagio Dazzle said, “every room I see here is more and more—”
Adagio cut herself off when she lay eyes on Sunset Shimmer, the corners of her mouth turning down and her eyelids slitting like Venetian blinds.
“Im… pre… sive…”
Sunset growled from deep in her throat as Twilight traded glances between her good friend and her new friend, a confused smile-sneer on her face.
Twilight pointed at each of them. “Do… do you two know each other?”
“We’ve met,” both Sunset and Adagio confirmed, Sunset gripping an arm of the chair she was seated on and Adagio clenching the strap of her bag.
Twilight’s expression softened into a grin. “Well that makes this easier, then.”
Adagio pointed to Sunset and looked at Twilight. “She’s not going to cause any trouble, is she?”
“Oh, no.” Twilight shook her head. “I’m pretty sure she’s―”
“Me? Cause trouble?” Sunset said as her eyes widened and her mouth grimaced. “Excuse me?”
Twilight’s eyes darted between Sunset and Adagio. “I said I’m pretty sure she’s―”
“From what I understand, you’re no slouch in the danger department,” Adagio said with a smirk as she tugged the strap of her bag. “I was just better at it.”
Twilight started hyperventilating and wringing her hands together. “Now, now, this isn’t a contest, I’m sure we can find some common―”
“Now you see here,” Sunset said as she shot up from her seat and got in Adagio’s face, “I’ll have you know that—”
“Both of you, shut up!”
Sunset and Adagio both turned to see Twilight wave her arms in front of her, her chest expanding and contracting as shallow breaths escaped from her mouth. “Both of you, just. Ahhh!” She grabbed her head and sat down on the couch. “I’d just like to participate in a transaction that could get all three of us sent to prison without any speed bumps, so if you two could just put your differences aside for the length of this extremely illegal exchange, that would be great please thank you!”
A ringing silence permeated the room as Sunset and Adagio both looked away from each other and Twilight clenched her teeth, harried breaths escaping from in between them.
After a few moments passed, Twilight quietly fixed her hairdo and Adagio and Sunset sat down, the latter in her former seat and Adagio next to Twilight, the silence extending still for a few moments more as the three of them alternated rhythmic exhales.
“Well, then,” Adagio said curtly as she removed the bag from her shoulder and set it on the coffee table in front of them. “Let’s get down to business, shall we?”
“Let’s,” Twilight said.
Sunset leered as she watched Adagio unzip a pocket of her knapsack and pull out a plastic zip-top bag. Inside were a number of square pieces of cardstock paper with various designs on them.
“So,” Adagio said as she worked up a smile, “how much did you want?”
A few moments passed as Twilight stared at the incredibly illegal package. “Um, I was looking for something in the range of five hundred micrograms.”
Adagio snorted. “Look, honey, I appreciate your enthusiasm―”
“Thank you!”
“But I can’t do that.”
“What?” Twilight asked as her curious gaze at the bag morphed into an indignant glare at Adagio. “Why not? I thought the customer had final say.”
“Yes.” Adagio patted Twilight on the cheek. “But maybe this sales associate wants to see the customer again, and not in a psychiatric institution.” Her hand moved to Twilight’s thigh, which set the hairs on the back of Sunset’s neck on edge. “Let’s knock that down to like, one, one-fifty?”
“Uh, okay.”
Sunset noticed that Adagio’s hand was still on Twilight’s thigh, which Twilight didn’t seem to notice. Then apparently Twilight noticed by moving her hand down to Adagio’s which was still on her thigh and keeping it in place.
Gripping the arm of her chair was all Sunset could do to not lunge in and strangle… one of them.
Adagio glanced at Sunset, gave her a smirk, then back at Twilight. “Secondly, I can’t give you a dose as exact at that because I’m not entirely sure what dosages are contained in these strips of paper,” she continued as she collected Twilight’s hand in hers, then stared back at Sunset with that smirk on her face. “I can estimate, but―”
A purple glow encased the plastic bag as it lifted into the air, Twilight disengaging the manual embrace as she stood up, the smile reappearing on her lips. “Well, I can get you exact dosages!” She ran downstairs, calling out, “Be back in a bit, Dagi!”
Sunset gave Adagio and her smirk a glare that could melt titanium. Adagio and her smirk looked around the living room as her fingers danced amongst themselves.
Finally, Sunset composed herself enough to not murder Adagio on the spot and asked, “So, uh, are you and Twilight…”
“Friends?” Adagio said, the smirk now a predatory smile. “Yes.” She grabbed her bag and rifled through it. “Friends enough to trust each other with a thousand dollars’ worth of materials, at least.”
“Hm.”
Adagio set the bag beside her, where Twilight once sat. “Surprised that a villain such as I am capable of making friends?”
“No, I’m―” Sunset raised a finger, then curled it on her lips. ”I’m more surprised that it appears to be more than that.” She grunted and looked to the side. “Or that she didn’t tell me.”
Adagio rubbed one of her eyes and grimaced a bit. “Tell you what?”
“That you two, were, uh. You know.”
Adagio leaned in and showcased that same grin that sliced through Sunset’s spine. “That we’re what?
Sunset pressed her lips together as her eyelids did the same. “It’s nothing.”
“Sunset, dear,” Adagio said, “it’s okay.” She leaned back on the couch. “It’s a purely physical―”
“Shut it.” Sunset was now boring holes into Adagio’s forehead with her gaze, her lips still pressed tightly together as she released staccato breaths.
Adagio took in the sight with what appeared to be pleasure.
“It’s just.” Adagio shook her head as she clasped her hands together. “It’s just so much fun pissing you off, you have no idea.” She chortled and looked up to meet Sunset’s gaze. “I hadn’t the notion that it’d be so easy, though. You must really have the hots for my friend Twilight.”
Sunset felt an ache in her jaw that suggested that it had been clenched for a while now. There were words that wanted to come out, but none of them did. She just took in the vindictive facial creases of the monster in front of her that was working her way into Twilight’s life.
They exchanged the shared scrutiny for a few moments longer before Adagio leaned back and sighed.
“Well.” Adagio examined her fingernails. “Like I said, I have no interest in her in that manner, so you’re free to do whatever.”
“I don’t need your permission,” Sunset growled.
Adagio whistled. “Well, I’m guessing you were waiting for someone’s permission, because judging by your reactions you wish you two were wrist-deep inside of each other.”
That drew a raised eyebrow from Sunset, followed by a vigorous shudder as her brain went through the mechanics of what Adagio had suggested.
Adagio winked at Sunset. “Like I said, so much fun pissing you off.”
Their pleasant conversation was interrupted by hurried stomping and Twilight reentering the living room, strands of hair out of place once again with zip-top bag in one hand and a piece of paper in the other.
“Okay,” she breathed. “I’ve, uh…” She looked at the bag. “Determined the dosages in each and have labeled them, and this—” she waved the hand with the piece of paper “—is the dosage we agreed would be safe.” She walked over to Adagio and handed her the bag, who took it and put it in her knapsack before slinging it over her shoulder and standing up. “So, let me run upstairs and get the money―”
Adagio put her hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Not necessary. You’ve more than worked off the price for analyzing and labeling all of these for me.”
Twilight pouted. “But that was just a favor! You shouldn’t―”
“Of course it was,” Adagio said with a slight chortle before she threw a glance at Sunset. “And friendship should be rewarded.” She pulled Twilight in for a tight hug, who returned it. “And you’re such a good friend.”
Sunset clenched and unclenched a fist.
The hug ended. Adagio looked and Twilight and Sunset each in turn, then said, “Well, I have business elsewhere.” The smirk softened into a smile. “You two have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
The grin sharpened into a smirk as she gazed at Sunset again. “That is, of course, unless you already have.”
Sunset clenched and unclenched her fist. Harder.
Adagio walked out of them room and waved. “Well, ta-ta.”
Twilight’s grin threatened to rip her face in half. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun!” she said as she looked at the cardstock square in hand. “We’re gonna have deep conversations, and I’m gonna be able to,” Twilight waved her fingers around her head, “think really interestingly, and I’m gonna be on top of the world!”
“Right.”
“Aren’t you excited?”
Sunset rubbed her jaw as she released her clenching, the tension simply dissipating. “Yeah, Twilight. I’m really excited for your experience tonight.”
She really has an innocent curiosity about her, Sunset mused, always wanting to try new things.
Twilight glanced between the paper and Sunset with a wide-eyed grin on her face. Sunset’s face grew pensive as she sighed.
Sunset looked at Twilight sitting on the edge of her bed in her pajamas while staring intently at the slip of paper in her hand.
“Mmh.” Sunset licked the back of her teeth. “Are you going to… ingest it, now?”
“Not yet.” Twilight glanced at the alarm clock, then back at the paper. “I’m waiting until seven P.M., mostly to make recording the arc of the experience mentally easier.” She rubbed her face with her free hand. “Also, I’m a little bit nervous,” she continued with a chuckle. “This isn’t exactly like drinking a cup of coffee.”
Sunset pulled out her phone and started typing on it. “I’m sending a group text out to the girls that we’ll be unavailable for the evening.” She pursed her lips. “Due to heavy illegal intoxication.”
“Sunset!” Twilight shot a glare at Sunset and clenched her teeth.
“I’m joking, Twilight,” Sunset said as she typed out the message, then hit the send button on her phone. “I just told them I was helping you with an experiment.” She put her phone away. “Which isn’t too far from the truth, I’d imagine.”
Twilight grunted. “No, it’s not illegal to be intoxicated like this in our jurisdiction!”
Sunset cocked an eyebrow. “But you said it was illegal to have this chemical.”
“It’s illegal to possess the chemical, sure,” Twilight said, “but once it’s inside the bloodstream, they can’t charge you for possession, which is useful to remember if I need any emergency services.”
“That was a pretty large list of side effects,” Sunset said as she looked up and to the right.
“Most of which―” Twilight removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose “―most of which can be mitigated by having a positive mindset and being in a warm, comfortable, and safe place.” She put her glasses back on and looked back at Sunset. “And with warm, comfortable, and safe people.”
Sunset looked away and rubbed her wrist. “I thought Dagi would fulfill those.” She growled a bit. “At the very least the warm part.”
Twilight let out a warm chortle. “You’re funny, you know that?” She sighed and looked up. “Warm and comfortable, sure, but―oh! It’s seven.” She glanced at Sunset with a wide-eyed purity.
“Wish me luck!” With that, she put the paper in her mouth.
“That isn’t ominous,” Sunset said. “Remember to wish me luck next time I have a salad.”
Twilight tittered close-mouthed.
Sunset stood up, walked over to Twilight, and put a hand on her shoulder. “Just stay positive and remember that I’m here.” She smiled at Twilight, who smiled back and put her hand on Sunset’s.
Sunset caught eye of the amethyst geode around Twilight’s neck, which mimicked the ruby geode currently around hers.
Visions of destruction flashed through her mind.
Sunset removed her hand from Twilight’s shoulder and pointed to her geode. “You know, maybe you should remove that just so you don’t accidentally rip down a wall, or, uh, cube your bed.”
Twilight’s eyes widened before she removed the necklace and put it on her night stand. “Right.” She nodded. “Safety first. Being able to lift objects with my mind would probably be dangerous during a mind-altered state.” Twilight glanced at Sunset’s own necklace. “I wonder if your empathic abilities would fare as well…”
Sunset fingered her amulet and walked to Twilight’s desktop. “Do you want me to put on any music?” she asked as she grasped the mouse.
“Oh, yeah!” Twilight said. “There should be a playlist called ‘Soothing Music’.”
“Found it.”
“Dagi helped me set it up.”
Sunset groaned loudly as she slumped into the computer chair and rubbed her face to the soundtrack of the promised soothing music.
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.
“No, it’s just…” Sunset massaged her face. “Mmh.”
Twilight looked down and rubbed her chin. “You two said you knew each other.” Twilight exhaled. “But I’m gathering you two didn’t get along so well.”
Sunset looked nowhere in particular as she rubbed her thumb and index finger together. “Yeah, last time we met we got into a bit of a scuffle, to say the least.”
Twilight put her hand on her lap. “And you’re both still holding a grudge?”
Sunset leaned back while rolling her eyes up and left.
You don’t know the half of it.
The momentary silence was interrupted by the sound of Twilight’s stomach rumbling, which caused her to blush. “Hey, Sunset, could you make me something to eat?”
Sunset rubbed her forehead. “You could get it yourself.”
“I could,” Twilight said as she looked at the clock, “but I’m not entirely sure I’d be able to make it back up the stairs afterwards.”
Sunset scowled at the clock. “Fine. What do you want?”
“Quesadillas, please!” Twilight said as she clasped her hands together. “Grilled, though. I don’t like the texture when they’re microwaved.” She grabbed her phone. “Also, I’m texting you Dagi’s number so that you two can maybe make up. I don’t like the idea of my friends not getting along.”
Sunset’s jaw clenched as she felt her phone vibrate in her jacket pocket. “Would you like anything to drink, your majesty?”
Twilight chuckled. “Since you asked, water. Bottled. Please.” She shuddered. “I don’t like the flavor that comes out of our tap.”
“Uh-huh. What corner of the world would you like your cheese to come from?”
“Oh, whatever’s in the fridge is fine! Nice for you to ask, though.”
Sunset didn’t roll her eyes, but she came close. “Right,” she said. “Well, I’ll try to be as quick as possible, then. Don’t get in too much trouble while I’m away!”
“Sure!” Twilight said with a big smile. “Also, you say that jokingly, but most people actually die in bed. So, that’s good advice!”
This time, Sunset did roll her eyes.
Sunset sighed pleasantly. She looked around, then came to the realization that she wasn’t actually sure where anything was in Twilight’s kitchen.
She rubbed her hands together. “Let’s see here…”
She opened a cabinet. Canned goods. Nope.
Another. Cereal. Nope again.
At least the cheese was inside the fridge, so that was a start. She grabbed a few bags of whatever until her phone started buzzing, which caused her to hit her head and swear loudly. She pulled out her phone and glowered at the number.
It was Adagio’s.
Dammit, Twilight.
She answered, put it on speaker, and placed it on the table. “I’m guessing Twilight told you to call.”
“You’re so perceptive,” Adagio said through the phone, her voice sweet as poisoned honey.
Sunset grunted. “Right. By the way, you wouldn’t happen to know where the tortillas―”
“Cabinet next to the stove.”
They were there.
“… Huh.” Sunset said, taking them out. “That’s an original place, I guess.”
“Yes, I know it’s a weird place to put grains, but that’s where her parents decided to place them.” A chuckle emerged from the phone. “She finds it unusual, as well. She sure does love her quesadillas, though.”
“Yeah, but usually we get them when we’re out,” Sunset said. “We never thought to discuss kitchen layout at the time.”
“Is this why you answered the phone, by the way? Tortillas? Cooking help?”
Sunset finished the quesadilla, put it on the grill, and leaned her head in her hand. “Yeah, uh, no.”
“Figures.”
“I, uhm.” Sunset took a deep breath and clenched her teeth. “Look, I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Same here. You’re very lucky that someone else was around.”
“Hm.” Sunset grinned. “So I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.” She curled her hands in front of her. “Honestly, I just wanted to―”
“Strangle me?”
“Mhm.”
“The sentiment is shared.”
Sunset checked on the quesadilla and flipped it.
“Look at us,” Sunset said. “Bonding over wanting to kill each other. Twilight would be proud.”
Adagio giggled.
And Sunset didn’t.
Because, she found out, maybe she wasn’t quite joking. She was seriously considering strangling someone.
And her stomach dropped.
Not for long, though. Soon enough, Adagio talked again, bringing her back to reality. “Hello? Sunset, are you there?”
“Uh. What? Ah!” Sunset blinked. “Right, uh. Where were we?”
“Killing each other.”
“Oh yeah. Right.” Sunset massaged the bridge of her nose. “I don’t think that would end well considering recent developments.”
“You mean Twilight.”
“Yes.”
“You mean me being friends with Twilight.”
“… Yes.” Sunset tapped a few times on the table. “Well.” She sighed. “She seems to trust you.”
“And I trust her back. Because we’re friends.”
“Right.” Sunset rubbed her face. “And I’m pretty sure if she trusts you…” Sunset trailed off before she shuddered, “physically, then you’re not trying to hurt her.”
“You know, that thing you just said seems to disturb you a little. Which is hilarious, mind you. By all means, keep going.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m not even the one doing the talking, Sunset.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The smell of melted cheese caught her attention. “Lemme remove the quesadilla from the grill. It was… ”
“Pleasure talking with you as well. Although, word of advice?”
“From you? No, thanks.”
“Lovely. But—you’re really bad at lying to yourself. You should work on that.”
“Sure. Bye.”
“Toodles.”
The call ended.
Sunset placed the quesadilla on the plate and covered it with a paper towel in an attempt to keep it warm. She went back to the fridge to grab the bottled water and paused for a bit.
Me? Bad at lying to myself?
Serrated memories scarred her thoughts.
Tell me about it.
Sunset’s brief self-flagellation was cut off by her phone vibrating against the table. She snatched two bottles of water from the fridge and hurried over to check the notification .
It was a text from Twilight
Come upstairs I’m feeling something
Sunset inhaled sharply as she pocketed her phone, grabbed the quesadilla plate, and rushed upstairs…
… To find Twilight excitedly examining her hands.
She looked up at Sunset in awe. “It’s weird,” she said. “I think it’s coming on. It’s like I feel…” She stuck her tongue out. “Exposed. And enclosed. At the same time.”
“That’s… Nice, I guess.” Sunset placed the plate and bottle on the nightstand. “I’m not sure it was worth a text, though.”
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked as she took off her glasses and stared Sunset in the eyes. “Of course it was!” she said with a grin. “I want you to be here with me when this happens!”
“… Why did you take off your glasses?”
“Because I wanted you to see that I was telling the truth,” Twilight said as she put her glasses back on. “The eyes are the window to the soul.”
Sunset stared at her.
Twilight stared back, smiling.
And Sunset managed to smile back. “It’s nice that you’re enjoying yourself.” She patted Twilight on the shoulder. “I’ll be at the computer.”
“Okay!” Twilight said as she went back to reexamining her hands.
This was going to be a long night.
Four bottles of water and an empty plate later, Twilight was busy on her laptop. Sunset had moved to her phone after Twilight had requested the ambient light from her desktop be shut off, because it ‘messed with the mood’.
“Wow.” Twilight broke the silence after a while, voice showing the faintest trace of surprise. “I am really intoxicated.” She took her pulse with her wrist. “Still elevated, par for the course. Although the sparkling lights around the mirror threw me off guard for a moment. I don’t remember that happening last time.”
“That’s because you were— ”
Don’t bring it up.
“—Otherwise distracted.”
“Right.” Twilight nodded. She then grunted and eased herself out of bed. “I’m going to go to the bathroom.” She looked at Sunset expectantly. “Could you follow me there?”
“As long as you don’t expect me to hold it for you, sure.”
“But… but there’s nothing to hold! Female biology doesn’t―”
“Yeah, okay, wow.” Sunset walked over to Twilight and patted her on the back. “You are out of it. Joke, Twilight. That was a joke. You okay?”
Twilight raised a finger and started walking, Sunset in tow. “I’d argue that I’m really in to it.” She took careful steps. “The ground feels really wobbly. My sense of spatial perception must be misaligned.”
“Suppose so,” Sunset said as she opened the door, which Twilight scurried through.
At least she’s still Twilight.
“Air, kinda curved there. Another sensory mistranslation.”
“Mhm.”
“And we made it to the bathroom!” Twilight finally chirped, turning on the light and giggling. “That was an interesting short trek.”
“We walked twenty feet across the room, but okay.”
Twilight giggled again. “Wish me luck!” And she closed the door behind her.
“Okay,” Sunset said as she clasped her hands together and leaned on the wall next to the bathroom door.
Sunset pulled out her phone and played around on it a bit. Funnily enough, the night wasn’t going as poorly as she’d expected.
The biggest obstacle she’d faced had been forcing the quesadilla down Twilight’s throat, and from there on the evening had just consisted of Twilight making notes of the effects and little else. Nothing out of the ordinary for someone as studious as her.
Knowing her, she’d do the same thing if she ever drank. Sunset chuckled at the thought of―
The time on her phone said eleven-fifteen.
She shouldn’t have been in there that long, she thought as she knocked on the bathroom door.
“Twilight, did you fall in or something?”
“Jeez, no, I’m fine,” Twilight she opened the bathroom door with a dumb grin on her face. “You sound like my dad.”
Sunset sighed. “Oh, Sorry, I―”
Then Twilight grasped her hand. “I was just thinking about something. Must’ve gotten distracted.”
“You’re, uh.” Sunset looked at her held hand. “You’re holding my hand.”
“I figure that would be safer, is all.”
And it was safer. Twilight barely had time to talk about the air’s geometry in this part of the room before they made it back to her room.
“So, uh. Twilight.” Sunset made her sit on the bed, and took out her phone. “What were you thinking about?”
“Wings.”
“… Wings?”
“Yes. I was wondering why I had wings when I ponied up.” Twilight’s eyes were wide as she spoke.
“Well,” Sunset said. “That’s simple, actually. You have wings because your counterpart has wings.”
Twilight shook her head. “It can’t be that simple. You said.” Twilight pointed at Sunset without looking up. “You said that Twilight has both wings and horn because she earned them by creating new magic.” She went back to typing. “So I’m sitting here trying to figure out what kind of new magic I created.”
“It’s probably―” Sunset started before her heart caught in her chest.
“It’s probably what?”
Sunset looked up and closed her hand in front of her. “How do I say this…”
“I mean, it can’t be from Midnight Sparkle because how could I earn a gift from becoming something so evil, right?”
“Hh.” Sunset bit her lip. “Actually, I’ve literally never heard of anyone simply dissolving the structure of reality before.”
“Huh.” Twilight frowned, gave this a thought, typed something on her laptop. “Well,” she said. “New magic is new magic, even if it’s more thanatosian in nature.”
“I’m not even sure that’s a word.”
“Well, it is now.” The rhythmic clacking of the laptop keys provided a certain rhythm to the exchange. “The, um.” Twilight rubbed her eyes. “The word would be an adjective that would classify the attached noun as being related to death, and I can’t think of anything more related to death than what I―” Small pause. “―what she did.”
A pall set over the room as the mood noticeably shifted.
It must be nice to be able to attach your past monstrosities to another being.
Sunset rubbed her head.
Okay, um… positive mindset.
She forced a smile on her face. “So I understand you and Adagio get along rather swimmingly.”
“Oh, yeah!” Twilight said as a smile appeared on her own face. “She’s really nice and she can keep up with me intellectually, which is a relief.” She hummed. “She was also a lot of help when Timber and I decided to split up.”
“Yeah, long distance relationships can be tough.” Sunset pouted. “I thought we were a lot of help, though.”
“Oh, no.” Twilight waved a hand while keeping her eyes trained on the monitor. “You were all great help emotionally.” She hummed. “She just helped in a more… physical manner.”
Sunset rolled her eyes. So I keep hearing.
“It was really nice of her!”
“Yeah, there’s a name for that,” Sunset growled. “Friends with benefits.”
The typing coming from Twilight became more furious as she paused for a second, then smiled. “So it is! I’ll have to tell Dagi next time I see her.” Twilight grunted. “You know, rotten roots grow the sweetest fruits. That phrase describes you perfectly. Even if it’s biologically impossible. Did you know that?”
Sunset sat at attention as her eyes popped open and her blood ran cold, Twilight looking unusually smug with herself. She felt something coming on. Something bad.
“I, uh,” Sunset said as she stood up, “I’m going to use the restroom. Try not to go anywhere.”
“I don’t think I could even if I wanted to right now!”
Sunset rushed out.
Once inside the bathroom, she put the lid down, sat on it, gripped her face, and took slow, controlled breaths. It wasn’t helping much.
She’s just not herself right now.
That was a lie. Twilight was being Twilight right now. And Sunset was bad at lying to herself.
Maybe her tongue is just loose.
So she already thought all those things; she just hadn’t said them out loud.
Maybe… maybe… maybe she just thinks I’m a horrible―
Sunset’s phone rang.
She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and picked it up. “Hello?”
“Get in here now something weird is happening!”
“Twilight, I can hear you screaming from your bedroo―”
“Please thank you!”
Sunset rushed out of the bathroom to find Twilight grabbing her head, the laptop to her side. “What’s wrong?” she asked, grabbing her arm. “Twilight, are you—”
“They’re trying to get into my head!”
“… Who’s trying to get into your head?”
Twilight’s mouth curved into a rictus for a moment. “I don’t know! But they’re trying to get into my head!”
Sunset looked. “I don’t see anyone trying to get into your head.”
Twilight glared at Sunset. “That’s because they’re from outside reality!”
“Twilight, there’s nothing outside of reality. I don’t think―”
“Liar!” Twilight pointed an accusing finger at Sunset. “Equestria is outside of this reality!” Her hand darted around robotically. “So. That. Must. Mean that there are other realities!” Her head started twitching as she grabbed it. “And they’re trying to get in me!”
Sunset took a deep breath, then pulled out her phone. “I’m calling 911.”
She managed to dial the first number before she caught Twilight’s geode pulsing on the night stand in time with a familiar cerulean masquerade mask flashing on her face. Twilight hyperventilated, then screeched as her back arched and a pair of midnight blue avian wings blossomed from her back.
Twilight turned into an avatar of destruction, and Sunset watched.
I have a really bad idea.
She grasped the amulet around her neck, sending a warmth through her body that coalesced around her brain and hands, then grabbed both her’s and Twilight’s heads.
Everything went white.
Sunset’s mind felt fuzzy as she made impact knees-first with what felt like a hardwood floor. Her vision was initially blurry, then she slowly regained her eyesight to see she had landed in what looked like her apartment, loft and everything. Sunset slowly stood up as a groan traveled out of her throat and she gained her bearings.
She had the distinct feeling that she was being watched, though.
Okay, I’m just going to assume I’m in Canterlot City and play this from there.
With that, she stepped outside. She was indeed in Canterlot City. A rather abandoned Canterlot City. The buildings were all in place. Judging by the eerie silence, though, nothing else was.
Sunset clasped her hands together.
What would Twilight do…
She hummed.
What would Twilight think I’d do?
With that thought in mind, she trudged towards Canterlot High School.
The feeling of being watched remained.
She sighed in relief when she saw the pedestal where the equine statue once stood, and picked up her pace when she saw Twilight standing in front it huddled into herself. Twilight looked up and smiled when Sunset tapped her on the shoulder.
Then she screamed.
Sunset snapped around and saw shadow rush past her vision, then snapped back to see where Twilight once was, her body now engulfed in sinewy, pulsating darkness. The inky black eventually amalgamated into the jagged-horned, horse-tailed, hawk-winged Midnight Sparkle, who smiled a smile that sent shivers through Sunset’s veins.
“Sunset Shimmer,” Midnight said as she adjusted one of her gloves and walked towards Sunset’s body, “you look resplendent before me.”
She ran her fingers through Sunset’s hair, which caused the frightened woman to recoil as she circled around her.
“Your hair of interwoven red and gold marks you as the autumn that heralds my winter.” Midnight’s heeled boots clacked off of the pavement, the sound ricocheting through the town. “When all of spacetime will be in hibernation as I deconstruct it into its constituent parts in order to better understand it―molecule by molecule.”
Clack.
“Atom by atom.”
Clack.
Midnight stood in front of Sunset and grabbed the latter’s jaw.
“Quark. By. Quark.”
She pushed Sunset away, who stumbled in the lot.
“And reconstruct it piece by piece. Into something pure, something perfect, something awe-inspiring, something… ”
Something without someone like me. Sunset pressed her eyes shut.
Midnight Sparkle growled a hum, then turned around to face Sunset, whose eyes shot open.
“Ah, yes,” she said as she brought a curled hand to her lips. “You live with many regrets. A common mortal concern.”
Sunset clenched her jaw. Oh, yeah. We’re technically in the same mind right now.
Midnight chuckled. “We are. Now, tell me,” she said. She approached Sunset until she got close enough that their breaths entangled in the air. “Which part of your life do you regret the most? I may do you the favor of excising it first. As a reward, for enabling my transcension.”
Sunset remained silent.
Midnight touched Sunset’s cheek. “Was it that Adagio Dazzle spoiled the Twilight Sparkle before you could claim her fruits yourself?” She giggled. “Or was it that Timber Spruce stole her heart first?”
Sunset blushed, grew dizzy, and shook her head. Midnight grabbed her jaw again; Sunset felt her icy fingers pressing against the bone.
“Perhaps it was your failure to scour me clean from your Twilight, and allow me to hide in the corners of her mind?”
“No,” Sunset said through Midnight’s clench, at which Midnight threw her onto the pavement. She sat up and rubbed her jaw.
“Hh.” Midnight walked behind Sunset and yanked her hair upwards, Sunset squealing from the sudden pain. “Perhaps… acting as a beacon to summon those sirens? After you yourself attempted to murder those you call friends?”
Sunset could feel the cruel smile from behind her. She certainly did regret all of those things, but she wasn’t going to tell her.
Just a little closer…
She hoped that the demon would respond to her mental suggestion, and grew excited when she felt Midnight’s breath on her ear. “Or maybe even your own birth? When you were provided occasion to disappoint your mentor―”
“Right, nice talking with you. But, if you don’t mind? I have to meet someone,” Sunset said.
And then she grasped her amulet, and pressed her head and Midnight’s together.
Everything went white.
Then, total darkness―and in front of her, a shivering Twilight. .
Sunset’s heart softened at the sight.
“Twilight?”
Twilight turned to look at Sunset, turned away, then turned back. “Sunset?”
“Yeah,” she said with a smile on her face. “You really outdid yourself this time.”
Twilight shook her head as she approached Sunset and hugged her tightly―tighter than she deserved. “Oh, I’m sorry!” She looked Sunset in the eyes. “I’m… I…” She sighed. “I guess this was a bad idea.”
“Yeah, you can say that again.” Sunset returned the hug, and looked around.
Twilight noticed. “Wh-what are you doing?”
“Looking for a way out of here.”
“You mean.” Twilight exhaled. “You mean you just dove in Midnight Sparkle’s head—inside of my head—without a way out?”
“Our heads.” Sunset sucked her teeth. “Not the most well thought-out plan, when you say it like that, no.”
Twilight pulled away from Sunset. “Okay,” she said, resting her chin against her fist. “Run me through the most likely scenario.”
“Alright.” Sunset took a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Right now, you’re frozen mid-transformation.”
“That’s not good.”
“Nnnope,” Sunset said as she grabbed her face. “So, best case is that the transformation dissipates by itself, your parents come home, and pull us apart.”
Twilight took in a breath. “Best case. Not most likely case.” She faced Sunset. “What’s the most likely case?”
Sunset rubbed her hair where Midnight Sparkle was still pulling on it one level up. The pain was dulled with some distance, but it still made it a tad bit difficult to concentrate. “Mmh. Most likely case is that your parents pull us apart when you’re still mid-transformation. Then you complete the transformation.”
“…And?”
“And reality goes bye-bye.”
Twilight scratched her head. “Hm. I don’t like it. Too many variables outside of our control.” She licked her teeth. “What do you suggest we do?”
Sunset felt a little dizzy. Whether it was from the continuous hair-pulling or something else she couldn’t identify, she didn’t have time to suss it out. She clasped her hands and cracked them in front of her. “In my experience, what I’ve traditionally done is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
Twilight nodded, smiled, and sat down. “Then let’s do that,” she said as she patted the space next to her.
Sitting down seemed as good an idea as any to Sunset, so she took the seat that Twilight delineated next to her. She looked over at Twilight, who had a smile on her face that didn’t suggest that everything was about to die. Looking at it, Sunset felt like everything was going to turn out alright despite all of the evidence to the contrary.
“So, uh.” Twilight clapped her hands together. “Good, end of the world topic.” She kept her hands clasped together and looked down. “What’s… your… greatest regret?”
Sunset groaned and rubbed her head. “Please, I just went through this.”
“I heard.” Twilight licked her lips. “And you didn’t say yes to any of them.” She looked at Sunset. “So, what’s your greatest regret?”
Sunset suddenly felt very exposed as she bit her lip. “Um.” She giggled nervously. “Why don’t we start with you?”
“Hm.” Twilight pressed her lips tight. “You’re being cagey. I suppose I could start.” She put a finger to her lips. “Uh… not having had the chance to cure a major debilitative disease.”
Twilight gazed eagerly at Sunset. “Okay, now you!”
Sunset suddenly felt very exposed again. She looked at Twilight―curious, intelligent, beautiful Twilight―and wanted to say everything to her all in one word, but no words would come out. She cupped her hands around her mouth and groaned, afraid that she’d have to live with what she said on the off-chance they made it out of this alive.
“Come on!” Twilight said as she shoved Sunset and giggled. “I said mine!”
Sunset put her hands on her knees and sighed. “Well… I mean if we’re going to die anyway, I guess.” She looked around at the nothing that might eventually be everything, then sighed again. “My greatest regret is.” She shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.
This feels like a bad idea.
“My greatest regret is never asking you out on a date. I guess. Mostly because I didn’t think you’d say yes.”
She opened her eyes expecting everything to be on fire, but all she saw was Twilight, wide-eyed and jaw dropped.
“Hh.”
I suppose that’s a good start.
Sunset looked away and rubbed her hands. “Nothing like you and Adagio have done, of course.” She felt her breath catch in her throat, but pushed on. “Just, you know, a simple affair. Where we hold hands, and walk down the path in the park by the lake, and we throw bread at the ducks but then the park ranger comes over and says ‘don’t throw bread at the ducks their digestive systems can’t handle it we have feed you can buy’ and then we head over to the duck feed machine and it costs a quarter but the machine won’t take the card and we have no quarters so―”
A sudden lunging tightly-hugging Twilight bowled Sunset over. She looked up to see Twilight’s face―happy, yet forlorn and wistful. “Of course I would have said yes!” She surprised Sunset yet again with a peck on the lips. “I trusted you when I was at my most vulnerable! What made you hold off until armageddon to say that?”
Sunset inhaled.
Oh yeah, this is why I didn’t want to admit that now.
Sunset exhaled and smiled weakly. “Because it’s kind of hard, I guess, to see yourself in that light when you’ve done what I’ve done. And when your friends remind you of the time you tried to kill them every third day.” She looked to the side and patted Twilight on the back. “It really wears on you, you know?”
Twilight grabbed Sunset’s head and turned it so that they were facing each other. “Look. Sunset. I didn’t know you back then. All I know is who you are now.” She pressed her forehead against Sunset’s. “And if you had to go over a few speed bumps to become this wonderful human being, whom I literally trusted with my life, that’s perfectly fine with me.” Twilight chuckled. “Remember what I said earlier before I went crazy?”
Sunset broke Twilight’s grip on her head and looked away. “Yeah.” She grunted. “Rotten roots grow the sweetest fruits.”
Twilight sat up on Sunset’s lap and snorted. “Yeah! You know, like how you have a dark and troubled past,” she said while waggling her fingers in the air, “but it makes your friendship more genuine.”
Sunset sat up and cocked an eyebrow. “Really? How?”
Twilight flexed a hand. “Because you understand how fragile it is!” She hugged Sunset tightly. “And having worked for it grants it more value.”
Sunset looked into Twilight’s eyes, an oozing warming wafting through her as she felt something coming on. Something good.
“Twilight,” Sunset said as she put a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “I feellike I’m about to cry. So I’m going to kiss your face to try and fend it off.” She licked her lips. “Is that okay with―”
She was cut off by Twilight kissing her face instead.
Okay. Well. I can’t really complain about this.
Sunset returned the kiss. She then recoiled as a keening wail pierced her eardrums, and everything went white.
And then Twilight had her suspended by her hair in front of Canterlot High School.
“Um, Sunset?”
Sunset growled. “Yes?”
“What just happened?”
“Let go of my hair and I’ll tell you.”
“Uh, okay, I’m just super confused right now―”
“Will you please let go of my hair it really―”
Maybe Sunset should have specified for Twilight to ease her down, because she just fell on her butt and it hurt.
“Eep!” Sunset glared behind her to see a cute blush on Twilight and her hands covering her mouth. “Sorry!”
She also caught sight of the wings and pony ears now protruding from Twilight, causing her to grasp at her own head to confirm the presence of her own set of equine ears, at which she smirked.
“Well,” she said as she eased herself up, “judging by our new body parts, I guess we know what happened to Midnight Sparkle.”
“Yeah,” Twilight said as she looked around, her eyes narrowed. “I think she’s still somewhere around here, though.”
Sunset exhaled and rubbed her face. “I don’t doubt it.” She grunted. “She seems a little allergic to friendship, though―”
She was cut off by a hug to her chest. Sunset removed her hands from her face to see a smiling Twilight in her vision.
“I think that was a little bit more than friendship,” Twilight said as she blushed.
Sunset felt her own cheeks warm up.
“Vulnerable,” Twilight said as she snuggled her head into Sunset’s chest. “We’re kind of sharing the same headspace right now, so if I focus I can feel what you’re thinking.”
“Right, yeah.” Well now I really feel exposed.
Twilight ended the hug, still smiling at Sunset. “Well, of course. You’re finally being honest with yourself.”
Sunset crossed her arms and looked away. “So, uh, I guess that worked out.” She hummed. “Mostly because I don’t really think before I do things. I’ll, uh, try to diagram what went on there when your parents shove us awake, and…”
She pursed her lips. She knew what Twilight was thinking.
“… I’ll try to be nicer to myself in the future.” She grabbed Twilight’s hand and intertwined their fingers, which made her smile.
“Good,” Twilight said curtly. “Because even though you may not think very highly of yourself, I think the world of you.” Her blush grew redder as she grinned even wider. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without your mistakes.”
Sunset pressed her lips and her eyes shut, then opened her eyes.
Distraction.
“Um,” Sunset said as she scratched the back of her neck, “so, you want to go on that walk, I guess? I can’t promise ducks, but we do have the entire park to ourselves.”
Twilight’s wings fluttered as she kissed Sunset on the cheek. “Please, thank you.”
A smile grew on Sunset’s face as she and Twilight headed off in the direction of the park.
She, however, still had one more thing on her mind.
“Hey, Twilight?”
Twilight hummed. “Yeah?”
“Do you think,” Sunset said as a smirk formed on her face, “that sometime after we wake up, you could show me some of the things Dagi showed you?”
Twilight looked at Sunset, eyes wide, before she looked forward and pursed her lips into to a smile. Her face was the reddest Sunset had ever seen it. “Yeah, I’d really like that, actually.”
“Hh.” Sunset maneuvered her face to kiss Twilight, who reciprocated. “I’d like that, too.”
“I guess you two came to an understanding?”
Sunset nodded. “More or less.”
Twilight’s blush calmed down. “It’s nice that we can all get along.”
