You're not only my friends...

“That is no excuse and you know it, missy! Really, it’s for the sake of your health too!“

“No doubt. But I don’t want to underestimate the government. They are or hire the best of the best, and human creativity is downright scary. The mechanisms you have today... to me, they’re nothing short of your their own brand of magic. Even if confronted with something so... alien, I guess they would lose no time in trying to “counter” it, as you put it.“

Sunset seemed to stop in her tracks for a moment, before looking back to her counterpart almost sadly. “Yeah… yeah, she is for the most part. But…”   

She took a deep breath before continuing. “We’ve… had a bit of a falling out lately. There’s a lot I think you should know. But that’ll come when we get there, I promise.”

“...”

The sadness would seem to be borderline contagious, because this Sunset mellowed a tad upon hearing it. She sighed.

“... Figures. Guess none of us caught a break there, though I’m sure it’s different for you and me. ... Damn, if this keeps happening, I’m gonna have to start believing you.“

“... Whatever. Glad she’s OK.”

“...”

“Alright. Let’s get going.“

“... Sorry, I think I misunderstood. What did you say again, Rarity?”

That was the reaction she could muster. She had heard it perfectly well the first time. But it was only when looking over her friend that the reality settled and her stomach turned.

“...!“

She took a step back. Perhaps she shouldn’t feel that way, as Aria had become a friend of hers through the days post-siren, but that was precisely it: she wasn’t that anymore. That which they had to join forces to defeat. And all of a sudden, it afflicts one of them.

“That... can’t be right, can it?“

“Swimming!“

“I was, uh, busy with something else entirely this one day the girls wanted to hang on the beach, and I kind of wanted to have enjoyed that a bit more. It’s hard to do it after summer, which is something I’m yet to get used to. Back home, seasons changed a fair bit, but it was more... controlled? So even on winter there was-“

She stopped herself, and let out a nervous laugh.

“Oh, good-“

She had been halfway saying it because the sentence was also halfway. Once it concluded, Sunset ran a hand through her face.

“Rainbow, c’mon!! If it’s bad enough that people are talking about it, you have to step up on that! Please!“

“Holy-- Celestia!!“

She is weighed down by the sheer number of pages and almost loses her balance. She looks from Maud to the papers, and is all the more impressed when she meets with her usual, deadpan look.

“...”

“Y’know, something tells me a master thesis you make on geology would be impossible to lift from the group.“ She paused. “... That is a compliment, I assure you.“

She finally mustered the energy to laugh.

“Ahahah, that’s a good joke. There’s no way it’s true.“

“... There’s just... I mean, she wouldn’t...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Uh, just give me a minute.“

“When I came here, it wasn’t with nothing. If I had, I dunno how I’d have survived the first few nights. But that was one time, and with my own stuff: I couldn’t just go back and stock up since the mirror was closed. Nowadays, I… guess I could. But…“

She was silent for a moment, in thought. It’d be a good minute before she continued.

“I can’t say it never crossed my mind, but I’m not going out of my way to be secretive about it with my every action. Even if I tried, who knows how much evidence and gossip already went by with the other students, and the girls are fine enough flauntering the transformations when we play without worrying too much.“

She sighed, but didn’t look altogether unhappy.

“I’m not gonna go out of my way to say it openly, ever. But I’ll go with the flow. The more I understand how friendship works, the more I think it might not be too bad if it does happen.“

“.. So that’s the kind of guy that tails after her? Heh.“

“Sorry, I think you got the wrong person. Excuse me.“

She adjusted the badge on her chest and walks away, just fast enough that someone else that had entered the scene could barely catch a glimpse.

“… Was that…? No, there is no way, right?”

She’d be the one to wave Regal an acknowledging gesture.

“I’m legal.” Sunset said as she adjusted her guitar case on her back once more. “Trust me, if I wasn’t then I wouldn’t have been in that bar.” She said with a wryly grin. “Took some time to get some legit looking paperwork though. And a lot of money, but thankfully I have both. Getting my M-Class license though, that was a hassle I don’t wanna talk about again.” She said with a sigh.

She gave her counterpart another one over before saying “I know a bar over on Stewart Street. I’m in tight with the owner, so we’ll be covered on drinks for the night. Besides, I know you’ve got some questions like I do.”

She stared off in the distance for a moment before beginning to walk down the street, calling out to her double, “You know, it’s funny. I honestly thought you were dead. I looked everywhere online for you and came up with nothing.”

“If you don’t wanna talk about it, suit yourself.“

Sunset listened keenly to the small snippets of information that were being thrown around. After the initial hurdle for believing it, it was getting all the more genuine by the minute. If nothing else, she could respect that her double was as resourceful as herself.at times.

“Sounds good,“ she confirmed she’d go, but didn’t take a step until the other Sunset started moving, after which she just went along parallel to her.

“The least of a public image I have, the better. Helps people having no preconceptions or ways to pull a fast one on me. I’m well-known enough within my own circle already. Well, that and...“

Just like the other Sunset, she momentarily stared off in the distance, but kept walking anyway. She eventually went on to ask.

‘Oh, sweet Celestia, why today of all days?’ Sunset thought to herself as she ran her hands down her face. 

“Look, I know what this looks like and how this is gonna sound, but I’ve had a really bad few weeks so far, and since tonight was no exception I really don’t like like sugarcoating it.” She shot a stern gaze at her double as she picked up her guitar, securing it to her back with the backpack like straps that were on the case. She popped her neck once with a slight pained hiss before continuing.

“Yes. My name is Sunset Shimmer. I was born in Canterlot, Equestria in a dimension where I am a small yellow unicorn. I came here through an interdimensional portal which is located in the statue of Canterlot High School. And don’t ask if it works or if you can go through, because it’s currently shut down, so you can’t.”

As Sunset saw her double pick up the guitar and secure it, she steeled herself to an explanation she wasn’t going to like. And like clockwork, it came to be. She went silent for the next few seconds; after which she shook her head, but spoke in a more amiable tone.

“You know exactly how that sounds, so I’m not gonna say anything. What I can say is that if you’re still going with a story as ludicrous as this... You’re not actually trying to fool me. If you were, you would have been stupid: and I can’t see you’re not.“

Was that egotistical to say when she looked just like Sunset herself? She didn’t think much of it. Instead, she sighed and rubbed her temple, shaking her head again in disbelief.

“It’s crazy, you-- you just reacted like I did last week after the car crashed and I got an earful from my boss the whole week while having to pay it off. Now, I’m not saying I believe you... But so long as you’re not trying to pull the rug on me, I can play along until I get to the bottom of this.“

She now smiled- or tried to. It was stiff, unlike the condescending smile from earlier. Almost seemed like she was not used to doing it. Deciding she was better off trying to get info off of the streets, Sunset decided to suggest something.

Sunset was frozen in terror. Sure, she had anticipated it at some point in her life… but never under these circumstances. No friends, no home, no journal to Twilight  to back her up. All she could do was back up in fear as her counterpart glare at her. 

She self-consciously covered up her chest as she saw the other Sunset eyeing hers and, finally showing some response, she snapped “Hey! My eyes are up here!" 

“Tch. Grow up.“

Though that remark was said with a condescending tone, the fact that they both were the same size didn’t help the intimidation factor. Nonetheless, Sunset soon shook her head.

“Doesn’t seem like you’re one of them, anyhow. But then why--?“

Her gaze wandered, and for a moment, the girl seemed lost in thought. Appearance could be copied: but her voice, too? This was getting comical, but she had to give respect to that kind of dedication.

Eventually, she crossed her arms and wore a fake smile, still noticeably on guard.

Height: 6′4″

Sexuality: Bisexual?

What do you have set as your background? It’s a drawing made for me by my sister! It depicts me and two people that are the most important ones to me. On the computer, anyway. On the phone, I have a Trucy Wright with a Haunter and Clefairy on the side. Don’t judge me, I like PW/Pokémon too. >>

Have you ever had a crush on a teacher? Yes, I had a biology teacher that was both cool and worked out a fair bit. He also had a great voice.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? Hopefully having moved from the country and managing to hold whatever menial or low-key job I can overseas.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? Definitely Austria

What was your coolest Halloween costume? We don’t have that! So I never could make a cool costume- not that I’d even manage to make a cool thing.

What’s your favorite 90′s show? I saw so much stuff back then! It’s hard to choose. Um... probably the original run of Sakura CardCaptors? There was also this show called Mon Colle Knights that I watched on Fox Kids that I thought was cool even if now I know it wasn’t anything special- There’s a lot to choose from.

Have you ever been to Las Vegas? Never

Favorite pair of shoes: Well, I have a pair that’s black and red and pretty comfy, I like that one.

Favorite fruit: Apple!

Favorite book: Alice in Wonderland has been my absolute favorite since childhood. Read a fair few books since then, but that one is the main book that sticks to my mind.

Stupidest thing you’ve ever done? So far as personal things go, I guess that was the decision to switch majors, which made everything in my life slow down to a halt at one point. Non-personal, when I was a kid, I almost drowned a bunny once, that wasn’t even mine.

Tag ten people you want to get to know better: