"...IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHTTTTT!!!"
Twilight Sparkle nearly fell out of her chair as she was startled by a screaming, red and gold blur bursting through the mirror in her library and running across the room before it tripped and went flying into a pile of books.
She stared at the book pile for a few moments, holding a hoof against her rapidly beating heart as her mind puzzled its way through the past fifteen seconds. Eventually she took a few hesitant steps towards the pile. "S-Sunset?"
A pained and embarrassed groan was the pile's only response.
Twilight rolled her eyes, discarding the last few shreds of panic from her mind. "You forgot to switch to four legs on arrival again didn't you?" She asked with a sigh, her horn lighting up to start shifting the top layers of heavy tomes off of her friend.
"Don't you judge me book pony!" Came the disgruntled and somewhat confused sounding reply from the pile as it started to glow with red magic from beneath, working to start moving books from the other end.
Twilight grimaced at the sight. Even with everything the girl had been through on the other side of the mirror, the color of a unicorn's magic wasn't supposed to just change like that, but it was a mystery to save for another day she reminded herself.
It was only a few more seconds until their combined efforts finally unearthed a hoof for Twilight to grab onto and pull up out of the pile, revealing a disheveled looking Sunset Shimmer. "Are you ok Sunset?" Twilight asked, concern creasing her eyes.
"Yeah, I'll be fine, just give me a second." Sunset replied, giving her head a quick shake to dispel the remaining dizziness before attempting to smooth out her mane.
Twilight threw a foreleg over her back and began to lead her towards a nearby chair. "Come on, let's get you sitting down, then you can tell me what's going on since you don't usually show up unannounced and screaming." Twilight said with a good-natured chuckle.
Sunset gave her a grateful look as she slumped into the pleasantly over-stuffed chair and took a relieved breath. "Thanks Twi, I suppose I kind of owe you an explanation huh?"
Twilight just gave her a friendly smile as she pulled up a second chair and conjured up a pot of tea and a pair of cups on a coffee table that sat between them. "Not a problem, take your time...provided it's not an emergency that is." she added, a tinge of worry creeping into her expression.
Sunset smiled reassuringly, though she began to fidget at the same time. "No, no, nothing like that, I just learned of some news recently...exciting news." she explained, though she had to levitate a tea cup into her hooves as she spoke to avoid the urge to wring them instead. "But I realized I need some advice before I can act on said news, and while I'd normally go to one of our friends on that side of the mirror for this sort of thing, you're...uh...let's say uniquely qualified in regards to this particular subject."
Twilight nodded along as Sunset explained, her smile growing at the prospect of being especially helpful with whatever it was she was talking about. "Well I'd be happy to help Sunset, what can I do for you?" Strangely, confirming her assistance seemed to make Sunset more nervous rather than less.
Sunset looked away from Twilight with a slight cringe. "Ugh, alright here comes the part of this conversation I've been dreading." she grumbled before turning back to Twilight. "So there's a bit of premise I need to get through for any of this to make sense, now just bear with me, because this is gonna get weird for a bit."
Puzzled, Twilight none-the-less nodded her agreement, trying to figure what topic that she was supposed to be some kind of expert on could have Sunset so on edge.
Sunset took a deep breath and looked Twilight directly in the eyes. "I've had a huge crush on you for ages."
That was definitely not what Twilight was expecting, as evidenced by the combination of an embarrassed yet flattered blush on her face, her eyes wide with shock, and her wings that had snapped open like a startled bird about to involuntarily take flight from the room. "...I'm sorry could you repeat that?" she asked, maintaining her awed expression, though she at least managed to fold her wings back down so as not to give Sunset the impression they were open for other reasons entirely. Damn things could send very mixed messages...
"You heard me just fine." Sunset huffed, wanting to move this part of the conversation along before her face burned off.
"I...but...what...Suns...I...er...that is to say...huh..." Twilight was struggling, that much was obvious, but in her defense, she was dealing with a lot of mixed emotions at the moment. Finally the thought foremost in her mind made it through the tangle and down to her mouth. "...but I'm not into mares!" she shouted with a cringe, convinced those words would mean the end of one of her most treasured friendships.
Sunset couldn't help but giggle a bit at seeing Twilight's forlorn expression. "Ohhhhh noooooo, how will you ever tell your parents!?"
"I...what?" Twilight was caught off guard by the joke, cracking her out of her bout of paranoia.
Sunset had to stiffle her laughter before she could respond, taking a few quick breaths so she could settle into a more serious expression. "Relax Twi, I know, I've known the whole time, that's why I never told you. I never even had a chance, not your fault." she soothed, giving her friend a calming smile.
Twilight frowned at that. "I'm sorry Sunset..." she said sympathetically. "If there was anything I could do differently..."
Sunset waved a hoof dismissively. "Don't worry about it Twi, I got over it," she admitted, "though I still think you're cute." she added with a wink, enjoying the panicky blush that shot back over the Princess's muzzle.
Twilight was about to reprimand the girl for teasing her before remembering this awkward yet pointless confession was supposed to be the lead up to something. "Wait, if you were never gonna tell me, and have already moved past it, why are you telling me now?" she asked, curiosity quickly getting the best of her.
Sunset couldn't help but start to squirm again as she felt a whole new set of butterflys settle in her stomach. "Well, let's just say I've been feeling a sense of deja vu recently...romantic deja vu..."
Twilight frowned, arching a brow at Sunset. "I don't understand, I'm no expert at this kind of thing, far from it, why would you want my advice? Not to mention why would you have to tell me about your crus..." Twilight paused as realization hit her almost as quickly as her own hoof. "It's Twilight isn't it? Wow I'm thick."
Sunset bit her tongue, deciding it'd be best to pass on the low hanging innuendo. Instead she watched as she could practically see gears turning behind her friend's violet eyes.
"Wait, if I'm heterosexual, wouldn't that mean chances are pretty high she is as well? I mean we've already established that divergences can occur in almost any way between the two worlds but that one seems like a bit of a leap." Twilight pointed out, a hoof pressed contemplatively to her chin.
"I assumed the same thing." Sunset admitted with a shrug. "As soon as I started feeling attracted to her I was already preparing to nip the feelings in the bud, at least until last weekend..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Alright...it's time to end this!" Rainbow Dash muttered, her eyes taking on a familiar competitive glint.
Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity all sat against a nearby wall observing, having already been eliminated from the game.
Dash, Sunset, and Twilight sat in a small circle, with Sunset and Dash glaring at each other while Twilight just looked sort of bored. Both Dash and Sunset were holding up a single finger, while Twilight held her whole hand open towards them.
"Never have I ever..." Dash started, looking from Sunset to Twilight, knowing she needed to bring Sunset down now in order to clinch vistory. Well second place, but it was basically impossible to beat Twilight at the game since she had never done anything, so losing to her hardly counted. Narrowing her eyes, Dash decided to bring out her trump card, the one thing she always saved to knock Sunset out.
"Never have I ever been gay!"
"ARGH so lame!" Sunset shouted indignantly, "You always do that Dash! Why did I ever think it'd be a good idea to come out to you guys!" she raged, far more offended at being beaten than having her sexuality thrown in her face for fun. Honestly it hadn't exactly been a shock to anyone. Apparently the spiked leather jacket and cowboy boots had been a dead giveaway, or so Rarity told her.
Dash was about to throw back a cocky retort when their argument was interrupted by a loud squeak of embarrassment, causing every eye in the room to turn towards Twilight as she hesitantly curled her pinkie finger in towards her palm.
"...jackpot." Sunset whispered to herself, trying to conceal an ecstatic, and admittedly slightly predatory grin while the others all stared with hanging jaws.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Fascinating..." Twilight breathed, grinning herself. "Remind me to interview her about this later, I'd like to know where else we diverge in terms of non-nurture based traits."
"That's what you're getting from all of this?" Sunset deadpanned.
"THINK OF THE SCIENCE!" Twilight shouted, falling into one of her more 'mad scientist-esque' expressions.
"Why are girls like this my type?" Sunset muttered to herself. "Is it the big brain, or the mania? Maybe I just like purple...I should see a therapist..."
"We could map the genetic markers for hetero and homosexuality! Win the Neighbel Prize!" Twilight continued to ramble, lost in dreams of high science adventure with her twin.
"TWILIGHT!" Sunset interrupted, grabbing the sides of the mare's head between her hooves. "I need you to focus! I understand that unprecedented scientific advancement with the potential to doom or save all of equinity and humanity is on the line here, but we have something much more important to discuss, my love life!"
"I shtill dohn't quite undershtand what you neehd me for..." Twilight mumbled through squished cheeks.
Sunset released Twilight's face and sat back down, nervously pawing a hoof at the table. "How do I get her to say yes to a date..."
"Um..." Twilight thought over the question for a minute, trying not to think too hard about how she had no practical experience saying yes to a date herself. "Have you tried just asking her?"
Sunset blinked a few times in confusion, as if the thought never occurred to her. "Do you really think that's my best shot...I mean you're both so shy sometimes..."
Twilight shrugged. "That's what I'd want to happen, I'm too shy to do the asking myself, but I think if a stallion I really liked was doing the asking, I could muster the courage to say yes." she admitted, before hesitating a bit as a blush made its way back onto her muzzle. "...and if I'm honest, if in some parallel universe it was a stallion Sunset doing the asking, I'd have a hard time saying no..."
Sunset stared at Twilight for a moment, her mouth agape, before it curled into a devious smile. "Say, there aren't any good gender swap spells are there...I mean I wouldn't exactly say no to some kind of friends with benef..."
"Keep it in your pants Shimmer." Twilight huffed as she crossed her hooves in annoyance.
"Right, sorry, that was rude." Sunset apologized, only somewhat sincerely. "Anyways, back on topic, I should just go for it and ask her? No grand romantic gesture, or contest of wits and strength, maybe take her to a party?"
Twilight gave her a deadpan look, though with a small smile sneaking across her lips. "I thought you said you wanted to ask somepony 'uniquely qualified' rather than our other friends? Why does it suddenly sound like I was last one to make a suggestion?"
Caught in her fib, Sunset smiled sheepishly. "I was saving the best for last...even if it was actually Fluttershy's idea that I ask you even though I was terrified of telling you about my feelings..."
Twilight's smile turned more genuine as she remembered her reaction to Sunset's confession. "Considering I was terrified of letting you down, I suppose I can't blame you, though we both should have known better...which, by the way, further backs up my advice. Just ask her, if she says no I'm sure you'll still be friends afterwards."
Sunset nodded, realizing Twilight probably had a point. "Yeah, maybe it really is that simple..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunset stuffed her bag into her locker before leaning to take a peek around the locker door, confirming that Twilight was standing at her own locker a few feet down the row, transferring several absurdly large volumes too and from her bag.
Taking a deep breath, and giving herself a once over using the small mirror in her locker, Sunset closed the door and attempted to keep cool as she strolled over to Twilight.
"Hey Twi, uh, you got a minute?"
"Sure! What's up?" Twilight chirped, looking up at Sunset with a small smile as she began playing nervously with a lock of her hair, something Sunset had noticed she always seemed to do whenever they were talking.
"Um, are you like, doing anything after school today?" Sunset asked, trying to simultaneously keep a stutter out of her voice and resist the urge to turn around and sprint away.
"Nope nothing planned..." Twilight answered, a slight fog creeping up onto her glasses. "Did you, uh, you and the girls that is, wanna do something? Or...maybe a study session or something? We have that AP test coming up..."
Sunset tried to smile, hoping it wouldn't come across as horrifying as it felt. "Well no, I was sort of wondering if you maybe wanted to go on a date or something?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight yawned loudly as she scooped up her latest finished book in her magic and levitated it off to it's correct shelf. Just as she was about to start looking for a new one to replace it, her attention was instead drawn to a different book sitting next to her on the table, emblazoned with a familiar cutie mark and buzzing with magic.
She immediately took it up and began excitedly flipping through the pages to find the latest entry, which consisted of just a single word.
Jackpot!
Twilight shook her head with a small chuckle before closing the book and swapping it for fresh research material. As she started in on the new book, she couldn't help but mutter to herself. "I really need to find a coltfriend..."
Author's Note
Seriously, never gonna stop bothering me that Sunset had teal magic in EQG1 and red magic in Mirror Magic, the fuck!?
Anyways I hope y'all enjoy this simple and cliche oneshot. Was in the mood for something silly and fluffy, hopefully I pulled it off.
EDIT: Woo we have cover art now, big thank you to Vulpessentia for giving me permission to use their adorable drawing!
EDIT2: Wow! Still in the feature box after 4+ days, I am awed and humbled. This is now my second most popular story, and my first most popular I'm still convinced is carried purely by a somewhat novel premise. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this goofy fic, it means a ton to me.
