“Sweetie,” Mom called up. “Dinner is almost ready and your dad should be home soon!”
I pushed the magnifying glasses up onto my head and stretched. The amalgam of parts strewn across my workbench were slowly shrinking. I blew my bangs out of my face and took the glasses off as I stood.
I saw my reflection as I passed by the mirror hung on the wall of the crafts room, seeing the battered jeans I was wearing, small burns and grease spots on them. The shirt was one of Dad’s old ones, just as stained as my jeans, though I had it tied across my middle to contain some of the massive drape. Dad was pretty big compared to me.
I slid into my room and changed out of my work clothes and into a light dress. I didn’t dress like this very often, but it was going to be one of the last ones at home before I moved out into the apartment I had picked out with Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet. Throwing my hair in a tail, it’s longer length still throwing me off. I hadn’t had long hair since eight grade, but the recent time spent as a pony had made me wonder about changing some things in my life. For some reason, that day lingered in my mind not as a nightmare, but as a turning point in my life. A point where I wondered about differences.
I brushed my hand across the pendant hanging in the hollow of my throat, its sunburst design similar to the barrette my grandmother had given me before she had passed. It had also showed up on my flank when I was a po…Unicorn. I had been a Unicorn.
And I had seen something I hadn’t been able to reconcile in my mind yet.
As I walked downstairs, I couldn’t think about anything but how everything had changed two years and change ago. Cinch being ousted, Cadence becoming the new principal of CPA, the fact that magic existed! That one of the girls I had become friends with was actually a pony from another world, and a princess at that. And married to a girl that I used to ignore pretty solidly if I didn’t have to interact with her, an act that I regretted now.
I met Dad as I walked hit the bottom step. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head as he doffed his coat, revealing his lieutenant’s uniform for Canterlot PD.
“Hey sweetie,” he said. “Get anything done today?”
I smiled. “I managed to swap out the old twelve gig storage with that one fifty,” I said. “It’ll take a while to get the new processors in, but I think it’ll be good.”
He shook his head. “You sure didn’t get brains from my side,” he said. “But I’ve seen what you can do with tech, and it’s almost like magic.”
My smile faltered, but he had already turned to kiss Mom as she flitted out from the kitchen, still wearing the relaxed clothes she taught in.
“Dinner’s coolin’ on t’table,” she said in her lilting voice as she moved past us, ruffling my hair as she passed. “I’ll be back in a moment, so don’t be starting without me!”
I smiled as she passed, her energetic mood always managing to cheer me up. Dad chuckled his deep laugh and loosened his tie. “You heard her,” he said. “No starting early.”
“No argument here,” I said as we sat down in the dining room, the smell of the handful of dishes on the table setting my mouth to watering.
“I want to enjoy every moment with you two I can.”
I was idly poking at the circuit board to one of the wrist PDA’s I had modded later that night when my phone started to buzz. I glanced at the ID, seeing it was Sour Sweet and poked the ignore button. I didn’t feel like talking right now. Memories were bombarding me again.
I don’t know how long I sat there, poking the same component over and over as I saw those two ponies fall, that mad creature striking them down as though they were nothing. Horror had filled me at the moment, and I hadn’t made a connection to it at the time just as to why beyond the fact I had seen two people die…though in the end they hadn’t. I didn’t know exactly how magic worked, but I knew a few that did. I set the circuit board down and dialed a number.
“Hey,” I said when they picked up. “Sorry for calling so late. Could I come over? I need to talk to you two. No, it’s just something I need to bounce off of you.”
“So, what brought out this sudden desire to leave the battleground queues?” Sunset asked as she sat a tray down in the table with three cups on it as Twilight pushed a few pamphlets aside.
“I don’t game every night,” I said in the same good natured tone she had. “Just the nights my dad works late so I can be up when he gets home.” I hesitated for a moment before continuing, picking up my cup. “That’s kind of why I’m here.”
Twilight’s eyes tilted in curiosity, the two being quiet as I put my thoughts in order.
“Sunset,” I started. “Where you’re from, there’s another version of all of us, right? Alike in almost every respect?”
The flame-haired woman nodded. “So far as I’ve seen, yeah,” she said. “There’s been a few variances, like Dash’s mom is still alive in Equestria whereas here she died not long after our Dash was born. Professions, living locations, obviously are usually the major differences.”
I nodded. Twilight set her cup down and cleared her throat. “As near as I can tell, the presence of the portal has caused some congruency to perpetuate in this world, though there is also a large possibility that the multiverse theory could be possible, though for the alternate life form being the dominant on Equestria, I’m actually leaning towards something more like string theory for…”
An amber hand slid over her mouth, stopping the litany of words I only mostly understood. “Twi,” Sunset said. “I don’t think she came here for the science.”
I shook my head in agreement as the bookworm nodded in sheepishness. “I’ve been wondering,” I said. “Have you seen us there? The girls from CPA, that is.”
Sunset nodded. “Sure,” she said. “Most of you live in the Crystal Empire, in various capacities. I know that Sugarcoat lived in Las Pegasus. We ran into her on our honeymoon.”
“And my counterpart?” I asked quietly.
I saw them both freeze and look at each other. I knew now that they had some sort of silent communication. A lot had come forward with my sudden initiation into the world of magic, though after everything was finished, I hadn’t ponied up once.
“I…don’t think we’ve met her,” Twilight said. “But Equestria is a pretty big land, it’s possible we just haven’t been to the area where she lives.”
“I haven't even met half the ponies that have sent well wishes after our wedding,” Sunset said. “It’s not unusual.”
“And if there isn’t another me?” I whispered.
“Statistically improbable,” the bespectacled girl said almost immediately. “With so many other concurrent facts and events, it would stand to reason that you have a counterpart as well.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “That’s what’s been worrying me. Ever since I saw my parents get killed in front of me.”
They stared at me in confusion.
“My parent’s names are Gleam Star,” I whispered around the lump in my throat. “And Azure Foalklore.” I looked at them closely for a moment. “And they acted like they didn’t even recognize me that day.”
Sunset reached out and squeezed my hand while Twilight looked shocked.
“I just wanted to know…” I said but froze.
I felt a tingle of magic flowing through Sunset’s skin into mine. A moment later, she smiled softly and glanced at Twilight.
“We’ll see what we can do, Sunny,” Sunset said. “Can you meet us at the school tomorrow at three?”
I nodded.
I stumbled as I finished passing through the portal, my balance thrown off again, though it wasn’t as bad as it had been the first time. I looked around and saw my two guides standing there, Sunset looking much the same as she had, though Twilight’s appearance was different, and it not for the glasses, I wouldn’t have recognized her.
“Welcome to Equestria, Sunny Flare,” my old classmate said as I rose to my feet…hooves…whatever.
“And welcome to the Castle of Friendship,” another voice said, making me turn and stare as s taller pony walked over, lavender coat and wings shining in the refracted light from overhead.
Sunset leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Don’t worry, I kind of snickered when I heard it too.” She stood up and nodded to the new arrival. “Princess Twilight Sparkle,” she said. “This is the one I told you about.”
Twilight…the other Twilight…nodded and turned toward the door. “They got here a few minutes ago themselves,” she said in that surprisingly familiar voice. “They’re rather eager to meet you, Ms. Flare.”
“Sunny, please,” I said.
Twilight - the one I knew - leaned over. “That might get a little confusing with Sunset here too,” she whispered.
“How do you two keep separate?” I asked.
“Childhood nickname,” she answered.
“So that’s why she calls you Sunshine,” I murmured as we walked down the crystalline corridor. “I thought it was just a pet name.”
“It is,” Sunset said from ahead, glancing back at us with a grin. “And I wouldn’t worry about it, we won’t be in there with you.”
We came up to a door that swung open with a lavender glow.
“We’ll be waiting for when you’re ready to go,” Twi…Sunshine said.
And I walked through the door.
Author's Note
Two-parter.
I looked at the two ponies across the table from me as i shifted uneasily on the cushion. Sitting like this was a little odd, but I copied their posture.
“So,” the wom…mare said, her voice almost exactly like Mom’s. “You’re one of t’ponies that helped in that unpleasantness a little while back.”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” I said quietly. “My name is Sunny Flare.”
The stallion chuckled, the rumbling sound reminding me of Dad. “I got to say it’s a first to hear someone call you Ma’am that didn’t report to you,” he laughed.
“Hush it,” she said, a twinkle in her eye. She looked back to me. “So why d’you want to talk to us? Nothing especially special ‘bout us, is there?”
For a moment, I thought I could see a faint mark on her neck that corresponded to the spot where the angry green bolt had struck her.
“I wanted to see you to make sure you were ok,” I started. “But also…” I hesitated.
“Don’t be shy,” Gleam rumbled. “We’re willing to listen.”
I looked down at my hooves, momentarily wondering just how I could feel anything through them.
“On my side,” I said. “I’m a student at a prestigious private school. I have a handful of friends, and I have a wonderful set of parents and a cranky cat named Ember.”
The mare frowned. “I don’t see what this has t’do with…”
“But here, I don’t think there’s another me,” I whispered. “And it makes me worry if I actually matter. If anything I do will actually make a difference.”
I looked at them.
“And I think that because on my side,” I finished. “Your counterparts are my parents, yet when we met, you acted like you didn’t recognize me. It took me a few moments to realize that you weren’t my parents, but it still hurt.”
The Unicorn glanced at her husband, surprise still in their eyes.
“If we did that, please, realize it wasn’t intentional,” she said. “We were on a task, and we weren’t particularly blessed with luxury time.”
“I know that,” I said. “I just wanted to know, do you have a daughter here? Do I exist on this side?”
They traded a long look, ending with the copy of my father looking at me.
“Do you know if you’re adopted or not?”
I laughed weakly. “As many times as Mom has put me to task by complaining about the number of hours she spent in labor with me, I think I’d know,” I said shaking my head. “There’s also photos that she keeps trying to burn since they show her in the delivery room.”
“Sounds like you,” Azure whispered.
“Hush it,” he returned. The easy back and forth was starting to feel familiar, like dinner banter back home. I felt the tension in my back start to ease.
“When I was younger,” Azure started off. “I had a bit of an accident while exploring. Broke my hip and ruined my chance of bearing young. It was devastating.”
“A few years ago, while she was out exploring, she found this little filly that was more or less on her own and brought her back,” Gleam continued. “Also got herself a few busted ribs for it. Officially, she’s been ours for three, almost four years now.”
Azure turned her smile on me, a sad look in her eyes. “I’m sorry, lass,” she said. “But as far as a Unicorn like you, you’re unique in my eyes.”
“I wish we had some better news for you, Sunny,” Gleam said. “But I’m afraid I’m not sure what we can do to help.”
I nodded, feeling a little hollow inside.
“Ma!” a voice called out, followed by a young filly not too much younger than myself trot in quickly. “Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom invited me to go to Sugar Cube Corner to watch Trixie’s next show. Can I go?”
“Sure you can, sprout,” Azure said smiling. “But firstly, be apologizing to Sunny Flare here f’interrupting our conversation.”
Yup, I thought. That’s Mom, alright.
The filly turned to me and gave me a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled in that way kids have. “How do you know my Ma and Da?”
I smiled, mind racing. “I’ve known them for a while,” I said. “They know my parents, so I thought while I was here I’d visit.”
“So you’re like my sister?” she asked.
“Cousin would be more like it,” Gleam said.
“No, no,” I said. “I’m fine with sister. Always wanted a sister, come to think of it.”
“River!” a voice called out from the hall. Are you coming or not?”
The young filly spun and looked out the door, then hugged her mom and dad.
And then me.
“I’ll be home for dinner,” she said as she headed for the door, waving at me as I sat there stunned.
“Looks like you gained some family on this side,” Azure said. “The sprout seems taken with you.”
I smiled, feeling a tear leak free.
“Yeah,” I said.
“Anytime you want, you can come visit,” Gleam said, touching on something I hadn’t even known. “We’d be glad to let you stay over.”
Just like Dad could.
“I think I might take you up on that,” I said.
I was staring out the window when Sunset walked in later and sat down on the couch recently vacated by the counterparts of my parents.
“So,” she started, crossing her forelimbs. “How’d it go?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Honestly, finding out that my parents here couldn’t have me was a little heart breaking, but I kind of gained a sister out of the whole ordeal.”
“Ah,” she said. “River is a precocious little tyke, isn’t she?”
“Certainly a little more lively than we were at that age.”
“Part of that is the culture differences,” she said. “Here, we tend to be independent a lot sooner in life than on the other side. River just got her cutie mark and in a couple years it’s likely she’ll be out living on her own. Twilight wasn’t much older when Celestia sent her here, and Applejack was only a few years older when she and Mac took over the apple farm.”
“She looks so young, though,” I said. “Thirteen at most.”
“Fourteen as near as we can trace it,” Twili…Sunshine said as she came in and settled next to Sunset. “This world still operates on a junior adult process for independence as opposed to the senior student process our world does.” She tilted her horn and tapped Sunset’s.
“Sunny here is twenty-six by Equestrian years, and by the math we’ve done it tracks that all of us are at least twenty by those standards,” she said. “Most of our friends here started following their cutie marks in their early to mid teens.”
I leaned back. “I suppose I understand,” I said, glancing out the window again, seeing a group of young ponies run by, bouncing a ball by them under supervision of a dark Unicorn with what looked like a broken horn. “You guys are so lucky, you know? This place looks so peaceful and idyllic.”
“It’s got its problem spots,” Sunset said. “But most of it fits that definition.”
I watched as the ball game passed over the hill and out of sight.
“Would it be ok to visit from time to time?” I asked. “I do have a little sister to visit, after all.”
The two ponies across from me glanced at each other and smiled.
“I think we can work something out,” Sunset said.
