If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again
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What Worked Last Universe
If At First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again
Twilight Sparkle wasn't a people person, she knew. She didn't really have to be. All she needed to know was what worked last time.
Twilight carefully checked the settings on her brooch, making sure they were perfect. A fresh new universe where she'd never been. Never burned the same bridges...not yet, anyway.
With a few button presses, a flash of green light surrounded her. When it faded, she was still in the Canterlot Public Library, back in the narrowest, most cramped, least visited aisles. Where the least popular books were exiled as the last step before being weeded from the collection.
There was an analogy there, she was sure. She just didn't want to think about it.
***
The way it all started was, Twilight had been walking home from school. She'd heard a motorcycle on the street, behind her. Twilight had turned to look. She'd never talked about it with anyone, but secretly she liked to imagine a few hundred horsepower of throbbing engine between her legs, under her complete control.
That certainly wasn't a metaphor for anything, ha ha. Not for the lack of control she felt in other parts of her life. Not for the pent-up stress and frustration and...need to escape, that she felt but never really told anyone about.
The motorcyclist was a young woman with sun-streaked red-blonde hair. She somehow looked tough yet sweet and kind, all at the same time.
Impulsively, driven by a combination of hormones and a wry sense of humor, Twilight tried to blow a wolf whistle. On her second try, it worked, a shrill sound filling the air. The motorcyclist turned her head and grinned.
When the motorcycle slowed, stopping at the curb beside Twilight, she didn't know what to say. But a part of Twilight knew what she wanted. She wanted so badly not to waste this chance that she might never have again. So she reached out, threw her nearest leg over the bike, and grasped the motorcyclist's body with both hands to climb aboard.
"Let's go," Twilight whispered into the cute girl's ear.
With a roar, the bike accelerated.
They went speeding through the suburbs, then into the hills outside town, with their bodies pressed together. The bike followed a switchback road up the side of a small mountain, tight curve after tight curve, each one forcing Twilight to grab her companion with more determination. Twilight loved it, feeling those tight curves for herself. Having the best possible excuse. She couldn't let herself fall off the bike, could she?
Finally the motorcycle slowed as it neared the mountain's wide, gently sloped top. At a place where the shoulder broadened to provide a parking area, the motorcylist turned the bike off the road, letting it slowly roll onto the graveled parking lot and towards a field of grass and weeds beyond. The bike stopped while still on the gravel, the motorcyclist kicking down the kickstand to lean the bike onto it.
The girl turned her head towards Twilight. "Want to take a walk?"
***
The two girls followed the trail over a hump, and suddenly a vista opened up. A meadow sloped down before them. Beyond the meadow was a patchwork of woods and fields, dotted sparsely with barns and houses. Beyond that, suburbs and the main part of the city, and an uncertain haze of distance.
"What a beautiful view," Twilight said.
The girls stood side by side, wordless for minutes. The motorcyclist reached out and gently touched Twilight's hand, grasping it with her own.
After another minute, the girl turned her face towards Twilight. Twilight was already looking back at her.
The motorcyclist grinned cheekily. "It certainly is."
Twilight had years of pent up...something. Something that she could not have fully explained. She held the motorcyclist's hand between both of hers, and kissed it.
Soon the girls were necking and rolling in the grass, and laughing.
On the way back to the bike, the motorcyclist said, "I'm Sunset Shimmer. Pleased to meet you."
"I'm Twilight Sparkle. And after all that...don't you DARE lose my number." Twilight rooted in her backpack for pen and paper, and scribbled a note. She slipped the note into a pocket of Sunset's leather jacket.
***
Their impulsive love affair was good until it somehow wasn't, Twilight thought. They argued and fought, with heated words, growing more and more upset. It became like a blur of yelling and crying and tears and emotional pain. Afterwards, Twilight felt that she couldn't even have told you what much of the fighting was really about. It had become just a horrible, painful mess that confused her terribly.
But Twilight had never claimed to be a people person.
But what did it mean to be a people person, she wondered. At Crystal Prep, her classmates didn't seem to be aware of anything that was going on in Twilight's life. How she really felt, or why. Much of the time, Twilight's fellow students seemed to get along well enough with each other. But did they really even have a mutual understanding? Or were they just going through the motions that let them fit in?
If that was what it meant to be more of a people person, Twilight thought, it didn't seem to amount to much.
The school's principal, Abacus Cinch, seemed to be a people person in a sense. She was able to make people do what she wanted, and rule the school with a firm hand.
Twilight felt a lot of pressure at school. Abacus Cinch had many firmly held beliefs about what she considered to be appropriate performance from a student of Twilight's caliber. What the student SHOULD be achieving, what the student SHOULD NOT be wasting her valuable talent on. What would make Crystal Prep look good, burnishing its reputation.
What the student herself wanted didn't have much to do with it.
Coincidentally, Twilight knew, she herself was also dealing with teenage hormones. Adolescence was notorious for causing all kinds of problems: moodiness, dissatisfaction, depression, a desire to rebel, even anger and rage. What portion of Twilight's problems, she wondered, were merely hormones and adolescence? Surely it wouldn't be fair to blame Abacus Cinch for that?
But it felt very hard sometimes. No wonder there were moments when Twilight fantasized about the dangerous motorcycle she would never have been allowed to have, not in a million years. Because her parents loved her and would never want their daughter to be hurt, or suffer.
Twilight suspected her parents might have secretly caught on about her riding on Sunset's motorcycle, and they might have subtly sabotaged the relationship, because of their fear for little Twilight.
How could Twilight tell parents like that how she felt? What her life was really like? Parents who made her life worse because they loved her so much?
Assuming that her parents really did love her. She had no reason to doubt it. But can anyone REALLY know what is going on deep inside another person?
The way Twilight felt about that question was, she had no reason to believe anyone did.
***
Twilight had one secret hobby. (Well, only one if you didn't also count collecting pictures of maybe-lesbians on motorcycles, and other maybe-erotica.)
Late at night, or when she was sure no one was paying attention to her, Twilight liked to investigate alternative theories of physics. They were a pleasant distraction from people.
She was able to narrow things down a lot. Any theory that to a genius of her caliber was obviously stupid? Don't bother with it. Any theory that had already been heard of by millions of weirdos and, if it were true, would have given them the ability to do things that OBVIOUSLY HAD NOT HAPPENED? Twilight's logic tossed that theory into the trash.
Of the stories that made the cut, though, there were some rumors about odd phenomena near Canterlot. Twilight's unusual knowledge and skills let her investigate in ways that very few other locals would have been able to do.
When Twilight discovered how to build technology that permitted her to hop from one universe to other parallel worlds? It was wonderful and amazing. But not entirely surprising to anyone who knew her well enough. Which would be a short list of people: Twilight herself.
***
When Twilight had started investigating, it had at least been a distraction and a diversion. When she'd been building her first devices? It was a crazy lark. When she'd been testing and improving her devices to use alternative physics, and they showed signs of ACTUALLY WORKING? It had been a crazy dangerous exciting adventure. Better than a motorcycle, and probably far riskier. Like a motorcycle for geniuses.
When she was able to hop into and back from parallel worlds as easily as playing hopscotch? Once she knew that it worked, safely and reliably? Maybe it wasn't so exciting.
She supposed she could have published. But after her experiences with Abacus Cinch, she wasn't sure it would have turned out well for her. Would she even have been able to keep the credit? Or would she have been edged out of her own discovery, author number fourteen on a fifteen-author paper, with thirteen credentialed, REPUTATION-heavy professors listed before her?
The thought made her sick.
One night, though, as she remembered how good it had been with Sunset before it had become so bad, she had a thought.
There were a lot of worlds out there. And some of them probably had Sunset Shimmers.
Twilight still remembered every detail from when she and Sunset had first met. And Twilight still remembered many details she'd later learned about her girlfriend, before the breakup. It wasn't that hard to make a plan.
Twilight dressed in her Crystal Prep schoolgirl uniform, remembering how it had affected Sunset when they'd been together. Twi put on her brooch, and packed a toolkit and spare parts in her backpack just in case. She made a hop at a place and time that would let her show up in the right spot, walking along the sidewalk, when and where her own world's Sunset usually rode her motorcycle home from school.
Twilight whistled, and Sunset stopped her bike. Twilight climbed on--more skillfully than she had the first time--and whispered into Sunset's ear. Soon they were speeding into the hills.
It was sexy and hot and wonderful. For Twilight, it was even a bit nostalgic, which felt strange and good and a little sad all at once. This being Twilight's second Sunset Shimmer affair, Twi already knew a lot more about how to press her girlfriend's buttons in the good ways, than she'd known when she'd met her first Sunset. Twilight had always been a quick study.
Twilight couldn't give her phone number to a girl who lived in another universe. But she demanded Sunset's number and made do. Sunset was willing to believe Twilight had strict parents who would react poorly if Twilight received phone calls from a hot lesbian with a motorcycle. If anything, the hint of a forbidden, rebellious relationship made Sunset want Twilight even more.
Every time Twilight surprised her new Sunset with another phone call, Sunset seemed eager for more than just a phone call. And Twilight enjoyed obliging her. Oh, how much Twilight enjoyed it. Trying to work off her own pent-up frustrations, grabbing and kissing, undressing, rubbing and caressing and licking, sometimes scratching and biting.
Sunset told her closest friends, she guessed it really was the quiet-looking ones who had the most fire and passion beneath the surface.
This time, Twilight had a somewhat better understanding of what caused the relationship to founder. Part of it was, Sunset started wanting to meet some of Twilight's friends.
Wasn't there anyone in Twilight's life who could be trusted with the secret that Twi and Sunny were friends, at least? Sunset said she couldn't believe that. Was Twilight that ashamed of Sunset? Was Twi not allowed to have any friends who were girls? Did Twilight not have any friends at all? What was wrong, Sunset asked. Tell me, the redheaded girl begged. Tell me what's wrong! What's wrong with me, Twilight? What's wrong with us as us?
Twilight didn't want to explain that the real obstacle wasn't so much someone suspecting that Twilight was a lesbian, as the inevitable consequence of bringing Sunset to Twilight's real hometown. That was, trying to explain or hide a second Sunset Shimmer traipsing around where the first Sunset Shimmer had already dumped Twi so dramatically, and all of Twilight's friends and acquaintances (and even some strangers) knew it.
Twilight could have handled coming out as a lesbian, but coming out as an parallel universe physicist with working travel gear? Twi thought that would become more than she could handle.
Finally, the second Sunset Shimmer stopped answering Twilight's calls.
***
School got worse for Twilight. She worked dutifully enough at everything Abacus Cinch told her to, but she couldn't quite fake the enthusiasm Cinch would have preferred. Twilight's classmates didn't really appreciate Twi's lack of interest in some of the school activities. Why wasn't Twi properly eager to show everyone that Crystal Prep was the best? And whenever Twi herself was the best at something, getting the highest score on a test or pulling off some more unusual achievement, it made many of her classmates resent her rather than admire her.
On some level, Twi was coming to believe that Crystal Prep was not the best, but the worst. But because of the control the schoolgirl believed Cinch had over her future, Twi felt she could not escape, much as she wanted to.
One night, Twilight changed back into her Crystal Prep uniform. She wrote her parents a note to keep them from worrying about her. (The note said she'd gone birdwatching, and had started very early in the morning.) Twilight sneaked out of the house, and took a bus downtown to the neighborhood where Sunset's apartment was. Twilight hopped to another universe, one where she'd never visited before.
Twilight knocked on the door of Sunset's run-down studio apartment. When Sunset answered the door, Twilight said she'd seen Sunset on her motorcycle many times, and once had seen the sun-streaked redhead arrive home. Could she come in and talk, Twi asked.
I suppose, the Sunset said. You should be careful out in this neighborhood so late at night, you know.
Maybe I should just stay until morning, Twilight said. That might be safer.
Twilight's catalog of Sunset's weaknesses in the face of seduction had grown during the last two affairs. Sunset was practically defenseless, and Twilight took her down hard. Sunset moaned and screamed and begged. Twilight knew how to make Sunny reciprocate, too. In the morning, when Twilight awoke, the sheets were soaked and spotted with a few different kinds of fluids. All of them the fun kinds, Twilight thought with some satisfaction at her handiwork.
When Sunset awoke, she said, I don't know what came over me. Did we really do all that?
We certainly did, Twilight said. It's the best I've ever had in the whole world. I feel better than I ever have in a long time.
I feel like we've gone too far too fast, Sunset said. Sometime soon, can we just go on a date? No sex? Taking it nice and slow, getting to know each other? Because I don't feel as comfortable with all this as I'd like to. At least not yet.
Twilight asked for her number.
A few days later, back in her own world, she lost the slip of paper.
***
Twilight had put on her Crystal Prep uniform, and walked where she and the local Sunset would probably see each other, a block or two into Sunset's ride home from Canterlot High.
"Twilight!" the Sunset greeted her. "What are you doing here?
This time, Twilight thought, it would be a little tricky. This must be one of the universes where Sunset and Twilight already knew each other. But if she handled them right, these could often be the most rewarding for a short visit.
"Oh, you know," Twilight said. "I wanted to see you. And I wondered, can we go for a ride? Up into the hills?"
"Sure," replied Sunset. "Let me borrow a second helmet. Back in a minute."
Twilight reached into her backpack and activated a cellphone jammer. She didn't want any unnecessary interruptions. Especially not any that might be connected with this world's Twilight.
When Sunset returned, Twi suggested a route that she knew had bad cellphone service. That might help keep Sunset from being suspicious about not hearing her phone, even if she was expecting a text or call.
Twilight found the ride into the hills exciting and soothing all at once. Her times with Sunsets were often like that now, she thought.
This Sunset seemed to feel uneasy or distracted for some reason. Not a good time to press her too fast, Twilight thought. But when they were sitting side-by-side on a large rock, looking out at a great view, Twilight edged her hand over, putting her fingers on top of Sunset's. The Sunset seemed comfortable with that at least. Twilight smiled at the Sunset, and Sunset smiled back.
Afterward, Twilight suggested going back to Sunset's apartment. Twi was surprised when the bike took a different turn than usual. This Sunset had a sort of one-and-a-quarter-level loft that Twi had never seen before. Twilight thought a building inspector would reject a few features as violations of safety codes. But the location wasn't bad.
The Sunset still seemed uncomfortable about something. Twilight started to think this trip was going to be a bust. But unexpectedly, Sunset gave her an opening.
"Twilight, I don't know why you've been wearing that thing today."
"I thought you might like it." Twilight could sense that Sunset's usual excitement was...mixed with something that didn't usually happen when Twilight wore the schoolgirl uniform. But even in this strange alloy, the excitement was definitely there.
"That's not funny. For Celestia's sake, Twi, take that thing off. Please."
"I thought you'd never ask." Twilight took off her tie, vest, skirt, blouse, and uniform socks, hanging them carefully over a chair.
Meanwhile, Sunset dug through dresser drawers, picking out clothes and laying them out on Sunset's bed. "Here," Sunset said, "I think these will fit you."
Twilight walked to Sunset and hugged her, standing for a long time in a mutual embrace. Twilight started 'accidentally' letting her breath barely brush Sunset's ear. The redhead never had a chance.
Twilight carefully attended to every emotional indicator and cue that Sunset offered. This time, the lovemaking was surprisingly gentle and tender. This Sunset, Twi thought, really loves her Twilight. But I don't think they've ever done anything like this before. Although Twilight eventually indulged herself in a little bit of scratching and biting, she was very careful to keep it mild and playful.
The morning sun threw bright beams through gaps between the high windows' mismatched curtains, dotting and stippling the opposite wall with light. Twilight awoke silently and stealthily, like a cat. She slipped slowly out from under the sheets.
A hand grasped her wrist.
"Twilight," Sunset's voice said. "What would you say, if I told you that there's more than one universe?"
After a moment that felt like a very long time, Twilight replied, "I guess a lot of people think about things like that. There's so much sci-fi, and silly stories."
Sunset took a deep breath. "I came from one of those other universes myself, Twilight. I was in trouble with...the government there. I came here, and I tried to make a place for myself any way I could. I did some things that were pretty bad.
"But just when I was making the biggest mistake of my life--and I've made a lot of mistakes, let me tell you--Twilight and her friends came to my rescue, by stopping me from going through with it.
"Since then, it's been a lot of work to make a new way of life. To do almost everything at least a little differently from how I used to. But it's possible. It's possible, Twilight."
Sunset picked her jacket up off the floor, and pulled her phone out of a pocket. With a few quick moves her finger unlocked the lockscreen.
"No service," she said. She gave Twilight a long, skeptical look.
After a minute of mutual silence, Twilight crawled to the edge of the bed and reached into her backpack. A moment later, Sunset's phone played a musical tone.
With small, swift movements, Sunset fussed with her phone. She held it up beside her face. "Twi? I...I'd better tell you. I have a confession." Sunset found herself at a loss for words.
Sunset said, "Buck it. There's a girl here. Last night, I thought I was having sex with you. No, she's definitely NOT PT. Do you even have to ask? You know if SHE ever...she would be very clear about it.
"I don't THINK she's a changeling double?"
Sunset listened for a minute. For a moment, she got a goofy smile on her face. "Magnificent." She frowned, as if angry at herself, and listened some more. "But that's not the point. I greeted her by name, and from that moment on she let me think she was you. Very. Well, this will sound really stupid. About ten minutes ago. I'm ashamed of how long it took me to figure it out. Why? It's...complicated, for me. The first clue? Let's just say, I think she KNEW I had a thing for cute girls in schoolgirl uniforms. I thought you'd figured out things about me that even I didn't fully understand. Um, something something reclaiming? Yes, I know it's stupid. I'm pretty sure she didn't WANT me to think!"
Sunset listened. "Yes, THAT school." She glanced over at Twilight. Twilight was sitting on the bed, clasping and wringing her own hands nervously. "I know. I'm SO sorry. Just come over. I think we both need your help. Sure, why not? Oh, don't take time for that, I'll do it. Love ya too. Bye."
Sunset took a book off a bookshelf, and scribbled in it, with big, looping strokes. After a minute, she put the book back.
Twilight looked at her incredulously. "You're...writing about this in your diary?"
For the first time that morning, Sunset laughed. "Something like that."
Sunset sat in a chair with her arms folded. She gave Twilight a complicated look, and kept watching her.
Twilight looked sadly at Sunset, her eyes filling with tears.
"Don't give me those puppy dog eyes. I'm not saying anything more until our special guests arrive."
Twilight started to get up.
"No, you may NOT have a hug before our guests arrive. It shouldn't be long now."
Sunset dug through her dresser, and threw a pair of pyjamas at Twilight. "Put these on."
Twilight obeyed.
***
Almost an hour later, someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Sunset called out. She went down the stairs from the platform she used as her bedroom, and opened the door.
In came two Twilights. One was dressed primly in a light blue blouse and dark skirt, her hair up in a bun. The other wore loose camouflage pants and a T-shirt.
"Really?" Sunset said.
The camo Twilight smiled. "I thought this way, everyone will at least be able to tell us apart. And do you have any idea how I'm expected to dress for work these days? Even wearing sneakers is a big improvement."
"It makes perfect sense," bun Twilight said. "A nearly optimal solution for such short notice."
"Come on down, Twilight," Sunset said. Tentatively, a bit fearfully, pyjama Twilight came down the stairs.
"So," Sunset said, "I already introduced myself." She turned to the other Twilights and said in a softer voice, "I didn't really cover the pony-ay stuff, though."
The bun Twilight said, "I'm the Twilight native to this universe. Some of my friends call me SciTwi. You might as well too."
Camo Twilight said, "You can call me PT. I...work in government and education, in the universe where Sunset came from originally. Don't worry, I'm here to help." The other girls broke out in laughter. "What's so funny?"
Sunset said, "In this dimension, that phrase has a SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT connotation with a lot of people. It's kind of a joke about government being unhelpful."
Camo Twilight said, "I'm sorry to hear that." She looked closely at Sunset. "Is that why you chose this dimension, when you came here? Because of your problem with authority?"
Sunset waved off the question. "We can tackle that one another time. But first order of business..." She turned to pyjama Twilight. "Who are you?"
Pyjama Twilight was silent, hunched in slightly and wringing her hands again.
Camo Twilight said gently, "We can't just call you A Moment of Silence, dear. It's too hard to pronounce clearly."
Sunset remarked, "You're sounding a tiny bit more like Celestia every time I see you. Or sometimes, Trollestia."
SciTwi pressed herself sideways up against Camo Twilight and put a hand on their heads. "PT, I think now you're TWO inches taller than me. Where does it end?"
"In this universe? Maybe I'll just grow as tall as Celestia, and stop there. In Equestria? Same thing, I guess."
SciTwi said, "That's a lot of cake."
"Good for a growing plot." Sunset and SciTwi snickered. "But Miss Silence? I think you do owe Sunset an explanation. Especially after last night."
Sunset blushed. "I am SO SORRY SciTwi!"
SciTwi said, "I know you didn't mean to do that with her. But I do have to agree with PT. Spill it, evil twin."
Sunset mock-threatened, "Do you hear that, schoolgirl uniform Twilight? If you don't speak up for yourself, sooner or later all these other Twilights will just get used to calling you Evil Twin, FOREVER!" Sunset attempted an evil cackle. "Or at least until you tell them a better name for you."
Pyjama Twilight mumbled something: "...why isn't she schoolgirl uniform Twilight..."
"What, dear?" PT asked.
Pyjama Twilight pointed at SciTwi. "WHY isn't SHE schoolgirl uniform Twilight!"
SciTwi answered, "Well, after I burned it..." She shrugged. "As those jerks at Crystal Prep say whenever someone flunks out or quits, 'Good riddance to bad rubbish.' Except I made a better choice of what I consider rubbish, and what I want to keep." SciTwi pulled PT and Sunset close into a sideways hug, which allowed them to keep watching pyjama Twilight.
Pyjama Twilight said, "I wish I could do that."
"Do what?" PT asked.
"Burn it. Quit."
PT asked, "Quit what?"
"The uniform. Crystal Prep. Everything."
PT bent down slightly closer to pyjama Twilight. "Dear, WHAT everything?"
"Tricking Sunset Shimmers. Not being able to really talk to anyone. Not having any real friends. Being a bucking fake with everyone."
"Friendship!" SciTwi said. "That's something we can help with. Between us, we're kind of experts."
PT said sternly, "But about tricking Sunset Shimmers. How many Sunset Shimmers have you tricked?"
Pyjama Twilight sniffled. "I...I want to talk about Crystal Prep first."
She told the three other girls everything, starting with her first Sunset Shimmer and her motorcycle.
***
Trying to lighten the mood, SciTwi said to Sunset, "So! How am I in bed?"
Sunset seethed, "I have NO IDEA."
"Sorry," Twilight said. "Just joking."
Sunset shouted, "Well it's NOT FUNNY! You can't know what it was like. From the first second, she knew how to manipulate me. How to use me. How to...oh god. And it felt so good. How could it feel so good?
"When I saw you...thought I saw you, in that uniform, I was worried about you. But I also wanted it to be real. Part of me liked thinking that you knew exactly what you were doing to me, even with the uniform. Do you know what it's like to be understood that deeply by someone who loves you?"
SciTwi reached out and gently held Sunset's hand. "Kind of. But in a good way. Always a good way."
Sunset said, "I don't even know how I feel about you right now. I am very, very confused. I don't even know how I feel about myself. I saw what should have been a warning sign, and I jumped right in!"
PT said, "Sunset, you didn't jump in all by yourself. You had a lot of help."
Pyjama Twilight said, "You were pushed, Sunset. I am so, so sorry."
"Well," SciTwi said, "I guess having been in such an abusive environment for so long didn't do Evil Twin Twilight any favors."
PT looked at SciTwi quizzically.
"Hey!" SciTwi said, "I read psychology books!"
Sunset grinned a lopsided grin. "I don't doubt it. You are my wonderful little bookworm."
"And you're my delightful, brave, tough little Sunnybun." The two girls smiled at each other for a moment.
SciTwi said, "But we have at least one thing to take care of first. I don't even KNOW how many things to take care of first. But helping Evil Twin Twilight escape Crystal Prep and un-ruin her life is definitely on the list."
"True," PT agreed.
SciTwi asked Pyjama Twilight, "Evil Tw--oh, I can't keep calling you that. We need another name for you."
Pyjama Twilight ventured, "Mad Scientist Twilight?"
"Taken!" Sunset and PT said in unison, pointing at SciTwi.
Pyjama Twilight grimaced. "Sometimes a person really likes to think she's unique. And then something like this happens."
PT said, "Well, at least it might be a chance for you to find someone who understands you better."
Pyjama Twilight cried, "No, I don't think SciTwi has EVER done the bad things I did. Sexually deceiving and manipulating people, trying to use them in ways that are just...BAD..."
SciTwi said, "Well, I might have almost destroyed an entire world or two, but I didn't do the sexual deceiving and manipulating part."
Sunset remarked, "Probably as well you didn't."
"Yes," SciTwi said, "Apologizing afterwards would have been even MORE awkward."
Sunset snarked, "Imagine how EVEN MORE awkward it would have been for Spike, trying to talk you out of it."
"EEWWW!" SciTwi said. "You leave Spike out of this."
"Gladly," Sunset said. "I went too far."
"You and me both, sometime or other these last couple years, have gone way too far. But if we can turn our lives around, Evil Twin can too."
"We have to stop calling her that," PT insisted. "She's a person of her own, with hopes, and dreams...we can't just define her only as the evil past that ALL BUT ONE of us here shares. A past that if I'd grown up in different circumstances than I did, maybe I would have shared in my own way too."
"A terrifying thought," Sunset said. "Evil Princess Twilight."
Pyjama Twilight said with amazement, "PRINCESS?"
PT said, "Really, it's a largely honorary title. I get to smile and wave, and sometimes help solve friendship problems. But mostly, I run a school."
"Oh!" Pyjama Twilight said, "Principal Twilight." She gave PT a wistful look. "I wish I could have a principal more like you."
"Worked for me," SciTwi said. "Assuming that some of what you like about PT, is a Celestia rubbing off on her."
"I guess enough years of special tutoring have to do SOMETHING," PT said. "But mostly, I think human Celestia is a good principal no matter what I'M like and how I got this way."
SciTwi nodded. "I'm sure CHS would accept...OH, I CAN'T keep calling her Evil Twin, and I'm sure as TARTARUS not going to call her Sexy Schoolgirl Twilight...that's just WRONG too!"
Sunset more directly faced Pyjama Twilight and asked, "How exactly did you get to our universe, anyway?"
Pyjama Twilight said, "Science. Like I told you."
"So you didn't come here through the portal, right?"
"I STUDIED the portal. But I didn't think it seemed safe. Do you know sometimes that thing just suddenly shuts off for YEARS? Can you imagine getting stuck on the wrong side, knowing no one, wondering if you'll ever make it home..."
"Yes," Sunset said. "So you just built your own portal from scratch?"
"Portable portal, technically," Pyjama Twilight replied. "Or that's one name for it. But yes."
"All by yourself," Sunset said, "with no one helping you do it. You reverse engineered all the magical technology required. Independently."
Sunset lightly punched Pyjama Twilight's shoulder. "INDIE Twilight."
SciTwi said, "That name is surprisingly non-horrible."
Pyjama Twilight said, "SO much better than those other names."
PT intoned formally, "In my authority as a princess of Equestria, I hereby dub thee, Indie Twilight." PT reached out one hand and gently booped Indie Twilight on the nose.
"What the derp?" Indie said. "Was that last part really necessary?"
PT insisted, "That's how we do it in Equestria. Just be glad I didn't give you a confusing noble title. Then I'd have to whack you on the shoulder with the flat of a sword."
Sunset remarked, "I think Indie Twi might be a big improvement to the Equestrian Council of Nobles. She's so...non-stuffy."
SciTwi said, "Let's get her out of Crystal Prep first. Indie, do you know someone named Cadance?"
"She used to be Crystal Prep's dean," Indie Twilight answered. "But about a year ago, there was some kind of conflict about how Crystal Prep ought to be run, and Principal Cinch pushed her out. I think now Cadance works two jobs, part time as a guidance counselor at Canterlot High School, and part time teaching at a community college."
"Reeeally," SciTwi said. "How INTERESTING. Do you think she would vouch for you at Canterlot High, if you wanted to transfer there?"
Indie replied, "She seemed like a very nice lady. And she seemed to understand what a Tartarus-pit Cinch was turning Crystal Prep into. I guess she would want to help, if she could?"
Sunset said, "I wonder who runs CHS in your world?"
"My Sunset got into some trouble with them last year. They're named Celestia and Luna." She pondered. "I wonder, is that like the Celestia that PT keeps talking about? Is that a good sign?"
Sunset said, "Probably a VERY good sign. One more thing. Is there a version of me intimidating all the students of CHS and turning it into her own little evil empire? It's important to check for that."
Indie answered, "My world's Sunset doesn't seem like that. She can be kind of hard to get along with sometimes...well, some of that was probably my fault too. But she's not evil. I think she's just misunderstood. And, you know, teenage hormones."
Sunset and SciTwi smirked at each other.
"So," SciTwi said, "We seem to have a plan. You call up your world's CHS, ask if you can talk with Cadance about maybe transferring. You tell her...everything about how Crystal Prep has been treating you, and how much you hate it."
Indie Twilight said, "I don't think Principal Cinch would want to let me go."
PT insisted, "If your Cadance is anything like the Cadances we know in our worlds, she will find a way to help you. I don't think you should have to even wait for the end of the semester to transfer."
SciTwi said, "Looking back at my time in Crystal Prep, I remember there was one thing I had right. It's why you should talk to Cadance right away. Because it's never too early to get started on the rest of your life. You'll thank yourself for it later."
For the first time in a long time, Indie Twilight looked happy. "I can hardly wait!"
Sunset said, "Before you leave...I think we all really want to see you again soon. As friends." The other girls nodded. "No benefits next time, or else."
Indie agreed, "No funny business. I promise."
SciTwi said, "I suppose you can probably find your way back to this apartment...but maybe that's not the best way just yet. If you go to our world's CHS right after classes, you should be able to find Celestia and Luna. They both know about alternate dimension Twilights. Just tell them that you're not us, and you need to talk to us."
Sunset said, "I think EVERYONE at CHS knows about alternate dimension Twilights. Just make sure to let them know RIGHT AWAY that you are NOT us. That you're neither the Princess, nor SciTwi. And that you need to talk to us. Or any of our five best friends would help too."
SciTwi nodded. "You might look them up when you transfer to your world's CHS. Applejack, Rarity Belle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy--be careful with her, she's kind of shy--and Pinkie Pie. They've been good friends to us, and the ones in your dimension are probably great people too."
Sunset nodded. "Agreed."
Indie went back up the stairs to get her pack and change clothes. "Thank you so much!" she called down. "I have to go home soon, or my parents will get suspicious."
SciTwi said, "One more thing." She blushed a little. "Indie, can you give me...a few pointers?"
"NOT fair!" Sunset said. "I want SciTwi to have to learn everything on her own, about that. About me. I mean, if she and I ever do any of that sort of thing, which we might not. But if we do, I want SciTwi to have to work hard for it!"
SciTwi snarked at Sunset, "I'LL show YOU what it is to work hard. If you and I ever do...that sort of thing, I'll put you through your paces like a racehorse! Or like a...big motorcycle." She blushed more.
When she was done changing, Indie came back downstairs, and whispered into SciTwi's ear for a minute. "Wow!" SciTwi said. "Really? I like the sound of this. It sounds...very pleasant."
With hugs and goodbyes (but from Sunset, only a friendly handshake) Indie left.
Afterwards, SciTwi turned nervously towards Princess Twilight. "Do you think this will really work? I mean, that Indie will escape Crystal Prep, and fix her life? And she and we will be good friends?"
The princess answered, "I would bet on it."
Sunset said, "I have whole new ways of worrying about new problems in SciTwi's and my friendship, that I'd never have imagined just a day ago."
"No kidding," said Twilight. "Especially after that very weird thing with Indie, are Sunset and I doomed to be a hot mess together? I just don't want us to end up like Indie and her Sunset. Or maybe somethng even worse."
Princess Twilight said in a reassuring tone, "Don't worry so much. I have faith in you. And besides...."
"What?" Sunset and SciTwi said at the same time.
"If I've learned one thing so far as principal of the School of Friendship? You can't keep teenagers from at least sometimes being at least a little bit of a hot mess. And it's okay. Just keep trying to be your good selves, and someday you'll grow out of it. If you really need to.
"But now," the princess said, "I have a lot to catch up on in Equestria. I wasn't planning to take this morning off to visit another world."
"Thank you so much for coming!" SciTwi said.
"And on such short notice!" Sunset added.
PT smiled the royal smile she'd been practicing in the mirror and getting Celestia to coach her on. "You're welcome. It's been great to see you again, and to make a new friend together. Tell everyone I said hi."
After the princess left, SciTwi said, "Well. That was a thing."
"That was SO MUCH a thing," Sunset agreed.
Sunset added, "There is one more thing I really want to know. Or maybe I shouldn't ask. What did Indie whisper in your ear?"
SciTwi smirked. "That's a secret. But do you really want to know?"
"I don't know if I should know. See, now I feel all conflicted in ways that I never did before!"
SciTwi moved closer, to whisper into Sunset's ear. "A succulent, creamy...guacamole recipe."
The two friends laughed together.
