“Sunset Shimmer to the main office please.” The announcement over the school PA system interrupted the chatter of home-room. The girl in question looked up to the teacher for permission to leave.
“Go right ahead Sunset.” Mr Turner waved to the door. She gathered her things.
“See you in class Twilight.” Sunset said to her friend as she left the desk. Her home-room wasn't far from the main office and the call hadn't sounded like anything negative. Reaching the door, she knocked once.
“Enter.” Raven's voice carried through and Sunset walked in. “Hello Sunset, you're still signed up to help new students get situated, so we called you in.” The school secretary knew the girl would appreciate an explanation for the call.
“Oh, that's fine. Yeah. I'm happy to help.” Sunset was always glad to introduce new starters to the school, even after how her first attempt had gone down. 'Hopefully this is not some Equestrian Magic powered malcontent.' She thought, half chuckling at the fact she had been just that.
A buzz at the desk was a signal from Principal Celestia's office. “You can head in Sunset.” Raven said, inclining her head to the door.
“Thanks.” Sunset left her things on the ante-room chair, knowing no one would mind, and walked in.
The immediate thought that hit her when she entered was that the girl in Celestia's office had a really good leather jacket. The black biker styled coat had a two-toned red and gold flower emblazoned across the back. A Goldenrod from the shape.
The second thought was the girl's hair, a sharp undercut with a cascade of waves over her left shoulder, was the same colour as her own. Red and gold striped.
The girl was wearing cut-off jeans, not overly short shorts, but still high up her thighs.
“Sunset, I'd like you to meet Goldenrod Gleam, she's starting here at Canterlot High. She has just moved to the area with her family.” Principal Celestia spoke, she had a double take though, looking at both girls. Sunset was about to ask, when Goldenrod turned around.
It was her.
Her chin, mouth, nose, eye shape, eye colour. She was even wearing a t-shirt in the shade of blue Sunset liked best.
This girl, whatever she was called, was Sunset Shimmer's double.
“Hi.” Sunset managed to greet, the shock still rippling through her. 'At least I can confirm I have a cute butt.' The unhelpful thought chimed.
“Hi.” Goldenrod replied, her voice had a slightly different accent to Sunset's. It wasn't quite the drawl Applejack had, but it was coloured by something like it. “I didn't expect to meet a twin!” She was built a little better too, more definition and strength to her limbs.
It was very attractive.
“Ha, yeah. This is pretty weird.” Sunset forced a chuckle. Her mind was racing now, this girl had to be the Sunset Shimmer of Earth, but her name was very different and her cutie-mark was also likely to be the two-coloured flower. 'Explains why I couldn't find anyone with my name.' She ran a hand through her hair a moment, wondering how the undercut side of Goldenrod's hair felt. That popped some colour to her face. “Ah, so want the school tour?” Sunset rushed to move on from that thought.
“Sure. I start properly Monday but getting to know the place will help a whole lot.” Goldenrod joined Sunset and the pair left the office. In the ante-room, Raven too seemed to suddenly notice the similarity if her incredulous look was anything to go by.
“Will I need a hall pass to give Goldenrod a tour?” Sunset asked, picking her things up from the chair she had left them on.
“No, you should be fine.” Raven said, gathering herself again.
“Great. We'll start the tour.” Sunset ushered her doppelgänger out of the main office and into the school. “Do you have somewhere you'd prefer to start?”
“Do you have a bio-lab? Or a gardening club?” Goldenrod asked, “I am really into horticulture.”
“Yes we do, a friend of mine is involved in those too. I can introduce you.” Sunset smiled brightly. Working her hardest to keep a song from her head. One Twilight had played for her as a joke. The Clone Song would really not be helping.
'This takes narcissism to a whole new level...'
-*-
Showing the new girl around had been an experience. Goldenrod had been perfectly lovely company and was enthusiastic about the school garden and was happy to learn that a farming history to the Canterlot area meant there was a good amount of electives focused on botany and agriculture.
The main problem had been other students.
Sunset had a free period to use showing Goldenrod the school facilities, the other students who were free had not been expecting to see two of her.
Trixie had nearly fainted. Flash had been his usual amiable self. Goldenrod declaring him “Cute, if I swung that way.” Which had sent sent an excited buzz through Sunset's spine and settled in an entirely inappropriate place.
Ringo had put his book bag at his hips and shuffled off.
Her friends had been equally surprised and meddlesome when they arrived at the lunch room. Rarity, Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Applejack all looking between the pair and coming to precisely the correct conclusions. All of them. To exactly the extent Sunset had hoped they would not.
Now, at their usual table, the girls were being completely how Sunset expected them to be.
“Darling, you and Sunset make quite the pair.” Rarity had complimented after introductions were over. Ignoring the daggers Sunset stared at her.
Figuring the issue, Applejack butted in to avoid a scene. “So you and your folks moved down to Canterlot?” She asked the girl, a name like Goldenrod pointed to a background in green and growing things.
“Yeah, Dad and Pop grew up here, Pop's family have the plant nursery just outside city limits.” Goldenrod explained, “They had their own place over in Griffonstone, where we lived, but it all got purchased off by the state. Grandpa and Gram were thinking of retiring, so Pop decided to take the money and move back. We'll take over their business mostly.” She laughed. “As much as Gramps will retire!”
“Oh, the Silver Saplings Nursery?” Applejack supplied. “Good folks there.”
“The best folk's who could've picked me.” Goldenrod said, her face splitting in a warm smile. “I really lucked out.”
'Is that how I look happy?' Sunset swallowed reflexively,
Twilight elbowed her and wriggled her eyebrows. “Asimov.” She whispered, giggling.
“Nerd.” Sunset teased and messed up Twilight's bangs.
“We totally have to have a Welcome to Canterlot High party!” Pinkie bounced in her seat. “What are alllll your favourite things?” The party planner had a notebook and pen.
What followed was a nearly exact match to Sunset's favourites; flavours, treats, music and colours. All the Equestrian could do was blink, amazed.
“Okey Dokey! All in the book!” Pinkie Pie bounced in her seat, winking at Sunset she grinned. “Double trouble girls, you and Sunset are super alike!”
“Yes, that is strange isn't it Pinkie.” Sunset said through gritted teeth.
Rainbow arrived then, later to lunch after a soccer team meeting. She sat down, more focused on her phone than anything else. “Hey girls.” She looked up at last, spotting the two near identical girls. “Wow Sunset, is this the y-” Again Applejack went in for the save, filling Rainbow's mouth with an apple from her lunch.
“Yep, this is Goldenrod, she's that new starter Sunset is showin' around.” The farmer nodded to Sunset.
“The new girl, right.” Rainbow held onto the apple. “Goldenrod, Rainbow Dash. Nice to meetcha.”
The girl smiled and held out a hand. Rainbow shook. “Yowza, farmer grip.” The athlete chuckled. “Guess that's why you look so different to Sunset.”
“Uh, yeah?” Goldenrod sounded puzzled about the comment. “I start properly next week.”
“Awesome, we can introduce you to Fluttershy then. She is off with 'flu right now.” Rainbow replied. From the glare Sunset was giving her, it was likely that no one was going to point out the obvious.
-*-
Lunch thankfully passed without any other problems, or close calls. But Sunset was very aware that Goldenrod seemed to be noticing their similarities.
“You should tell her.” Twilight whispered to Sunset in their AP English class. Goldenrod was at the teacher's desk, discussing what she had covered in her old school. It came as no surprise to Sunset at this point that her counterpart was also in all the AP classes.
“What? Tell her I am probably her alternate-universe duplicate? Hanging out here instead of my own world?” Sunset tried to keep her voice low.
“Yes, she's clever, she has probably already figured out you two are linked somehow.” Twilight replied. “Why not tell her instead of leaving it weird?”
“I'd sound crazy.” Sunset defended.
“She knows that she was adopted, so what if she thinks you are her sister or something?” Twilight countered. “False hope of having a family member.”
“It won't be a problem, her thinking we are sisters. It is a whole lot better than me jonesing her...” Sunset replied, realising precisely what she had said and slapping a hand to her mouth.
“Hah! I thought so.” Twilight laughed. “Rainbow owes me five dollars.”
“Seriously? You two had a bet on?” Sunset grumbled, glad that the teacher was focused talking to Goldenrod and did not notice the conversation between the two friends.
“It was easy money.” Twilight giggled. “It could be worse, one of us could be proposing a threesome. You're a very attractive person. Times two!” That made Twilight giggle a little more. Garnering a hush from the other students.
“I liked it better when you were shy.” Sunset had slumped over her desk. “I'll tell her if she asks.” Resigned to the inevitable, Sunset surrendered. If questioned, she would tell all.
-*-
Close to the end of the afternoon, Sunset and Goldenrod were waiting at the statue, it was soon time for the girl's fathers to collect her. Classes had been fine, Twilight had dropped the subject once Sunset had agreed to tell her tale. Now, increasingly nervous, Sunset waited with her new friend. Sat on the sun-warmed stone steps.
Idly looking out across the street, Goldenrod's gaze wasn't fixed on anything really. “I have to ask.” She started, looking over at the incredibly similar girl. “Are you my long lost twin or something?”
She grinned, her wry smile a mirror to Sunset's own.
Sunset laughed, shaking her head. “No, no. I'm not your long lost twin.” She leaned back against the plinth, the opposite side to the portal. “It is a little more complicated but also more simple?” She chuckled at that. “I'm you.”
“You're me?” Goldenrod shifted to focus on the other girl. “How does that even work?”
“Have you ever heard of parallel universes?” Sunset asked, wondering if she should also reveal the portal, it was only fair really. Goldenrod nodded, eyebrows drawn together and a little incredulous. “I'm from one of those. I walked though a portal into this world and stole a place.”
“You, me, we're the same person?” Goldenrod looked Sunset up and down. Noting the differences but also the similarities.
“Pretty much.” Sunset shrugged. “We both lived different lives, so that marked us in different ways. But we are still pretty similar.”
“You're telling me.” Goldenrod laughed, “You will totally have to tell me the whole story. I bet it is a lot more interesting than mine.”
“Well, I am the one who travelled to another universe.” Sunset had to boast a little. She still had her pride.
“Useful though, knowing you aren't my sister.” Goldenrod's tone changed at that, her inspection of Sunset changed, the look in her eyes one Sunset knew but was denying.
“What do you mean?” Sunset asked, actually quite certain and not daring to make any move.
“Well, if you were my sister, it would be all kinds of wrong to do this.” Goldenrod said, closing the gap and kissing Sunset full on the lips.
Sunset let her eyes flutter closed, it was clear that the other girl knew how to kiss a girl. As a lithe tongue slipped through her lips, Sunset took a chance to run her fingers through the short-shorn hair of Goldenrod's undercut.
It was just as soft as she had imagined.
A car horn sounding made the girls part.
“That's my ride.” Goldenrod said, sparks in her eyes and a smile lighting her face.
“Uh huh.” Sunset replied, the kiss had been good.
“I'll see you next week.” Goldenrod's said, leaning in to place a quick kiss on Sunset's forehead. “See you soon, pretty girl.”
Author's Note
The lyrics to the Clone Song not really SFW but still quite tame and only text! Asimov was not hella gay, but the intent still stands.
I wrote a thing!
