The garage fell silent as the adults took their discussion to the living room. Sunset took the light bulb, dim now that the enchantment had worn off, and stared at it. The spells had worked as intended with a mere click. Sure, she had struggled for two years, but after many tests, she had confirmed that, so long as the jasper batteries had enough mana, the Enchanter could perform the spells with a reliability of one hundred percent.

No matter how much a horn helped remember the arrays to cast spells, unicorns still needed a great deal of study and talent to perform them reliably. Sunset had talent and had studied and practiced more than anypony else, and it had taken her years to reach a level where she could easily cast spells without mistakes, and new ones only required some amount of practice to get right.

But the Enchanter only needed to know the correct arrays and be fed enough mana. Sure, it still needed somepony to operate it, somepony who knew what she’s doing. But it was as simple as inputting the correct arrays and clicking a button, and there was no need for years of practice or talent. The Enchanter would do it. And the more they improved on it, the faster and more efficient it would become.

Sunset wasn’t sure why the thought sent shivers down her spine.

“Sunset?”

Startled, Sunset dropped the light bulb. Fortunately, she’d been holding it right above the cardboard box it’d been stored in from the beginning, so it didn’t even crack. She turned to Twilight. “What?”

Twilight was standing next to the Enchanter, looking at Sunset with a small frown. “I… I promised I wouldn’t ask, so I won’t.” Her voice was a little shaky. “But I can’t pretend I don’t know… And neither can you.”

Sunset turned her whole body towards Twilight, feeling a raging heat in her stomach. “What are you trying to get at?”

To her credit, Twilight only barely flinched but kept her eyes squared on Sunset. “I may not know what happened between you and the princess, but I know that going to Equestria is dangerous somehow. I…”

“Save it,” Sunset said. “I don’t want to hear it.”

“Sunset-”

“No,” Sunset interrupted her. “You’re right to say you don’t know anything. Whatever it is you want to say to me, just… don’t.”

Twilight crossed her arms. “I’m not going to try to convince you not to go, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

That was exactly what Sunset had been thinking. “Then what? Why bring this up?”

After a hesitant sigh that seemed to drag for a bit too long, Twilight nodded to herself. “I want to go with you.”

Sunset felt her frown deepen, and this time Twilight did step back. “No.”

To Sunset’s surprise, however, Twilight took a step forward. “I… I-I wasn’t asking.”

“Excuse me?!”

“You owe me one,” Twilight said before Sunset could react further. “For writing that letter and not asking about it. You owe me a favor. Well, I want to go to Equestria with you.”

“Wha-no!” Sunset said, and she found herself more surprised than anything. “Why would you want to go?”

Twilight gave another step closer. “You know, I could go on a very long tangent about how no self-respecting scientist and researcher would pass up the opportunity to go to, witness, and study an alternate dimension where magic is as prevalent as modern electric power. But I’d be lying if I said that was my main reason. My main reason for going is that I’m worried about you.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You are worried about me?”

“Yes,” Twilight said, stepping closer. “I only know what you had me write, but it didn’t feel like you left on the best terms with the princess. I want to make sure that nothing happens to you.”

“You-” Sunset chuckled. “You think you’d be able to do anything to stop Princess Celestia from doing whatever she wants?”

Twilight faltered for a moment, then turned her hands into fists. “No, but I can tell her all the good you’re doing in this world, and that whatever happened that made your relationship fall apart surely can’t be that bad.”

Still chuckling, Sunset leaned back and crossed her arms. “Oh, really? What if I told you that I’m a wanted criminal?”

Twilight replied with a smug smile. “I would say you’re being rude for insulting my intelligence. I recall the contents of the letter. You are not a criminal.”

Sunset frowned. Twilight had closed the distance so much she was only a step away. At some point during the past year, Twilight had gone through a growth spurt and was now almost as tall as Sunset. Her eyes sparkled behind her thick glasses, big amethyst irises staring at her. Sunset felt a strange, uncomfortable bubbling in the pit of her stomach.

“I…” She licked her surprisingly dry lips. “What if I refuse?”

“You can’t refuse,” Twilight replied. “You owe me.”

“Well maybe I’m not one to keep my promises.”

Twilight shook her head. “I’d rather you are.”

For some reason she couldn’t understand, Sunset looked away. Why was Twilight being so insistent? Sunset’s plan was to simply get her gemstones and buy books and then return. That was, of course, if she hadn’t already become an alicorn, which then would mean she’d be staying to rule. If that was the case, Twilight could do whatever she wanted with her knowledge about human magic.

Then again, those last words… They resonated within Sunset, making her feel physically ill, like she’d been punched in the gut. Not that she’d ever been punched in the gut, but she thought the feeling was very similar to how people often described it. Sunset wasn’t above breaking promises, especially if they didn’t benefit her. But the more she thought about it, the worse she felt.

‘I’d rather you are’.

Sunset supposed that not feeling sick benefited her enough not to break that promise.

“Fine…” she relented as she looked at Twilight, frowning again at the ear to ear smile. “But there will be rules.”

Twilight nodded energetically. “Rules. Right.”

“First, you will do everything I say you do. We’re not going to the library. As soon as we cross the portal, we’ll be in an access-restricted vault within the royal palace. Just being there is punishable by imprisonment. If we’re discovered, you’ll simply be thrown back through the mirror, and I…” She shook her head. “I want to grab spellbooks and gemstones to improve the Enchanter, so it’ll be better if we’re not spotted at all.”

That erased Twilight’s smile. “That makes it sound like you’re going to steal.”

Sunset chuckled. “Nothing further from the truth. I would only get things I own or buy them with my money. However, if Princess Celestia discovers I’m there… Well, I don’t really know if I’ll be able to return to this world at all.”

Twilight’s eyes widened as her pupils shrank. “Why not?”

Sunset shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it. If you’re coming with me, then you’ll have to do everything I say to reduce the chances of being found out.”

Pursing her lips, Twilight gave her a slow nod. “Fine.”

An idea popped in Sunset’s mind, and she couldn't help but smile. “Also, make sure to ask your parents for permission.” She snickered when Twilight’s face paled. “I’m guessing this is at the same level as asking them to let you visit another country for a few days. Except there’s no internet connection between worlds.”

Twilight stepped back and took a hand to her chin. “That’s true… Sunset, you have to help me convince them.”

“I don’t have to do anything,” Sunset said with a grin. “I don’t want you to go in the first place.”

“Sunset!”

“Good luck!” Sunset singsonged as she turned around and exited the garage.

The adults were still discussing in the dining room, drinking what looked like orange juice from glasses and writing on loose sheets of paper. A plate at the center held several halves of sandwiches. It was still a few hours from lunch, but they didn’t seem in the mood to cook anything. Sunset sat at one of the empty seats to listen in on the conversation. Cadence offered her a glass of juice and a plate so she could grab a sandwich.

Sunset had always taken pride in her intelligence. She could learn the most complex spells and enchantments with ease, and she had educated herself in many other areas. The day after she’d decided to become a princess, Sunset had studied economics and had found it challenging in its own right, but nothing she couldn’t understand. So it was a massive hit to her ego when she couldn’t follow the current discussion.

In Equestria, opening a business was as easy as getting it registered. A pony could sell or offer services related to their Cutie Mark or otherwise, and then pay taxes off their earnings. In the human world, however, there seemed to be so many procedures and so many technical terms that Sunset found herself bewildered. It all looked like a massive amount of work. Would she even have time left to dedicate to her project?

After about twenty minutes of having arrived, Sunset spotted Twilight coming into the dining room. She didn’t sit down and instead looked around like a lost child, frowning a little when she briefly looked at Sunset. Eventually, her mom realized she was there.

“Twilight, what are you doing there? Come sit down.”

Twilight remained standing. “Uhm…”

Her hesitation seemed to stir something in her family, as everyone turned to look at her, which made her hunch over herself. Sunset barely managed to stop herself from snickering, though she still smiled at the scene. Twilight fidgeted, wriggling her hands and shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

“Twily?” Shining asked.

Twilight took a deep breath. “Remember that Sunset said she’d go back to her world?” She waited for everyone to nod. “I… I want to go with her.”

Twilight’s parents looked at each other, then at Twilight, then at Sunset. “You know,” Night Light said, “I think we glossed over that fact really quick. Sunset, how did you come to this world?”

Sunset shook her head. “The way here is a state secret. I already informed the princess that only four people know of it. I wouldn’t like to become a liar.” She grinned at Twilight’s raised eyebrow.

“So…” Twilight Velvet said. “Can you tell us anything about your world?”

Leaning back on her chair, Sunset hummed as she thought about how to answer. “I don’t really know how to answer that.” Especially considering she wanted to hide the fact they were all ponies. “It’s very different from this world. For instance, you guys are a lot more advanced when it comes to technology.”

“Really?” Luna asked. “I would never have guessed, considering that you use your laptop normally and you girls built that machine.”

Sunset shrugged.

“I have a question,” Shining said, raising a hand. “I know that… upon going to your world…” Sunset nodded, appreciating his attempt at secrecy. “I know that you’ll arrive directly at the princess’ castle. Will that be safe?”

Everyone turned to look at Sunset. She cocked her head. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Shining stared at her with a baffled expression. “I… Ok, how do I say this? Under heavy security?”

While everyone looked at him funny, Sunset understood what he was trying to say. The portal was inside a restricted vault that only Princess Celestia had access to. It would be considered a criminal offense to enter without clearance. That was the reason Sunset wanted to go alone; it was easier to sneak around without having to worry about somepony else messing it up.

“Well,” Sunset said slowly. “The worst that can happen is that Twilight would be sent back right away.” Being a native from this world, Princess Celestia would have no right to incarcerate her or give her any other punishment.

Shining frowned slightly. “Are you certain?”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“No,” Shining replied almost immediately, as if he had expected the question. “I’m just worried about Twilight. I mean, I’m guessing we wouldn’t be allowed to come with you.”

That made Twilight’s parents frown. “We wouldn’t?” Her mom asked.

Sunset sighed. “Look, I’ll be straight with you. I came to this world to study magic. Since I haven’t finished doing that, I can’t… really return, yet.” She paused to think of the right words to say. “Me going back without achieving my goal will be taken as a failure, so I don’t even plan on announcing my return, since I’ll just be gathering materials and resources.” A truth by technicality. Sunset was impressed with herself. “At most, I’d only be there for two days. The only reason I’m even considering taking Twilight with me is because I promised.”

As they considered her words, Sunset crossed her arms and glared straight at Shining. “If I’m spotted, I won’t be permitted to return to this world. Twilight, being an outsider, will simply be forced back here. Prin…” She briefly glanced at Celestia. “The princess wouldn’t hurt someone simply for being in the wrong place.” She chuckled. “At most she’ll very firmly request Twilight not to return before sending her back.”

After all, after everything Sunset had done, Princess Celestia had simply terminated her apprenticeship and banished her from the palace. She could have banished Sunset from Canterlot altogether, or worse, thrown her in a dungeon cell.

Twilight senior looked at her daughter. “And why do you want to go?”

With a gasp, Twilight stepped forward. “Why? It’s an alternate world where magic is common! Imagine all I’d learn by simply being there! Who wouldn’t like to go and experience it?”

Night Light rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Sweetie-”

“Please,” Twilight insisted. “I… I’m willing to go without presents for my birthday.” That froze her parents mid reply. “And Christmas!”

“Twi-”

“For two years!”

“Twilight!” Night Light said forcefully but not quite yelling. “Come sit down.”

Twilight looked like she wanted to keep talking, but instead simply nodded and sat down next to her dad.

“Twilight, we’re not saying no,” her mom said. “We just want to know as much as we can. This is highly irregular, after all. I mean, we can’t even know how you’d get there? That’s concerning, to say the least.”

“I…” Twilight glanced at Sunset for a second. “I know how. I can’t tell you that, but I can say it’s nothing unsafe. Riding a car is a lot more dangerous in comparison.”

At that, everyone looked at Sunset for confirmation. She shrugged. “She may experience a little dizziness.”

Shining barked a laugh. “And considering she loved riding those crazy rollercoasters, that might not even apply.”

“And…” Night Light said. “What exactly would you girls be doing there?

Sunset thought it over. There weren’t many things she’d be able to do, considering she’d be hiding from Princess Celestia the whole time. “I haven’t thought up a schedule, but if I had to say something off the top of my head… I’ll be gathering spellbooks in order to easily recreate spells with the Enchanter. I also want to visit some gemstores and metallurgic shops…” She trailed off. Now that she thought about it, having Twilight with her wasn’t that bad of an idea. She could help carry the materials, which meant Sunset would be able to bring twice as much.

“That sounds like too much work and not enough fun,” Cadence said with a smile.

“I’ll say,” Celestia agreed.

Sunset felt herself sneer and barely managed to contain it. “I’m not going there to have fun.”

“We know,” Cadence said, giggling. “But Twilight definitely will.”

Sunset looked at Twilight, who had the decency to blush. “Look, if you have your parents’ permission, you can come with me. But we’re not there for vacation. Actually… Luna, can you lend me your phone for a moment?” Startled at the sudden request, Luna unlocked her phone and handed it to Sunset. After a few minutes, Sunset found what she’d been looking for, and couldn’t help but grin. “The days we’ll be gone will be in the middle of the week.” Her grin widened along with Twilight’s eyes. “That means you’ll have to skip class.”

Everyone turned to look at Twilight as she paled every so slightly. “I…” She looked at her parents, then at Sunset. “Are you sure?”

Sunset nodded.

“Wait,” Cadence said. “Why not schedule it for a weekend?”

“Because I have no say in it,” Sunset replied. “If I did, I’d go tomorrow instead of in four months.”

Night Light cleared his throat. “Well, Twilight. Considering you have a perfect attendance record, I personally wouldn’t mind you missing one or two days of class, but…” He didn’t say more, and he didn’t need to. It was quite obvious that Twilight took her studies quite seriously.

Twilight simply stared at Sunset, eyes narrowed, lips pursed, and cheeks red. The sight was almost cute. “You…” she said, sounding like she wasn’t quite sure the words were the right ones.

“And,” Sunset continued, enjoying the strained face Twilight made, “you can’t bring homework with you, or any kind of school work for that matter. We’ll be going with nothing but the clothes we’ll be wearing.” Considering she had been wearing pajamas when she arrived, despite having been naked, Sunset wondered if the portal had interpreted fur as clothes, and if so, if a naked human crossing the portal would result in a furless pony.

By this point, Twilight was shaking so much even her parents started giving her worried looks. After a few minutes, she finally stopped, then took a deep breath, taking a hand to her chest, only to then breathe out slowly. To Sunset’s surprise, she actually smiled.

“I’ll go.”

Author's Note

Twilights has successfully invited herself to a roundtrip to Equestria. I'm sure nothing can go wrong!

If you liked it, please do leave a comment. They're the bread for my hunger.