Talking To My Friends.

Pinkie Pie pulled Princess Twilight by the arm. Keeping up with her was especially hard because every time she took a step she hopped, skipped, bounced, jumped or sprang.

After being dragged half way around the school Twilight asked, "Where are we going?"

Pinkie cocked her head. "You wanted to go somewhere? Okay."

By the time they stopped Princess Twilight nearly fell half a dozen times, but Pinkie caught her every time. It was almost as if she could predict when Twilight was going to fall.

Pinkie looked around the school roof. "How did we get up here? How do we get down? This can't be safe."

Princess Twilight was glad to have a moment to catch her breath even if it was on a roof.

There was a cold stiff breeze that made Pinkie's pounds of curly pink hair wave like a cape. Her height was hard to determine. When she stood still she rocked back and forth from her heels to the tips of her toes.

Twilight looked out past the roof. She saw a fraction of the city and was overwhelmed by how different everything was in the human world.

Pinkie leaned over the side of the roof and waved to someone. She nearly fell, caught her self and then laughed.

Twilight looked up at the sky. The clouds looked the same in both worlds. She took a deep breath. "Are you in Mrs. Harshwinny's first period class too?" she asked.

"No. I am talking to myself in the hall," explained Pinkie as if it were obvious. "You see I was in math class thinking to myself about how great my sisters are. My sisters are the best sisters in the world. I decided I wanted to get them a gift to let them know they are the best sisters ever. But I could not think of a gift that was as amazing as my sisters. I could not even think of a gift that was better than yesterdays gift for being the best sisters ever. So I decided to bake. I do some of my best thinking when I bake. But I could not think of what to bake. I make cupcakes every day. Rainbow Dash does not like pie. Twilight would know what to bake. I don't know Twilight yet. I could introduce myself. But I am stuck in math class. That was when Mr. Crankydoodle told me I was distracting the class with my talking. He told me if I was going to talk I needed to stand in the hall. I tried to tell him I didn't mean to distract the class. I just do some of my best thinking out loud. I came up with the idea to not steal your crown in a bid to prove Celestia and Cadance wrong and bake brownies instead while baking and talking to myself. Genius is never appreciated in it's time. Mr. Crankydoodle sent me to the hall. And I decided that as long as I am talking to myself in the hall I may as well introduce myself to you. Now that I know you I can ask you what I should bake so I can have good Ideas so I can get my sisters a great gift that shows how immensely much I love them."

"Bread?" Twilight guessed.

"That is a great idea! Last time I made potato bread I had a great idea without having to talk to myself. Wait! I just membered Maud, Limestone and Marble all love potato bread. The bread could be the gift! Now I am having great ideas without having to bake. But if I am making bread as a gift what should I bake to have good ideas?"

"Custard?"

Pinkie Pie pulled Princess Twilight into a tight hug. Twilight's face was berried in Pinkie's hair. A few moments passed before she released the princess.

"We're here!" Pinkie exclaimed while inside the school.

"The cafeteria?" Asked Twilight. "How did we get here?"

Pinkie shrugged. "I ask myself that question all the time. I asked that question on the roof. Do you want to go back to the roof?"

"No!" Twilight hopped away from Pinkie. She needed to get back to the pony world in one piece.

Pinkie smiled from ear to ear. "Good. I brought you here for a reason. You came to this world to meet Sunset. She is right over there." Pinkie pointed to Big Boy and Runt who were hanging out in the cafeteria. Pinkie blushed. "Sorry." She pointed toward Sunset.

Sunset sat alone in the cafeteria listening to music between two radio stations. The static was loud enough to sound like it was part of the jazz. The sports commentators were quiet enough to sound like club patrons. Sunset was not alone. She was at a jazz show while talking to her friends about sports.

"What is she doing all alone in a cafeteria?" Princess Twilight wondered out loud.

"Sunset is looking into her spyglass," replied Pinkie.

Sunset held a convex glass disk with a metal rim. It looked like a magnifying glass.

"That object allows Sunset to spy on all of her old friends in the pony world," explained Pinkie Pie. "It is probably how she knew where your crown was."

"I am not surprised Sunset is cutting class."

"No wonder Sunset hates you." Pinkie smiled like a big goofy dog. It was impossible to tell if she was joking. "Sunset graduated early. She tutors students here every day because she has nowhere else to go." She was not joking.

Sunset was more alone than Twilight had anticipated.

"I thought you were supposed to be the hero of this story. Why are you so..." Pinkie looked for the right word. "Not nice?"

"Heroes are only as interesting as their flaws. My strengths are only as interesting as my weaknesses."

"Right." Pinkie rolled her eyes. "You could try being nicer."

Twilight felt a pit in her stomach. She felt bad for judging Sunset so harshly. She had never met Sunset. She deserved kindness. Even if she did steal Princess Twilight's crown. The element of magic. She had shown no concern for Twilight. She probably only stole her crown to draw attention to the fact Cadance moved the portal. She didn't care about Twilight at all.

"Are you okay?" Pinkie asked as she tightly held Twilights hand.

Princess Twilight noticed she was breathing through her teeth. Her stomach was on fire. She felt like she was going to scream and hurl at the same time.

"Perfectly fine," lied Twilight.

"Do you miss having a tail?" Pinkie asked.

Twilight was suddenly aware her tail was gone. She missed it when she first exited the portal, but so much had happened so quickly she didn't have time to remember it was gone. "I do. I never realized how hard it would be to lose a limb."

"You should talk to Sunset about your tails. She complains about losing her tail every chance she gets. It is actually quite annoying."

"I don't know if I am ready to talk to Sunset," admitted Twilight.

"Ya know where the door is," said Sunset.

Princess Twilight was sitting beside Sunset. Pinkie was no where to be seen.

Sunset was not tall. She was thin. She probably wasn't eating enough. Maybe do to stress. Her long wavy hair was a mix of fiery reds and fiery yellows. She wore a studded pleather jacket despite being indoors. Her blue jeans were tucked into her black and orange ankle boots. She didn't look like a monster. She looked more tired than anything.

"H-hello," Twilight squeaked liked a trapped mouse.

Sunset slowly reached toward Twilight. She calmly closed her fingers around the collar of her shirt. She tugged. A note with a small piece of tape attached came off her shirt. The note read 'Tag. Love Pinkie Pie. Ps. Your it.' Sunset balled the note and threw it to the floor.

Sunset looked back at her spyglass as if the princess was not there.

Twilight listened to the music and sports commentary. She studied Sunset who other than blinking every few seconds and twitching her wrist every few minutes didn't move for an hour.

"I need you to give back the element of magic," Twilight politely requested. "The Tree Of Harmony needs it to survive."

Sunset didn't look up from her spyglass. Twilight repeated herself word for word.

Sunset glanced at Twilight. "You're back." She looked at her wristwatch. "Sooner than I expected." She turned her attention back to her spyglass.

Twilight wanted to return to Equestria. She wanted to tell Celestia the human word was a horrible place. That Cadance should get the crown. She sniffled.

Sunset turned her head a few degrees. It was the closest she was willing to get to looking at Twilight. "I don't have your crown, but if I did I would return it to The Tree Of Harmony before it died," she assured. "I know how important the tree is and would not need your crown that long. If I had it."

"How long do you need my crown?" Twilight saw a spark of hope. Perhaps Rarity was right. If she helped Sunset achieve what ever goal required her to steal the element of magic then she would give the crown back.

Sunset firmly stated, "I don't need your crown."

Twilight sniffled again. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She was tired and scared and frustrated and over whelmed and she felt like a jerk and Rarity was mean and Sunset was not any nicer and crying was the only thing she felt like doing.

Sunset continued ignoring Princess Twilight.