Dear Diary, Today I turned 9 years old! I’m almost 10, which means I’m almost a big girl now. My parents got me a ton of presents, like they always do. A lot of legos, especially some of the really cool sets that include small motors and stuff. Dad says he wants to see me ignore the instructions and figure out how to engineer something on my own. Mom wrote me a short story about two girls that are best friends going on a woodland trip together. It was super cute. Cadance got me jewelry and new clothes, and Shining Armor got me a new video game. Of course Hearth’s Warming is right around the corner so I’ll be getting even more presents. Sunset came to my party, of course. We had a lot of fun. She seemed kind of embarrassed about her own present once she saw what everyone else gave me. It was a book, The Knight and the Rose. Sunset says it’s one of her favorites. I like sci-fi more than fantasy, and I haven’t read it yet, but I plan to tonight. Either way, I’m happy. -Twilight Sparkle

The school bell rang, and Sunset stood up, shouldering her bag before heading for the door. Her brow was furrowed, and she kept clenching and unclenching her fists. Rainbow Dash met her there, and quickly fell into step with her as they made their way down the hall.

“Wow,” Rainbow Dash said, giving an exaggerated yawn. “You look like you’re ready to murder someone. Who pissed in your oats this morning?”

Sunset took a deep breath, rubbing at her eyes. “It was one thing to have Twilight’s brother lecture me for an hour straight, but apparently Principal Celestia found out what happened. So I got to spend all of lunch getting lectured again. She’s ‘very disappointed in me,’ and ‘was really hoping I could do better for myself.’ I am so done with this school.”

That was only half of her complaint, of course. Their principal was no princess, but when she got angry… those narrowed eyes were all too familiar.

Rainbow Dash laughed, leaning down to fiddle with the combination on her locker. “That’s what happens when you headbutt housewives. Still, I hear you. I’m so ready to graduate and move on to college already.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “It’s just another school, isn’t it? What makes you think it’ll be any different?”

“Are you kidding me? You get to live on your own, nobody tells you what to do, parties twenty-four-seven, and you get to take classes about stuff that’s actually interesting. It’s going to be totally awesome!”

“Yeah? I can see how that kind of ‘college experience’ might appeal to you, but you girls are all going to the same school, aren’t you? If what you say is true, then how is Fluttershy going to hold up in that kind of environment?”

“Uh…” Rainbow Dash stiffened and closed the door to her locker with perhaps a bit too much force. “College has stuff for all types, I guess. And if ‘Shy needs looking after, well, we’ll all be there, right? Anyway, how you holding up?”

Sunset smirked, but allowed Rainbow Dash to change the topic. “I’m doing fine. Still sore, but starting to heal.”

Rainbow Dash grinned. “It’s kind of a shame. You got beat up that bad, and you’re not even going to get a wicked scar to go with it. Chicks dig scars, you know.”

“I think I’ll pass. Besides, I doubt Twilight would appreciate it as much as you seem to think she would, all things considered.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash blinked several times, then scowled. “Geez, I was just teasing. No need to get all serious about it.”

Sunset stuck her tongue out.

“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow said. “How’s she doing, anyway?”

Now that was a question. It didn’t feel quite right to air Twilight’s troubles so freely, but Dash was just as much of her friend as anyone else, even if she wasn’t always the most tactful. “She’s been… okay, I guess. I don’t know. She seems a little off to me, but that’s to be expected, right? My accident scared her pretty bad.”

Rainbow Dash let out a low whistle, shaking her head. “Man, that’s rough. Still, she’s tougher than she looks; I’m sure she’ll be back to normal in no time.”

“Hi girls,” Fluttershy said, joining the pair as they exited the school. “Um, who are we talking about, now?”

“Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said as she made her way over to the bike rack. “She’s a little bummed out over what happened.”

“You make it sound so mundane,” Sunset said, rolling her eyes.

“Hmm.” Fluttershy tapped her finger against her lips for a few moments. “Maybe, um, we should do something nice for her? To cheer her up, and help take her mind off of things.”

Rainbow Dash walked her bike alongside them. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea. Throw her a party or something. Although I guess that’s what Pinkie would normally suggest.”

Sunset shrugged. Since her motorcycle had gotten trashed, she found herself walking home with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy more often than not. It wasn’t particularly efficient, but it wasn’t like she minded the company or had too many other options, for that matter. “I don’t know if a party would really help here. I kind of already had something in mind anyway.”

Fluttershy turned to Sunset, her eyes sparkling. “Oh? Like what?”

“What do you think she has in mind?” Rainbow Dash asked, grinning. She held up her hands, made an O with her fingers on one hand and thrusted her fingers into it with the other. She then paused, made a second O, and rubbed them together instead.

Sunset sighed, throwing a palm to her face. “You know, that joke gets less funny every time you use it, Dash.”

Fluttershy blushed, fidgeting slightly. “I, um… I am actually curious, if you don’t mind sharing. About what you plan to do for Twilight, not… what Dash said.”

“I’m still kind of working out the details, but I’ll tell you when I know more. I’ll have to make sure Princess Twilight is okay with it first.”

Rainbow Dash snorted, slapping her hand over her mouth and shaking with a sudden fit of silent laughter. “Are… are you serious? Sunset, if you don’t want me to keep knocking them out of the park, you’re going to have to stop throwing me easy pitches.”

Fluttershy cocked her head sideways, looking at Rainbow Dash. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Well…” Rainbow Dash grinned, then leaned forward and whispered something in Fluttershy’s ear.

“Both of them!?” Fluttershy stammered, her eyes going wide as she went beet red. “Sunset, I thought… I didn’t know that you, um…”

Sunset stared at Fluttershy. “You didn’t know that I what, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy trembled, wringing her hands together. “That, um, you, and her, and… her, and, uh… I’m sorry. As long as you’re all, er, comfortable I don’t have any right to judge.”

Rainbow Dash’s bike clattered to the ground as she doubled over, laughing hysterically.

“I hate you so much right now,” Sunset groaned, then lightly shoved Rainbow Dash, toppling her over into the nearby grass and causing her to laugh even harder

“Oh. Um…”

Sunset grimaced and let out a long sigh. “I’m not in any kind of relationship with Princess Twilight, okay? And despite how much Rainbow Dash really seems to want it to be the case, my plans for this weekend are completely unrelated to sex.”

Fluttershy frowned, her brow furrowed in thought, before sighing and kneeling down to pull Rainbow Dash to her feet. “You really shouldn’t tease Sunset like that, Rainbow Dash. It’s not very nice.”

Rainbow Dash wobbled as she stood up, then leaned over and slung her arm around Sunset’s shoulder. “Aw, come on, it’s just a joke. We’re still cool, right? Listen, I’ll make it up to you: how about dinner at ‘Shy’s house?”

Sunset winced as Rainbow’s arm dug into her injuries, but gritted her teeth and pushed back the pain. “How exactly are you making it up to me if dinner is at Fluttershy’s, and if she’s presumably going to be the one cooking it?”

“She’s right,” Fluttershy said, picking up Rainbow Dash’s bike and handing it back to her. “If you want to apologize it has to be something you do. Though, um, you’re still invited to dinner, Sunset. If you want to, anyway.”

“Nah, I’ll pass,” Sunset said, grinning. “ I promised to help Twilight out today. Her research is about to hit its climax.”

Rainbow Dash snorted and rolled her eyes. “Really?”

“Ow!” Twilight grunted for what must have been the fifth time as Rarity accidentally jabbed her with a pin.

“Oh, stop fussing,” Rarity mumbled, her mouth full of pins as she fit a pattern to Twilight. “I wouldn’t poke you so much if you’d just stop moving.”

Twilight clenched her teeth and forced herself to sit still. Rarity did amazing work, but sitting here in her kitchen was so boring. There were so many other productive things she could be accomplishing right now.

“So, how’s your research coming along, anyway?”

Speaking of which...

Twilight started to shrug, but halted her movement after a quick glare from Rarity. “It’s going great. With Sunset’s help, I finally managed to extract and synthesize the ‘magic’ compound in your blood. Next up is getting Coca-Cola to sign a contract so we can use one of their bottling plants.” Rarity’s eyes widened, and Twilight quickly added, “That’s a joke, but my paper on it is almost done, and while there’s still an awful lot of testing that needs to be done, I think this could honestly change the world.”

Rarity sighed. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, though I’m not sure how much I like the implications. Are you sure that exposing this, ah, ‘magic’ to the scientific community is really a good idea?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to respond when a sharp knock at the door cut them off.

“Door’s open!” Rarity called out, not taking her eyes off of her work.

The door opened and Twilight tried to look to see who was coming in, but Rarity held her in place, clicking her tongue. Before she could say anything, a red blur shot past the corner of her eye and thundered up the stairs.

“Hi Rarity! Hi Twilight!” Apple Bloom called out as she disappeared from sight.

“Welp, dropped off the squirt like I promised," Applejack said, throwing her hat onto a nearby table and walking past Twilight into the kitchen. "I'm sure those two will behave like perfect little darlings, aren't you?"

Rarity sniffed. "Even Sweetie Belle has days when I don't have to bring out the fire extinguisher. Maybe we'll get lucky this time."

As if to prove her point, a loud crash from upstairs rattled through the ceiling, followed by a hastily called, "I'm fine! We're uh, both fine!"

Twilight giggled. She didn't know her friends' little sisters that well, but they certainly were an excitable lot. It reminded her a bit of her own childhood. She made a mental note to apologize to her brother sometime. The things she and Sunset had gotten up to...

That thought, of course, was followed by a metaphorical splash of cold water to her face. Always had to twist that knife.

She wondered what Sunset was doing right now.

Applejack opened the fridge, grabbed a glass bottle of soda, used the counter to pop off the cap, then pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards. "So. How're y'all doing?"

“I’d be a lot better,” Rarity said, scowling, “if a certain someone hadn’t just tracked mud all over my kitchen floor.”

Applejack blinked, then looked down at her boots. “Oh, uh, whoops. Sorry about that. I’ll clean it up before I go.” Rubbing the back of her head, she added, “Looks like yer dress thing for Twilight is coming along nicely.”

“I’m doing my best, after all,” Rarity said, smiling. “I tell you, Applejack, Sunset and Twilight will certainly be the Prom…. Queens, I suppose. There won’t be an eye in the house that isn’t green with envy.”

Twilight felt her cheeks heat up. It was kind of a ridiculous thought. She hadn’t even attended the prom for her own high school, and her dreams and fantasies tended towards higher pursuits of knowledge rather than adolescent popularity and beauty contests. Still, the idea of doing so with Sunset at her side had a sort of primal appeal to it.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love Sunset and all, but I don’t think the two of us are really anything that special, from an outside perspective,” Twilight mumbled, looking down at the floor.

Rarity laughed, then stepped away from Twilight, sizing her up. “I think you're mistaken, darling. Even if there wasn’t anything special about the two of you—a sentiment I disagree with—my dresses will do the work for you.”

“I agree with Rarity,” Applejack said, chuckling. “Heck, we’re all just kids; enjoy the attention and the spotlight while it lasts. Y'all ain’t seeing any of us taking dates to the prom. Just let Rar’ play dress up so she can live vicariously and such.”

“I am not—!” Rarity yelled, stomping her foot.

That just made Applejack laugh even harder, and Twilight couldn’t help but join in.

Twilight’s phone rang.

“Could you get that for me?” Twilight asked. “It’s in my bag on the table there. A little tied up at the moment.”

“Sure thing,” Applejack said, nodding. She grabbed the phone, pressed the screen, and said, “Howdy. Twilight’s phone, this is Applejack speaking. Oh, hey, Sunset. Yeah, she’s here. Twilight’s just a little busy getting… Rarity’d at the moment.”

Rarity stiffened and gripped Twilight’s shoulder. “Did you just use my name as a verb?”

Applejack grinned. “Eeyup. Hold on, let me put you on speaker.”

“Hey guys,” Sunset said. “Sounds like you’re all having fun.”

“Oh, it’s a marvelous evening, darling,” Rarity, said, gesticulating even though Sunset had no way of seeing. “Just wait til you see Twilight in her new dress. You’ll probably need to bring a towel to help wipe up the drool.”

Twilight’s cheeks heated up as Sunset chuckled.

“I’ll be sure to keep that mind. Anyway, Twilight, well, there was something I wanted to ask you, though it seems a bit weird with everyone else listening. Still, it’s not like I have anything to hide. Er, except for the part where I do.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. “Come again, sugarcube? That didn’t make much sense.”

Rarity matched Applejack’s eyebrow. “Come now, Applejack, have some subtlety. If she has something she wants to ask privately then it’s not our right to intrude.”

Sunset sighed audibly. “It’s really nothing, you guys. I just wanted to… Twilight, can you meet me outside of Canterlot High after school ends on Friday? I have a surprise for you.”

Twilight raised a brow. “What kind of surprise?”

“The kind that means ‘surprise,’ I reckon,” Applejack said flatly before taking another swig of her soda.

“Right. I suppose I can do that. My schedule should be free.” Twilight fidgeted in her seat, her heart speeding up with a slight flutter. “Just as long as it’s not the same kind of surprise as last weekend.” She gave a shaking giggle.

Silence. Rarity cleared her throat.

“Er… Of course not,” Sunset said. “This is just something I’ve been thinking about for a while now. It’s, well—you’ll see.”

“Welp, sounds like a date to me.” Applejack said, grinning. “You kids have fun now.”

Twilight could easily picture Sunset rolling her eyes.

Sunset muttered, “You do know I’m older than you, right?”

Twilight sat alone in her room, the pale luminescence of the laptop reflecting off of her glasses.

Even at three in the morning, the humidity in the air made her sweat. It would be easy to close the window and turn on the AC instead, but the discomfort was a welcome distraction.

Another nightmare. No big deal. She still had plenty of work to do anyway, so troubled sleep just gave her more of an excuse to be productive.

Twilight picked up a small vial on her desk and held it up in front of her. The contents glowed softly, a shimmering rainbow of the entire visual spectrum. Distilled ‘magic.’ The scientific discovery of a lifetime. Completely safe. Probably.

If only Sunset were here right now, Twilight would feel better already. Sure, it was late and she had school in the morning, but if Twilight just called her she was sure she’d understand, and…

Twilight tightened her grip on the vial, took a deep breath, then set it back on her desk.

She had more work to do. The meat of science was in the paperwork, anyway.

Exhaustion weighed down on her, but she pushed it away. There was no harm in staying up for just a few minutes—or hours—more. She just might be a bit tired for when the time came for Sunset’s ‘surprise’, that’s all.

Sunset stared down at the message from Twilight.

“I’m here.”

Well, everything was in place now. It was either now or never. She didn’t know why the idea made her so nervous. Maybe it was because this was the first time she’d have really gone out of her way to do something for Twilight’s sake?

Or maybe because she wasn’t quite ready for this herself.

Sunset stepped outside into the bright sunlight outside the school, and Twilight was the first thing she saw, sprawled out on a bench. She looked… tired.

“Hey,” Sunset called out, walking over to the bench and standing in front of her girlfriend.

“Hay is for horses,” Twilight said, yawning, but smiling, and she leaned up to give her a quick kiss on the lips nonetheless. There were dark circles under Twilight’s eyes, and her ensemble was a little more lopsided than usual, but it wasn’t like she was a trainwreck or anything.

“You don’t know that,” Sunset said with a smirk. “Have you ever actually tried any hay, or flowers, or even plain old grass? You might be surprised—it’s quite good.”

Twilight giggled and wrapped her arm around Sunset’s. “I’ll take your word for it.”

Sunset started to walk with her towards their destination. “You getting enough sleep?”

Twilight’s expression flickered, but she didn’t break her stride. “Nah, it’s fine,” she said, yawning. “Just been staying up late for the science stuff. You know how it is. So, what’s this big surprise, anyway?”

They stopped in front of the statue out front. It was late enough in the day at this point that there were very few students still about. Sunset knew that they had seen a lot of weird stuff since she had enrolled, but it was still a better idea to be at least a little discreet.

“Right here,” Sunset said. She took a deep breath, then reached out her hand and stuck it through the portal. A wave of numbing cold washed over her hand, and she could feel it stuck in an odd superposition between hand and hoof.

Twilight’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. “Amazing! Princess Twilight opened up the portal again? Yes, this is great! There’s so much I wanted to study about this thing.”

This was going to be the hard part. She grabbed Twilight’s shoulders and turned her to face her. “It’s not to study the portal, Twilight. I want… would you like to come with me to visit Equestria? On, uh, a date, I guess?”

“Do I want to visit an alien world which I’ve only heard about second hand and study it and explore it and be the first to boldly go and all of that?” Twilight was practically vibrating with excitement. “You know me so well. I’ll be back, I need to go grab all my equipment!”

Sunset sighed and held onto Twilight’s arm as she tried to sprint away. “Look, Twilight, I know how much you’d love to do all that, but… you can’t. This isn’t about you studying Equestria. We’ve kind of talked about this before, but it’s not really a good idea for our worlds to interact that heavily with each other. I’m asking you to come with me because Equestria is my home. It means a lot to me, and I want you to see that part of me. Where I come from.”

Turning away, Sunset added, “And because I’ve been avoiding going back myself for too long now, and I’d like you to be with me when I do.”

Twilight stared, her mouth working soundlessly as her face contorted between emotions. “But… You seriously want me to go with you to an alien world and not expect me to learn everything about it I can? Seriously, it’ll take me, like, ten minutes to get my stuff. An hour tops.”

Sunset bit her lip, but shook her head. “No. Princess Twilight was pretty clear with these conditions, too. There’s a reason she hasn’t been coming through the portal on a regular basis to study all your human technology. She knows exactly what she’d do if she had the chance, and it isn’t pretty. The offer is limited. Here and now, or not at all.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying you don’t trust me?”

“Of course I do. You can be a little over-enthusiastic about this stuff sometimes, but I do trust you. But I also trust that you can rein all that in and just… have fun? I want to think of this as a vacation for the both of us.”

Twilight looked down at the ground, her face twisted into a pout. “...I can at least take notes, right?”

Sunset smirked. “With what, your hooves? It takes foals years to learn even basic levitation. But you’ve got a good memory, you’ll be fine.”

“Oh. Right.” Twilight blinked several times, then stared down at her hands. “Oh, gods, I’m going to be a horse.”

“Yep.” Sunset leaned forward and kissed her on the nose. “And one who’s cute as a button, too.”

Twilight blushed, then pulled out her phone, her fingers already texting. “How long are we planning on staying? Do I need to tell my family?”

Sunset rubbed at the back of her head. “I actually talked to them already. It took some convincing—a lot of convincing, actually—but eventually they said that you’re an adult, and it was okay if you were fine with it. And I was thinking at least for the weekend. Gives us time to see the sights.”

“Right. Okay, so you’ve thought this through. No big deal then. Just stepping through an inter-dimensional vortex and transforming into a magical talking pony. No idea what exposure to that kind of energy will do to me, but science doesn’t come without risks, right?”

“Not science, Twilight,” Sunset said, grabbing her hand and entwining their fingers. “A date. Remember?

Twilight shivered. “A date. Yes. Dates don’t come without risks either. If we were going by cinematic convention, this is the part where I’d say something like ‘the things I do for love,’ but I’d totally do this even without love, so it kind of makes it a moot point.”

“Are you ready?”

“No,” Twilight said, gripping her hand even tighter. “But let's do this anyway.”

Sunset grinned, and the two took a deep breath as one before they stepped into the portal.