Dear Diary, Detention is dumb and boring. When Dad found out what happened, he got really angry and called up the school and yelled a bunch until apparently I didn’t have to go to detention anymore, which I thought was pretty cool. But then I found out that they still thought everything was Sunset’s fault, which is super unfair, and nobody did anything no matter how much I tried to explain what really happened. So today I made sure to thank Sunset a whole bunch. She kept trying to say it wasn’t a big deal, but it was. After school, when she had detention I marched in with her and said that if she had to stay then I would too. The teacher just rolled his eyes and said whatever and Sunset got real quiet and tried to tell me I didn’t have to but I did it anyway. But it’s seriously super boring. You just sit there and fill out times tables over and over, and they’re not even tough. I was doing some of these back in first grade. We weren’t even allowed to talk to each other. After detention was over she gave me a big hug, said thanks, and ran off. Of course now it’s the weekend, so I guess I won’t see her again until Monday. Oh well. ☹ Twilight Sparkle

“Hey, Twilight, how’s it hanging?”

“Dang, I’m loving those glasses! You rock it, girl!”

“Hmph. So the Almighty Twilight Sparkle decides to once again grace us with her presence. What sort of horrible evil plaguing the school are you going to blast with rainbows today?”

At least a dozen students greeted her on her way to Canterlot High the next morning. She was by no means a shrinking violet when it came to social interactions, but receiving the attention of so many people for something she hadn’t ever actually done was more than a little unnerving. Still, she did her best to smile, wave, and occasionally mumble vague and noncommittal replies.

By the time she finally made it through the doors to what was admittedly a less than prestigious institute of learning, it took considerable effort to keep the façade going.

Of course, while the girls had told her to meet them at Canterlot High, they had neglected to give her any actual directions as to where she was supposed to go. Just as she pulled out her phone to text them, she heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Yo, Sparkle,” Rainbow Dash called from where she was leaning against a locker.

Twilight turned around, slipped her phone into her pocket, and adjusted her glasses. “Ah. Miss Dash. A pleasure to see you this morning.”

“Uh-huh,” Rainbow Dash grunted. “Look, I drew the short straw so I get to be the one to show you around the school.”

Twilight frowned. “Do people still actually draw straws to make decisions?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “It’s called a metaphor, duh. I’m the only one who had a free period right now. No literal straws were involved.”

“I see. Well, lead the way,” Twilight said. As Rainbow Dash started down the hall, and Twilight followed after her, she added, “And it’s not a metaphor, it’s a cliché.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t make for a particularly engrossing tour guide, preferring blunt and simple descriptions, but it wasn’t as if Twilight was exploring a museum. Canterlot High was much like any other high school; it had classes, clubs, sports fields, and all the other amenities you’d expect your hard-earned tax dollars to provide.

As they rounded a corner after Rainbow had high-fived what must have been her third student by now, Twilight decided to speak up, saying, “I can’t help but notice that you don’t seem to care for my company, Miss Dash.”

Rainbow Dash turned to her and smiled, baring her teeth. “Gee, ya think?”

Twilight stopped and stared down the other girl. “I’ve said this before, and I have a sneaking suspicion I’ll be saying it a lot before this is over: I’m not the other Twilight. I’m me, and I’d quite appreciate it if you judged me on my own merits, instead of how I compare to her.”

Rainbow Dash threw back her head and laughed. “Wow, you really don’t get it, do you, Miss Sparkle? You’ve got it backwards. I don’t like you because you’re kind of a bitch. The others are just giving you a pass on that because of the other Twilight. I'm not."

Twilight reeled as if she had been slapped in the face. “I… I see.” A few students stopped to stare, but a quick glare from Rainbow kept them walking. It took her a few moments to compose herself, but it wasn’t like this really changed anything. “Well, I’m glad we could get that out in the open. Personally, I like to think of myself as fiercely independent.”

Rainbow Dash snorted. “Whatever. Come on, we’re almost there.”

They walked halfway down the hall before Twilight spoke up again. “For the record, thanks.”

“Uh...” Rainbow Dash turned to stare at her, eyebrow raised. “For… calling you a bitch?”

Twilight shook her head, smiling. “For not running to the nearest bucket of tissues like I was some kind of living made-for-TV movie sob story. Despite the fact that I basically am.”

Rainbow Dash turned away, rubbing at the back of her head. “Yeah, well… you’re not the only one out there who life has dealt a shit hand, y’know?”

“To whom,” Twilight corrected. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“Right here,” Rainbow Dash said, pointing at a door with the word ‘Music’ on it. “Say, you don’t happen to play any instruments, do you?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “I took some basic lessons on both the clarinet and the oboe, though it was never something I devoted a significant amount of effort towards.”

Rainbow Dash’s face fell as she opened the door. “That’s way less awesome than what I was hoping. Is that it? No guitar, bass, drums, tambourine? Not even a xylophone or something? Can you at least sing?”

“Well, I sing in the shower occasionally; it makes Spike howl with anguish, and I think my neighbors prefer him to me. But it’s not like I’m interested in joining your band, anyway.”

The intent behind Rainbow’s question became clear as they walked into the room, with numerous instruments scattered about, along with a big banner saying “The Rainbooms” emblazoned with a rainbow not unlike Rainbow Dash’s hair.

“Hey guys,” Sunset Shimmer said, sitting up from where she had been lounging in the corner and draping a book over her knees. “How’s it going?”

Twilight tensed up, and her heart raced, but she stamped down her instinctual panic fairly quickly this time. Another point for exposure therapy.

“H-hey,” Twilight mumbled, her voice barely wavering.

“It’s just me at the moment,” Sunset said, addressing Rainbow Dash. “The others should be out of class and over here soon.”

“Right,” Rainbow Dash said. “Pop a squat, Sparkle. And don’t touch my guitar, it’s a—”

The sharp buzzing of Rainbow Dash's phone cut her off, and she quickly pulled it from her pocket. After a few seconds she cursed under her breath, then turned and headed for the door. “Fluttershy’s got a gopher stuck in a drain pipe, and she needs my help. Shouldn’t take me too long.”

“Wait, hold on, Rainbow Dash, don’t…!” Sunset protested, stretching her arm out towards the other girl as she slammed the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone. Sunset glanced over at Twilight, but quickly looked away. “Ah, uh, well then. Sorry about that.”

Twilight felt her cheeks heat up and her heart began to race again. She just had to keep reminding herself that this Sunset was a different person, no matter how similar she might seem.

Sitting down, she idly smoothed her jeans and clasped her hands together on her lap, waiting.

After about two minutes of sitting there in silence, Twilight finally asked, “So, uh, what are you reading?”

Sunset jumped slightly, then picked up the book and held it in front of her face. “It’s an anatomy textbook.”

“Ah. Studying?”

“More or less.” Sunset lowered the textbook, grinning. “You humans are pretty gross, you know that?”

“Are we, now?”

Sunset nodded. “When I first came to this world and got my first period, I literally thought I was going to die. Like it was some kind of punishment that followed me here.”

Twilight couldn’t help but crack a smile. “I can see how that would be pretty distressing. But a punishment? Why did you come here anyway?”

“That’s, well…” Sunset bit her lip and began twirling one of her fingers through her hair. “It’s kind of a long story. And it involves… a lot of stuff I’m not particularly proud of. I mean, you’ll get the whole truth soon, but a lot of it will probably be a little easier for you to accept once you see what it is we want to show you.”

“And what is it you want to show me, anyway?”

“Our rocking guitar skills,” Sunset said, grinning as she grabbed one of the nearby guitars and strummed a quick chord. “But seriously, you'll see once everyone gets here.”

Twilight frowned, thinking through the implications. “If you’re a pony, that means you had hooves, right? So where would you get enough fine digital manipulation to effectively play something like a guitar?”

Sunset waggled her fingers at her. “Lots and lots of practice. But seriously, learning to play guitar is actually a pretty good way to teach fingers how to work. I hear they use it in therapy for people who injure their hands and stuff.”

“I see. I believe I’ve heard something like that as well.” Twilight’s head was swimming, and it was getting hard to concentrate. The situation she had found herself in was just too surreal.

“Twilight?” Sunset asked, her voice sounding concerned. “Are you alright? You’re looking a little pale.”

Twilight reached her hand up and pressed on her forehead, taking a deep breath. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Sunset stood up and started to make her way across the room. “Look, Twilight, if this is too much for you to handle, it’s fine, we understand and—”

“I’m fine!” Twilight snapped, standing up and glaring daggers at Sunset. “I don’t want pity from anyone, but especially not from you!”

Sunset flinched, reeling backwards from the words, and fell back into her seat. “I… it’s not like,” she mumbled, sinking her head down and shaking it. “Nevermind. You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Twilight clenched her teeth, then sat back down. “No, I’m sorry. That was unprofessional of me.”

“Right,” Sunset muttered, “‘professionalism.’”

Before things could get any more awkward, Applejack saved the day by entering the room, the other four right behind her.

“Howdy, y’all. Sorry we’re late.”

“Alright, places everyone!” Rainbow Dash said, rushing into the room and picking up a blue, lightning bolt-fretted guitar that could only have belonged to her. “Let’s make this quick, I’ve gotta be at soccer practice in like fifteen minutes.”

“Twilight,” Rarity said, stopping in front of her and smiling. “Do you still have that recording equipment from yesterday? I’d suggest setting it up.”

Twilight frowned, but started pulling the equipment out of her bag anyway. Just what exactly was so important about a musical performance? If this all turned out to be some sort of elaborate joke…

“Um, Twilight…” Fluttershy mumbled right next to her ear.

Twilight started and, after the shy girl squeaked and backed away, realized that that must have already been the second or third time she had tried to get her attention. “Sorry. What do you need, Fluttershy?”

“Well, if you could, um, maybe have me not really in the camera shot that would be wonderful. If it’s not too much of a bother.”

Before Twilight could even respond, Fluttershy had already retreated to the back corner of the room, where she picked up a tambourine. Well, it wasn’t like she had a tripod with her, in any case. After a some careful rearranging of a nearby shelf, she was able to position the camera so it picked up everyone but Fluttershy.

“You ready, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked, bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet.

Twilight hit record, then moved back to her seat in the center of the room, sat down and crossed her arms. “This had better be worth it,” she muttered under her breath.

As she looked over the assembled bandmates, she briefly caught Sunset’s gaze once more. They both looked away, but Sunset looked back and shot her a quick smile, before she turned to focus on her guitar.

“I’m dying to see you science this, Twi,” Rainbow Dash said, a smug grin splitting her face in two.

Pinkie Pie raised her drumsticks high into the air. “One, two, let’s rock!!”

Once, upon a time.

You came into my world and made the stars align.

...

Twilight could do nothing but stare as everyone’s extra sets of ears, longer hair, and the apparently functional wings of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy vanished into motes of light.

“That’s… impossible,” she muttered, falling back into her chair and sinking her head into her hands. Was this the third time now since coming here that she’d witnessed something that only a week ago she would have dismissed as cheap special effects?

“Maybe we should have warned her first,” Rarity said, unslinging her keytar and hanging it back up.

“Pfft. Come on. Seeing is believing, right? Can’t deny that,” Rainbow Dash said, chuckling.

“Did… did you guys drug me or something?” Twilight asked, hands shaking. She was feeling kind of lightheaded. And something had been a little off for a while now, though she couldn’t quite place it.

Applejack touched Twilight’s shoulder, causing her to jump. “Come on now, Sugarcube. We’d never do something like that to anyone, and especially not to you. Look, you got yer recording, right? Genuine evidence your head ain’t just being messed with.”

She was right, of course. Twilight took a deep breath. “Okay, so what then? Are you all ponies or something?”

Sunset snorted, rolling her eyes. “These chimps? Please.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow at Sunset. “I’m not really sure if I should take offense to that, but no, darling. I assure you, everyone here other than Sunset is a regular human, born and raised.”

A few snarky retorts of her own immediately came to mind, but Twilight instead chose to rest her chin on her palm, silently waiting for the group to provide a more adequate explanation.

“It’s actually really simple, Twilight, don’t worry!” Pinkie Pie said, still sitting behind her drums.

Twilight continued waiting silently, tapping one finger against her cheekbone.

“It’s magic!” Pinkie Pie wailed on her drums in a quick solo, ending with a rimshot and a sudden explosion of confetti from one of her bass drums.

“Magic. I see.” Twilight blew some confetti off of her face, then turned her gaze to everyone else.

Sunset shrugged, rubbing at the back of her head. “Actually yeah, that’s about the gist of it.”

Twilight clenched her teeth, took off her glasses, wiped them on her shirt, then put them back on. “Magic is the poor woman’s excuse for any phenomena they don’t actually understand. It ‘exists’ only in the sense that it is a name given to things which have yet to receive a proper explanation.”

The girls looked at each other, not sure what to do, until Sunset finally sighed and stepped forward.

“Twilight. The place I come from, Equestria, is a place where magic exists. Now, you could give it some sort of science-y name if you really wanted, maybe a ‘positron energon field’ or something, but magic infuses both ponies and the land itself. It’s a huge part of our very way of life over there. It’s very different from this world. During the incident last fall, our friends were exposed to some of the strongest magic in Equestria. We're still not sure why, but it’s because of that exposure that we manifest the ears and wings and all that when we play music. Among other things.”

Twilight shook her head. Pain throbbed in the back of her skull. This was insane. It sounded like something out of a cheesy novel. Why was she even still here, taking this seriously—taking them seriously?

And yet, her gut told her they weren’t lying, and she had already seen so much that was supposed to be impossible. She might as well give them a chance.

“Alright,” Twilight said, leaning forward. “I want the whole story, from the beginning. Now.”

“Uh, yeah, have fun with that,” Rainbow Dash said, heading for the door. “Practice, remember?”

“Sorry, Twi,” Applejack mumbled. “But we are still in school and all.”

Sunset shook her head. “It’s fine. I’ll skip and explain everything. You guys go ahead.”

“But, um, Sunset, even with how good you’ve been doing lately, your record can’t really handle any more absences like that…” Fluttershy said, her eyes downcast as she packed up her things.

“It’s fine, I’m serious,” Sunset said, waving them along. “Really, it’s the last thing I’m worried about right now. This is way more important.”

The rest of the band made a hasty exit, and Twilight was once again left alone with Sunset. Her hunger for the truth overpowered any of her usual anxieties about this interdimensional stranger.

“So,” Sunset said as she pulled up another chair and sat in it backwards, resting her arms across the back. “This is going to be a long story, so get comfy. Where should I start?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, then found herself shivering slightly. Was the AC on too high in this room or something? “Where all stories start, of course. The very beginning.”

Sunset stuck one of her fingers in her mouth, biting down on it lightly as she thought. “The beginning, huh? Alright, let’s see…

“Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land...”

Twilight’s head spun. This was all too much crazy to take in at once. Princesses using magic to move their respective celestial bodies across the sky, advanced weather control, a number of additional creatures straight out of mythology. Not to mention Sunset apparently turning into a literal demon and blowing up a part of the school. How had that not made national news, again?

Plus, the cold was really starting to make it hard to concentrate.

“Anyway, we managed to perform the counterspell, defeat the Dazzlings, save the school again, and that basically brings us to now. People started treating me better after that, too, which has been a definite plus.”

“Mmm,” Twilight murmured. Something was wrong. She shouldn’t be having this much trouble concentrating. In the past she had sat in on several advanced college lectures and performed flawlessly, but right now her notes were an incoherent mess even to her own eyes.

“Right, yeah,” Sunset said, laughing shakily. “It really does sound crazy when you spell it all out like that. Sorry. But I promise you, everything I told you is true.”

Twilight shook her head, then glanced at her watch. The story had taken almost two hours. “Is that everything?”

Sunset nodded. “I mean, I could probably talk for days about Equestria, but I’ve given you all the relevant bits.”

“Right. In that case, it’s probably about time I get going. The recorder is nearly full and I’m going to need time to unpack all of this information. Thank you very much, Miss Shimmer, I—”

Twilight stood up to go, but she suddenly wavered and had to grab the back of her chair for support. Just what the hell was wrong with her?

Sunset was at her side in a flash. “Twilight, you really haven’t been looking so hot for a while now.”

“I’m fine,” Twilight growled, rubbing at her forehead. “We already went over this, remember?”

Sunset looked hesitant, but then her eyes narrowed and locked onto Twilight’s. She reached over and placed her hand on Twilight’s forehead. Her hand was freezing. Twilight tried to pull away, but Sunset moved with her.

“I knew it,” Sunset said. “You’re burning up, Twilight. I’ll call an ambulance.”

A fever. So incredibly mundane, yet she had missed such obvious symptoms. “Don’t be silly,” Twilight groaned, weakly grabbing at Sunset’s wrist as she went for her phone. “It’s just a fever, not an emergency. I’ve got some ibuprofen in my bag, and after that, it’s just a matter of getting some rest back at home.”

Sunset looked unsure, but pocketed her phone after a few moments, letting out a sigh. “Well, at least let me get you home. You walked here, right?”

Twilight nodded, then sat back down in her chair and started looking through her bag for her pills.

“I’ve got a bike, but if you’re sick that’s probably not the best idea. Rarity keeps a spare set of keys in her locker, we can just borrow her car.”

Twilight snapped the seatbelt shut, doing her best to not shiver.

Sunset backed out of the parking lot slowly and carefully, then began to follow the directions Twilight had given her.

“It makes sense, you know,” Twilight mumbled, closing her eyes and sinking back into her seat, arms wrapped tightly around her. “Immune systems are compromised by extreme stress, and I’ve certainly been under a lot of that these past couple days. Pair that with the fact that I’ve been coming into contact with dozens of new people in an entirely new town, and me getting sick was all but inevitable.”

Something warm slumped over her, and Twilight opened her eyes to find Sunset’s jacket on top of her. Sunset smiled, but kept her eyes on the road.

As the car passed a field, Twilight stared as the sunlight filtered through Sunset’s hair, framing her profile in a golden radiance.

This was the demon that had tormented the students of Canterlot High for four years? She couldn’t bring herself to believe it. Sunset had always been...

“...So beautiful.” Twilight mumbled, snuggling up under the makeshift blanket.

If Sunset heard her Freudian slip, she didn’t let it show.