>After some more light conversation, the drinks arrive. Everyone gets busy ordering the food they want.
>Sunset empties her pitcher in record time, not even bothering to savor the taste.
>Trixie puts a concerned hand on Sunset's shoulder.
>"Sunny? You're worrying me," she says, her lips arcing into a half-pout.
>A random diner nearby collapses and goes into a diabetic coma. He is quickly carted away as to not disturb the other diners.
 
>"I am fine, Trixie bunny. Don't you worry your cute face over me."
>The demoness turns cranes her head up and screams, "WAITER. ONE MORE PITCHER FOR THIS BANSHEE."
>An overly cheerful tenor responds.
>"Comin right up, knicker-knots!"
 
"Sunset," begins Anon. "I know the multiverse have been dealing awful cards to us lately—"
>"Betcher ass it did done does," Sunset slurs.
"—but you really shouldn't drown your sorrows in alcohol. There are better ways to cope."
 
>Sunset scoffs at the snobby attitude.
>"What, a grill can't drink some bears when she's cry?"
>She rolls her eyes, not shedding a single tear.
>"What else am I suppository do? Just take it up the ass?"
 
"Well, I've got a friend back on Earth. Her name is Tree Hugger and—"
>"Nooo no no," interrupts Twilight. "You're *not* getting our Sunny hooked on that 'dank gam gams' or whatever."
 
"First of all, lewd."
>Anon, takes a quick sip of his Dude Light.
"Second, it's 'dank ganjas.' I mean, I don't think Sunset swings *that* way, Twilight—"
 
>Twilight grabs Anon's pint and downs it in one swig.
>"Mister Waiter? Chad? I'd like a pitcher of Blue Planet too please," she shouts. "It seems that the multiverse won't stop tricking me into making innuendos."
 
>Trixie and Anon exchange looks.
>"Well," Trixie shrugs. "If they can't handle that, I'd hate to be them when the multiverse triggers my compulsive portal thing again."
"Yeah, they'd probably lose their shit.
 
>"Lay off of me you nerds," says Twilight, already buzzed. "You have no idea what I've been through today."
 
 
—
 
>By the time Chad begins serving their food, Sunset and Twilight are comfortably drunk.
>They look ready to take on whatever the multiverse might throw at them. Mostly by being unable to dodge out of its path.
 
>"Trixie, have I ever told you how munch I want to berry my face in that luscious hair of yours?"
>"Sunset, please," groans the wizard. "You're spilling spaghetti all over yourself."
 
>Sunset looks down at the napkin on her lap. It has a largish meatball and some strands of angel hair on it.
>"Oh, you're right."
>She puts up a devious grin, then looks at Trixie.
>"I'll just lick it all up. And you can watch me."
>Sunset tries her best to be sexy, and fails entirely.
>Trixie stops chewing on her burger, trying to to throw up.
 
>"Sunny, I'm trying to eat here—"
>Sunset picks up the meatballs and places them over her chest. One far apart from another.
>"Did you know deez meatballs are the same color as my nipples?"
 
>"—oh my god," groans Trixie, losing her appetite. Her burger bounces lightly on the plate.
 
 
>"Hey Anony," stumbles Twilight drunkenly. "Let me eat you like one of your French fries."
>Twilight grabs a mouthful of yellow potato sticks from Anon's plate. It's incredibly unattractive.
>She stuffs them down in her gullet with enthusiasm.
 
"Hey! My sides!"
>This triggers the lavender warrior.
>Twilight bites on the fries with a furious chomp. The severed halves begin dropping into her soup bowl.
>"No. NO. None of that shit. I am tired of your rank may-mays, mister. And stop trying to pair up Tree Smoker with—."
"Tree HUGGER."
>"—Tree Bugger with my Sunchip Shimmies."
 
"I'm not spouting memes this time," complains Anon. "You just ate half of my sides and dropped the other half in your soup."
>Twilight gives Anon a blank stare.
"Very uncool."
 
>"So your sides are gone," says Twilight. She's chewing with her mouth open.
"Ye-e-es. And please don't talk with your mouth full."
>"Your sides are gone," repeats Twilight.
"Yes."
 
>She lets a wolfish grin spread slowly over her face.
>"I think I'm beginning to understand why you enjoy these insipid vernacular. They're entertaining."
"That's a poor excuse for stealing my sides, Twi."
 
>Twilight glares at Anon.
>"Keep up that negative nancy attitude and I"ll throw these sides into orbit."
 
>Anon sighs and gives up, digging back into his omelette du fromage.
>The cheesy scramble gives him a bit of consolation.
 
>Sunset grabs whatever's left of Anon's fries, and begins deepthroating them.
>"You mirin' bronymous?"
>Impressively, she swallows it all without gagging.
>"I have full control over my fag reflex."
 
>Anon downs the rest of his beer, wondering what he's done to deserve these two.
 
—
 
>A round of desserts and some sobering up later, the party begins discussing the next step of their master plan.
>"What strikes me most is the massive time discrepancies between the two groups of us," say Twilight.
>Anon picks up Twilight's napkin and checks her math.
 
"So Trixie and I *did* move forward in time with each jump after all."
>Twilight nods, taking a more reserved sip from her drink this time.
>"Yep. If anything, it's a sign that the two halves of our universe are becoming even more unstable.
>Anon wasn't quite sure how she came to that conclusion, but decided to trust the intuitions of a portal-hopping lavender physicist.
 
>Sunset cranes her neck towards Anon's side of the table.
>"Whoa, What happened to your sides?"
>Anon's knuckles turn pale as a drop of tear rolls down his cheek. He quietly mourns the loss of his sides.
"They're in a better place now."
>Trixie puts a comforting hand on Anon's arm.
 
>"Oh, right," says Sunset, remembering tattered bits of the preceding tragedy. "Sorry, Anon. I ought to lay off the sauce someday."
>Anon wipes his face.
"It's okay. Watching you deepthroat those fries was pretty amusing, I must admit."
>Twilight shoots him a death glare.
>Sunset's face lights up.
>"I did WHAT?"
 
 
>Trixie breaks up the increasingly catty exchange with a cough.
>"Anyways, we know that the Other Twilight and her Anon are headed to the HST homeworld."
>Anon nods in acknowledgement.
 
>Twilight take the cue, "if she's anything like me, she's probably going to look *me* up on the Twilight registry, to make sense of what is going on. She's hoping to get some answers from me, or work towards an answer in tandem with me.
"
"Right," says Anon. "I bet her world's chock full of dimensional rifts as well. She probably wants desperately to find a way to reconcile the split."
>"Not to mention the existential question," says Trixie. "Don't forget, they have just as many questions about their past as you do."
>Sunset nods.
>"Whatever the reasons may be, we're not gonna leave them hanging. We're gonna meet them halfway, because we would like some answers, as well. We all have a vested interest in figuring this out, and we're going to do it as friends."
>Everyone nods in unison.
 
>Twilight walks over to Anon, putting her hands around his face.
>"Are you ready? Because I am. Even if it means you leaving me."
>Anon grabs her hands.
"As long as you stand by me, I'll always be ready. Even if it means you leaving me."
>They close in for a kiss.
 
>Sunset separates them forcibly.
>"Guys, seriously. I can tank through a hangover but you're going to make me lose my meal with this stuff."
 
>Trixie leaves a pile of Slammin' Sticks arcade tokens on the table.
>"That should cover the bill and the tip. Let's go before I fuse these two lovebirds by their beaks."
 
 
- - - - - -
 
 
>As they make their way towards the F-Mart parking lot, Twilight begins reciting their plan under her breath.
>"Go to HST, Meet Other Twi, meet other Anon, do science—"
>She paces back and forth in zigzags, managing to keeping up with the rest of the party.
 
>Sunset raises an eyebrow then asks Anon, "is she always like this when she's focused?"
"Err, yeah. More or less. She usually has Spike in her arms when she does it, though."
>Sunsets quietly mouths an 'aww' at the mental picture.
 
>"How is Spike, by the way?"
>Anon glances sideways.
"The usual. Doing dog things."
 
>He hesitates before whispering.
"It's kind of weird. I think that purple dog's smarter than he lets on."
>"Well," says Sunset. "They've been with us for tens of thousands of years. Don't be surprised when they pick up a speech cue every now and then."
>Anon shakes his head.
"It's not that. Sometimes when Twi and I are talking about him, his ears perk up. Like he's listening."
 
>"Maybe he just doesn't like you talking behind his back," Sunset chides playfully.
"I know," says Anon. "we shouldn't. He's a good dog."
>He begins to wonder what he's up to.
 
 
>Out of the blue, Trixie grabs Sunset's hand.
>"S-Sunny?"
>Sunset gives Trixie a confused look.
>"Yes, Trix? What's up?"
 
>The Element of Empathy yanks on Sunset, ensnaring her in a tight embrace.
>"P-please, I don't like it when you're angry and turning into a demoness."
 
>Sunset looks startled.
>"What are you talking about," she whispers. Her voice is breathy.
>Trixie doesn't let go.
 
>"You see what I see, don't you?"
 
>Sunset begins pivoting her head everywhere. Her eyes are darting about.
>"Yes, now that you're pouring all that— ngh —rainbow power inside me! God, what are these things??"
 
"What are what things? I don't see anything out of the ordinary—"
>Anon stops, making a terrified face.
"Oh god, Trixie."
 
>The altercation catches Twilight's attention.
>"Trixie? Sunset? What's going on here?"
>Trixie's eyes begin glowing pale blue. Her voice drops a few half steps in pitch, but remains strangely audible.
 
>"Sunset Shimmer, surrogate of the Element of Magic."
>"No! I just wield the crown of a deceased friend," Sunset begins to panic. "LET GO OF ME. Oh my god what are these things I'm seeing?? This isn't how the world is supposed to—"
 
>With one hand, Trixie swipes at the air towards Anon.
>An electrified portal shows up again, separating the lovebirds and the Elements.
"Trixie!"
 
>Sunset goes into shock, her eyes giving up trying to take in whatever she is witnessing.
>Picking up the rage demoness on her shoulder, Trixie hops into the portal.
 
 
>Twilight grits her teeth, turning to her partner.
>"Anon—"
"I know. We're jumping."
>Anon grabs Twilight's hand for the millionth time today.
"Ready?"
>"Ready!"
>They charge forward, disappearing into the rapidly diminishing slit in the space-time continuum.
 
—
 
>The view inside the portal is a lot different than what Anon remembers.
>It's blank. Very blank. So blank as to be completely void of everything.
>The complete lack of existence.
>Except Anon, Twilight, Trixie, and a less-than conscious Sunset. The four of them are floating weightlessly about.
 
>"You shouldn't have followed me in here," says the pale blue wizard. Her voice is strangely dream-like.
"Sorry Trix, can't ditch us that easily."
 
>Trixie sighs.
>"Anon, this is serious. You're not supposed to be in here."
 
>Before Anon or Twilight can say a word, Trixie sweeps her arms apart as though double-backhanding the void itself.
>The unfathomable void responds by splitting open beneath Anon and Twilight.
>They begin falling through.
 
>Trixie shouts after them.
>"Head to the HST homeworld! Don't bother looking for Sunset or me, because you won't find us. I'll see you when the time's convenient!"
 
>Anon begins screaming as the sensation of free fall grips him.
>Twilight keeps her cool.
 
 
- - - - - -
 
 
>Light years away, an unusually conservatively dressed Minuette greets Moondancer at a busy plaza.
>The blue mercenary's shirt is buttoned up all the way, ending in a smart-looking gray tie.
>Moondancer, seeing all this, wonders whether to complement the tie or the tight-fitting dress pants.
 
>Minuette makes the decision for her, plunging Moondancer's face in her chest and her hands on the curviest part of her pants.
>Moondancer responds naturally, rubbing her face in pure bliss and giving whatever's in her hands a firm squeeze.
>An old woman mutters something about "godless heathens" as she walks past.
 
>"Never mind my espionage talents," says Moondancer. "I still don't understand how you can just read my wants and desires like a book."
>Minuette giggles.
>"It's a curse, my little cookie. Knowing what to do and say *all* the time makes sex kind of boring. No anticipation at all."
>She gives Moondancer's sizable airbags a squeeze.
>"Though I must say, I don't see myself getting bored of these any time soon."
>Moondancer blushes, scrunching up her face.
 
>"S-stop! You know how I am with being touched there."
>Minuette gives her a predatory grin.
 
>Moondancer nods up at Minuette's rather massive duffel bag.
>"So, why did you want to meet here? I thought we were going on a date today."
>"We were," confirms Minuette. "Something else just came up, and I need to tell you something."
>Moondancer grows uneasy.
 
>Minuette sighs, and says, "Remember how you mentioned having a threesome might be fun? Well, I've... sort of had one person in mind for a while."
>Moondancer perks up.
>"OH! Is it Trixie?"
>"Sorry, my little cookie," Minuette says. "Couldn't get her to agree on it."
>"Awww."
 
>"We'll discuss it later," says Minuette, setting down her duffel bag.
>It draws some confused looks from some pedestrians. The plaza as a whole, however, is uninterested at the moment.
 
 
>Moondancer notices the familiar dull-glint of Minuette's favorite rifle.
>DSC0-RD. The nastiest CQC rifle on the market.
>Minuette tries not to cut herself on the sharp edges.
 
>"Oh my GOD," someone shouts, "she's got a gun! A *real* gun!"
>A fairly large radius around the warrior couple is vacated immediately.
 
>"So," continues Minuette, apparently unfazed. "The dude I've had in mind is actually a spy. And he tells me—"
>She fishes out an identical rifle and hands it to Moondancer.
>"—that the Savior pukes are hot on the trail of an ex-MUPPET agent. Someone who matches *your* description a little too well for my liking."
 
>Moondancer loses her vanilla complexion in shock.
>"M-me? They know where I am? But I made sure to—"
>Minuette slides her hand around Moondancer's slender waist with the practiced ease of a career assassin.
>Then she shushes Moondancer with a kiss.
 
>An electrifying moment later, she lets her lover breathe.
>"We'll discuss that, too, later."
>Moondancer nods, not wanting to be freed of Minuette's comforting embrace.
 
>"What's important is that our friend caught wind of it just before the Saviors made landfall. The spaceports are closed. We need to fight our way off of this rock, or survive long enough for someone to pick us up."
>"Wait," says Minuette, loading a magazine. "Why haven't you run, then? Are they after you as well?"
 
 
>Minuette lets out a shrill laughter.
>"Oh Moondancer, there's no place in this godforsaken multiverse I'd run off to without you by my side. You're stuck with me for a while, kiddo."
 
>Moondancer's eyes begin glittering.
>"Minuette, you reckless idiot! Always thinking with that big stupid heart of yours, trying to do the right thing at all costs."
>"Don't delude yourself, my lovely," retorts Minuette. "I'm just in it for that gorgeous rack of yours."
>Moondancer gives her white-blue lover a playful spank.
 
>Minuette fires a burst into the air, scaring anyone who hasn't fled yet. The plaza empties in a matter of seconds.
>The Sapphire Saviors dropships begin landing around the plaza, disgorging a wave of frighteningly well-trained Brads.
 
>Minuette activates her transponder bracelets, unclipping one and putting it on Moondancer.
 
>"Our emerald and lavender savior cometh," she jests, smiling.
 
>The duo charges forward with a flurry of stabs, cuts, and gunfire.
 
 
- - - - - -
 
 
>In the F-Mart parking lot, a baseball-shaped spaceship waits idly by.
>Strips of expired parking tickets are lodged in the gap of its entrance hatch.
>Inside, an electric rift opens up near the couch in the lounge. It spits out two very surprised humanoids.
 
>The lavender one gets up.
>"Head towards the HST homeworld? Without her or Sunny?"
>She fumes a little at her wizardly friend's indecipherable behavior.
>Her green partner-in-portal-crime helps himself up, watching the lavender one pace about.
>"Where was that place? What in the world is she planning?"
 
"Twi, honey—"
>Twilight glances back at Anon.
"Your wrist is blinking."
>She looks down at her wrist-mounted computer.
>An emergency transponder alert.
 
>"It's Minuette," she says grimly. "It looks like it's been active for a while."
>Anon's face crumbles with a horrified expression.
"My god, how far in time have we skipped?"
>"According to the clock," says Twilight. "About two days."
 
 
>Anon takes the pilot seat.
"We'll do the sciencey stuff later. Where is she now?"
 
>Twi lets out an incredulous laugh.
>Anon looks a little annoyed.
"What?"
>"Moving towards the HST homeword," Twilight replies. "She's either on the move or someone's taking her to the council headquarters."
>She shakes her head.
>She looks incredibly jaded.
 
>The Rainboom lifts off, angering the locals greatly.