"Well, it's good to know I fill out eventually."

Twilight shook her head. "You're taking this in too well."

"You should have seen me earlier," Sunset said. "When I saw that giant snake I was so freaked out I ran and hid in the restroom for at least fifteen minutes. Then, if I hadn't seen my share of crazy things, I wouldn't have overheard two people talking about you and that you were in the lab… and, well, the rest is history. I just… followed the signs."

"It's still surprising," Twilight said, nodding and patting Sunset's hand. "You have to forgive me, but you remind me more of my friends back in Equestria than "Bloody" Sunset. She's… different."

"Bloody?"

Twilight sighed. "That's her nickname. Uncomfortably well-earned too."

"Wow," Sunset cleared her throat. "And um, how exactly did I-she… uh… how did she earn that title?"

"Because she's always covered in it."

Sunset grimaced. "Now who takes things too lightly? The Twilight Sparkle in my world would be freaked out by the idea of blood being spilled alone." she sighed, "does "me" here really use Blood Magic? She's called "Bloody"? Runs around getting bloodbaths? What… kind of monster am I here?"

The question hit Twilight like a truck. Her thoughts went back to Sunset's diary… how Sunset's first priority had been Twilight's safety. How she only had good things to say about her to Celestia and her friends. How she had hated herself when Twilight was captured. She thought back to how she had felt when she had seen a younger Sunset, terrified during a fight. How proud she had been at Twilight's decision to go on her first mission. And… it didn't seem fair.

"Please don't call her that…"

"Hm?"

"Please don't call her a monster."

Sunset blinked, sitting back. "I'm… sorry, it's just a lot to take in… and it sounded like you weren't too fond of her, the way you spoke of her. It's weird for me… when you visit me, we're good friends."

Twilight chuckled. "I wonder how similar I am still to the Twilight you know."

"I dunno, you still sound similar."

Twilight sighed.

"So… can I ask why you don't get along with her?" Sunset prodded gently. "At first it sounded like you didn't like her much, but you seem to have some respect for her regardless."

"It… did?" Twilight asked. She shook her head. "I don't.. dislike Sunset. I don't have a problem with her… she's brave. Strong. Smart. A good leader… hell, she's even our go-to liaison with three factions!"

"But?"

"I don't know."

Sunset hummed and laid back on the bed, arms under her head and staring up at the metallic ceiling. "I wish I knew what to say, Twilight… back home… I got lucky in many ways. After running away and finding myself in the human world, I was adopted. I was a brat, but I played nice because it served my purpose... until the Fall Formal when I stole your element and things went sideways… I became a literal demon and if you and our friends hadn't blasted me with friendship rainbows who knows where I'd be today?

She sighed. "I'm still… paying for that. I was a bully and a horrible person to everyone at school until then and they are still forgiving me to this day… I have a lot to make up for. Over here, it seems she didn't get lucky enough to have a family?"

Twilight frowned. "She has all the family she can get. She's been adopted into the Skirmishers, so there's a hundred brothers and sisters right there. Then there's us here. The Avenger is small enough for everyone to be practically family. Then there's Angel… the giant snake… I think she has a thing for Sunset… and then there's Central. Commander Chrysalis keeps telling him he acts like Sunset's dad."

"Wait…" Sunset pushed herself up and stared at Twilight. "Commander Chrysalis? That's my dad's boss…"

They both stared at each other for a second, then Sunset gulped. "What's his name?"

"Bradford?" Chrysalis asked. "Why is Sunset laughing?"

"I'm not sure, commander."

Sunset sighed, a smile still splitting her face as she stopped laughing. "I'm sorry… it's just…" she shook her head. "I'm glad. It makes me happy to know that she… I… was that lucky."

Bradford looked slightly baffled, but Chrysalis' eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms, leaning back. "So you're not from the future, exactly, but rather... a different Sunset."

"Commander if you were just the tiniest bit sharper you'd be cutting right through reality," Sunset muttered. "Yes, that's correct. From my alternate timeline, I'm older, a Lieutenant in XCOM, and not… adopted by Central."

"Where is my daughter?" Bradford hissed.

"Hey, easy," Sunset said, raising her hands, "If we switched, she's fine. She's in the Avenger, with the older, scarred, more grizzled, sweater-less Bradford," she added. "Lily Shen, Annette Durand, Twilight Sparkle and the Commander are also there."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Bradford asked, drilling her with his glare.

"Because I trust you." Sunset's smile became smaller, more contemplative, and if anything more disarming. "Because you and I crossed the world together, through jungle and frozen tundra… we fought together and bled together. Because you taught me to be better and brought me into XCOM where I became the person I am now… until I achieve the rank of Commander and retire you both to the Bahamas. I knew, if there was anyone in this alternate world that I could trust… it would be you."

"Sounds like you have a dad there too," Chrysalis remarked. Before Sunset could correct her, she had already leaned forward again. "Now. You clearly understand the situation better than we do, so… how do we get our Sunset back?"

Sunset blinked. "Um… they're mostly theoretical, but Starswirl the Bearded had the theory that these kind of things were not sustainable. They had some magical elasticity, of course, but I'm not replacing anyone in the past, and my counterpart is if anything in the future…"

"...so you don't know but it's not going to last too long as far as you can guess." Chrysalis finished.

"So…" Sunset asked after a moment of silence, "I have to ask. Did… did you win the war? Is that why everything is okay?"

Chrysalis' eyes narrowed. "Not… exactly. We've encountered some hostile aliens, but nothing too crazy. Dr V's investigations into their technology seems to indicate that they are stragglers… remnants from a bigger battle that took place far, far away."

Sunset's eyes narrowed. "I wonder…" she shook her head. "Well, if Dr. Vahlen says so…"

Chrysalis rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Lieutenant, I realize that your organization is a bit more lax than ours in some respects, but please keep the names of members of highly-secret organizations as confidential as possible."

"Sorry, Commander."

"I don't suppose you could write some notes on the aliens you have encountered so far?" Chrysalis asked. "It would help us prepare better."

Sunset nodded. "Of course, anything I can do to help. I know more about the current batch of aliens than the original invasion, but I'll try and note down as much as I can remember."

Chrysalis smiled. "Good, good. Then, I'll talk to the principal… is there anything we can help you with? An exchange of information?"

Sunset smiled. "Well, I'd don't know if I could read Dr. V's notes?"

"Classified, but you are a Lieutenant… I'll see what I can do. Anything else?"

"Unless you know how to fight Elder-mutated and enhanced Sirens that can't be killed, I can't think of anything else."

Chrysalis paused right next to the door. "Sirens? Like Aria, Adagio and Sonata?"

Sunset's eyes were wide and she half-rose from her chair. "Wait… you know them?"

Chrysalis smiled. "Well. It seems you'll be visiting our XCOM after all." She looked up at Bradford. "Central, your… other you's daughter is under your responsibility for now. Make yourself proud."

Bradford was looking at Sunset thoughtfully. "Yes commander."

"I need to talk to Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna," Chrysalis said.

"Um, Commander!"

"Yes?" Chrysalis smirked, "Lieutenant?"

"If we're going… I'd like to speak to Sunset's friends."

Bradford's frown had returned. "Want to tell me why Applejack looked like she had a broken nose?"

Sunset chuckled nervously.

"I'll let you two sort that out, by the way, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You're under orders to be his daughter for the duration of your stay."

Sunset and Bradford looked at each other uncomfortably.

"So…" Sunset ventured, chuckling a little, "can we get ice cream on the way home?"