With winter break at its end and students returning, the school was back in session at CHS. In front of the building, teenagers were idly chatting with each other about what they did over the break, or how they think the rest of the year was going to kick off. Some were still reconciling after a particular incident that happened before the break started, trying to mend the friendships that Anon-A-Miss had been used to break. A portion of the students, however, were discussing another topic.

Why did Rainbow Dash look like she was dressed as one of those Japanese RPG characters and pulled straight from said game like a living nightmare?

It was a strange sight for many, which to be fair if you were to ask them would be an understatement, and a perfect distraction for others, as they watched the familiar rainbow haired girl stalk the school grounds clad in attire bordering on declaring a belt fetish. She was pointedly ignoring everyone as she searched the school. ‘Maybe Rainbow lost a bet or something’ was the most common thought of reason attempting to decipher what the heck she was doing.

Unless they were on the soccer field playing a quick series of one on one rounds for practice. Then, they were trying to beat their star athlete and keep her from scoring a goal, or were watching from the stands as one half of the soccer team was utterly demolishing the other.

The sound of ball crashing against the net told the story of how well that went.

“Aw, yeah! Ten to zero!” Rainbow cheered and threw her arms up, strutting about the field, as her teammates gave her high-fives. The “opposing team,” meanwhile, were panting as they rested on their knees.

“Okay Rainbow... I think we’ve had enough practice for one day.” Spitfire chuckled as she walked over to her star player. “Why don’t we call it quits for now?”

“What? No way! I need to make sure I’m at the top of my game!” Rainbow frowned and started juggling the ball with her knees. “You guys can go rest up, but I’m going to keep practicing.”

Sighing, Spitfire shook her head, shrugging as she walked away. “If you say so.”

From the bleachers, Three of Rainbow’s friends were watching with varying levels of concern as Rainbow kept juggling the ball, and Spitfire peeled Soarin off of the ground. Sunset, in particular, was somewhat high on that spectrum. “Dash, go easy on them, they’re your teammates, not Crystal Prep!” Sighing as her prismatic friend ignored her, Sunset sat back down and rubbed her head. “She’s going to hurt herself at this rate.”

Pinkie snorted a bit as she laughed. “Why would Rainbow do that? She goes this hard on her practicing all the time!”

Despite her pink friend’s words, Fluttershy was looking a bit worried while she watched the game. “Um...actually?... She seems to be going harder than normal. Maybe we should talk to her after she’s done?”

Before any of them could agree on the course of action, Scootaloo ran up the bleachers and looked particularly frantic. “Have... any of you... seen... Rainbow?”

“Um... Scootaloo, she’s right over there.” Sunset jabbed a thumb to the game with a raised eyebrow. “You feeling alright?”

The smaller orange girl shook her head after she caught her breath. “No! Not that Rainbow Dash! The other one! The one covered in-”

A loud boom interrupted them, and when the looked down at the game again, three of their jaws joined the collection on the ground the soccer team left. Where their friend had been standing, was... well still their friend, but covered in enough belts to make Rarity pull her hair out while shrieking in horror, leg extended through the air, with a small trail of smoke rising from her boot.

She was also in the goal across the field, slumped against the net in a daze with a soccer ball resting on her gut.

The Rainbow Dash standing in the field lowered her foot and raised a fist at the other. “You know what you did!” She glanced at the stands and spotted Sunset, before waving. “Hey, Sunset. Twilight says Hi!”

Not a word was said as the other Rainbow left the field. As soon as she was gone, everyone rushed over to check on their prismatic friend in the goalie’s net.

As Pinkie and Fluttershy helped her up, Rainbow gave a dazed look to Sunset. “Did someone catch that number of that missile?”

“Uh, y-yeah, we did.” Sunset gave her a nervous smile and looked at the bruise forming on her friend’s stomach for a moment. “Let’s... get you to the nurse.”

“Cool.” That was all Rainbow said before she passed out, making Fluttershy panic and pull both Rainbow and Pinkie along with her towards the school, despite the cries of surprise from the pink party planner.

Meanwhile, Sunset and Scootaloo stood there, wondering what just happened. “So.... this is what you meant by the ‘other’ Rainbow?”

“Y-yeah.” Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head and winced. “I um... ran into her earlier, and she smacked me upside the head.”

Sunset was about to ask why, eyes wide in shock, when her bag started to vibrate. Pausing to pull out her journal, she opened to the latest entry.

Sunset, by chance, have you seen more than one Rainbow Dash?

Confused at the rather short and blunt entry from Twilight, Sunset took out a pen.

Yeah. The new one kind of kicked ours into the goal in the middle of her practice game. Is something going on over there?

There was a long pause before Sunset and Scootaloo watched the writing form.

Thank you for telling me Sunset. No, nothing’s going on, other than the fact I’ve been trying to make sure none of my friends cross over to your side of the portal. Rainbow, in particular, was rather... angry with what happened in regards to Anon-a-miss and how her counterpart handled it and had been relentlessly trying to get to the portal. So much so, I had to make a fake one in an attempt to hide the original. I’m sorry for any trouble she’s caused, even if she got through the portal for only fifteen minutes. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to have many many words with Rainbow, seeing as she thinks I haven’t noticed her slip back through just now.

Closing her journal, Sunset stored it back in her bag and turned to Scootaloo. “We probably should go check on them.” Scootaloo nodded in agreement as the two of them rushed into the school building.