Those Distant Sisters CH20

Ch20:

Dark empty cabinets stared meaninglessly at the tired mare's face before them. Sunspot yawned, reaching instead for a half-empty bag of oats that lay open on the counter. I really should go shopping before lunch. She plopped down on her sofa, casually tossing a hooffull of oats into her mouth and immediately biting down hard on her own tongue. She jumped up, throwing a hoof over her mouth and her oats on the floor.

"Okay, defimitely meed to buy somfin for lunch." Now thoroughly awake, Sunspot carefully repositioned her tongue in her mouth and began searching for something to write her shopping list on. "Hmm, I should get some new oats, some apples, some milk and bread…" She stopped searching, giving up on finding any paper at all let alone a quill. "I wonder what Evanescence likes? Uh… the last thing I wanna do is give her something she doesn't like…" Sunspot paced the floor, abandoning her usual overconfident attitude. She was at home with all the curtains drawn and the doors locked so nopony could see her. "That's it. We'll just go out somewhere. I did get a good bit of hazard pay from that old miser at the observatory yesterday. That'll work great." Sunspot threw open her front door, walking out mid-sentence.

"Talkin' to yourself again 138?" A voice from behind her made Sunspot jump around, once again nipping at her own tongue. A bright-eyed gray mare floated inches above the mailbox nailed to her front porch, letters in hoof. "Got your mail for ya, or should I leave it in the box?" Sunspot reached a hoof towards the mare, taking the few ads that had come in for her.

"Thanks Derpy. And yes, I was talking to myself, nopony else around here." The gray mare put her hooves on the ground, looking down dejected. Also up, but that was likely unintentional.

"How do you always remember my name? I know everypony in this town and I still can't get anypony's name right." Sunspot laughed, tossing her opened mail in her front door and locking it again.

"You said it yourself, you know everypony in town. I don't see the difference between learning somepony's name and learning their house number. If anything your way is more useful – you never forget where somepony lives." Sunspot put a hoof on Derpy's shoulder, forcing her to look up. "Besides, what about your nice doctor friend?" Derpy blushed.

"Doctor isn't a name, it's just what everypony calls him. Including himself… Okay maybe I do know one name." Derpy smiled, again lifting slightly off the ground. "You never bring him up unless you're thinking romance, 138. What's her name?" Sunspot turned around, trotting a little too quickly down the walk towards town.

"I'll tell you if it works out, Derpy. Count on that." She yelled over her shoulder.

Derpy flew off towards the next house, smiling to herself. "Probably something silly… like seven…"

Sunspot raced down the streets of Canterlot, making her way towards the castle. She was hoping to look at the listings for work around town before finding something nice to wear for her date. Working with scientists was beginning to get difficult. When she got near the outer walls, the city clocktower began to gong. Five… Six… Seven… Eight… Nine … Ugh, this is what I get for sleeping with all the blinds closed. Derpy isn't that early anymore either since she delivers to Ponyville first. Wait, was that twelve? Panicked, she moved to get a clear view of the clock tower; reading twelve noon. She squeaked, earning irate stares from several of the upper-class ponies milling about Canterlot. Dodging the slowly moving hoof traffic, Sunspot dashed towards the former observatory tower. She arrived minutes later, cursing herself for sleeping in. Great, instead of some hot young mare in a pretty skirt Evanescence gets to go out with a sweaty, lazy, out of breath…

"There you are." Sunspot froze, taking a moment to compose herself before turning to the steel gray mare she had come there to meet. "Ya know, every pony I passed on the way in today was wearing something fancy. I was half afraid you'd show up wearing something worth more than I am." Evanescence chuckled, giving Sunspot a chance to look her over, noting a complete lack of any 'trying to make an impression' clothing… or any clothing at all. "So, you said lunch at your place?"

"Slight change of plans. I know this great little place just on the edge of the city." Sunspot turned, heading towards the restaurant she had in mind and hoping the other mare would follow. They usually did whenever she acted tough. After a moment, she heard a voice from behind. She kept walking.

"Funny, if I said something like that it'd really just mean I forgot to go shopping or woke up late. Or both." Caught. "Ooooh, don't hide that from me. Doesn't work." Sunspot stopped and turned back to her accuser. "My sister learned a long while ago that you can't lie to me just by acting tough. It doesn't work."

Sunspot began walking back towards Evanescence. She smiled as sincerely as she could, which was admirable considering her experience. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be, let's just go to this stupid restaurant, have some terrible overpriced food an talk about nothing of any great importance then decide we have nothing in common. She stopped for a moment. Wow I am being really cynical today.

She took a step forward, casting a challenging glance at the gray mare. Evanescence accepted the challenge, lowering her brow and dawning a slight smirk. Sunspot slowly approached her, suspicious of her glare. As she reached a point just outside of a hoof's reach of the other mare Evanescence sprung into action, shifting her flank to reflect the sun against her coat – transforming herself into a shining steel slate and burning the image of a winged heart into Sunspot's eyes.

"Gyah!" Sunspot took a rather uncoordinated step back, shielding her eyes. "No fair, you practiced that!" She fell back to her hooves, laughing to herself and blinking furiously. When she looked back up, the image of wings still hung ghostly around the mare in front of her.

"Imagine doing that in a place where nopony's seen wings on a pony before. I can really make an impression if I need to." Evanescence trotted over to the other mare, resting a hoof on her shoulder and waiting for her eyes to stop tearing. "We're on a date remember, I'm sure you have a few moves too."

"Well…" Evanescence looked at the mare curiously. "I do have one, but it's silly." Stepping back, Evanescence stared blankly at Sunspot.

"Yeah, because turning my butt into a mirror doesn't sound silly on paper." Sunspot smiled then gently pushed Evanescence down, prompting her to wait as she walked around the observatory. As she made her way around the building she ran faster and faster, finally moving at a full gallop as she passed Evanescence again. Sunspot jumped into a midair summersault, wrapping her fluffy red and yellow mane and tail around her orange coat, creating a perfect visage of the sun and landing squarely on her back.

"Ugh…" Sunspot moaned as the air was knocked out of her lungs. After a moment of catching her breath Sunspot spoke shakily, trying to ignore the muffled laughter around her. "Yeah… Usually do that on grass, not concrete. A whole twice actually."

"Ooh, showing off for another mare behind my back?" Evanescence pulled Sunspot up, standing close so the other mare wouldn't wobble.

"Just Derpy. And she's pining after a colt so... I don't think it counts." The two stayed standing braced against each other long after Sunspot was finished speaking. Eventually Evanescence gave her a little nudge. "Aww… I don't wanna move. Your coat's so soft." Evanescence chuckled, pushing the brighter mare off.

"Well, I do bathe every once in a while." Sunspot gasped, faking hurt feelings.

"And what exactly are you trying to imply there missy?" Sunspot yelled at the mare who was by that time walking away from her.

"I'm trying to say you still have no groceries. Come on, I got forty bucks in my bags over here. That'll get us a nice meal."

"Forty what now?" Sunspot asked, examining the blue paper hanging from Evanescence's muzzle. She had four slips, each with the image of a ten-point buck and some fancy lettering.

"Oh… Um…" Evanescence dropped the bills back in her bag, freeing herself to speak. "I guess you don't use that kind of money here, do you? Looks like you get to pay for lunch after all." Sunspot gave a triumphant smile, caring more that she won than that it cost her. "I still get to haggle though! I love seeing how much I can get out of somepony." Another challenge. I once got a dozen apples off that farmer chick Applejack for two bits. I can totally win this one. The pair trotted happily towards the town's center as the clock tower rang once, signaling a half hour since they had met for the day. That long already? I… Well I guess I really am having fun. I haven't met a mare that cared enough to challenge me in….

"Race ya!" Sunspot snapped out of her thoughts as a passing silvery gray streak yelled in her direction and tore off into the distance, cackling madly. Oh yeah, this is gonna be fun.