//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: A Company's Breakfast // Story: A Week in Equestria // by Doughboy //------------------------------// The walk back to where the guest room was a relatively short one since the group wasn’t stopping every few feet to check what’s behind a door. Maybe we weren’t as lost as we thought. “So I heard that the other me talks. How is it having a talking dog around all the time?” Spike broke the silence. “Twilight thinks it’s the coolest thing since the discovery of Penicillin. But the novelty of a talking dog is quickly lost when all he talks about is squirrels most of the time,” said Sunset. Within in a few short minutes they were coming up on the door to the guest room. “Oh, since we are at my room I need to get something,” Sunset walked toward the room, “You guys wait here.” “Alright don’t take too long, I got a gem calling my name,” said Spike before Sunset closed the door behind her. Sunset took a second to glaze upon the room. Being in this castle has reminded her of her time in Canterlot. Sunset silently wished for the good old days. Sunset shook her head fiercely, those days were gone and it was no use thinking about them now. Sunset turned her attention to her saddlebags. Sunset pointed her horn directly at the bags. Her horn glowed faintly and she started probing the bag for the objects of her desire. The process was slow going but it was good practice. “Come on Shimmer, a foal can do this better than you,” Sunset whispered to herself hoping that the insult would help. After some time, sweating, and cursing at herself, Sunset found the two boxes that she wanted to get. She could have just used her hooves but at this point with her magic she doesn’t really trust her hooves that much. Floating the two boxes behind her, Sunset walked out the room and back into the hallway to find Spike missing and Starlight reading a book. “What the hay! I was gone for five minutes,” Sunset stomped her hooves. “Hm,” Starlight looked up from her book, “Oh it’s been closer to 30 minutes actually,” Starlight dog-eared a page and closed her book. “What how?” Sunset’s sense of time was flipping over on itself. “Well after 10 minutes, Spike went off to get a head start on lunch and I went to get a book,” Starlight pointed to the room across from Sunset’s, “from my room. We would have come in to help but we heard a lot of yelling. Are you okay?” Starlight looked genuinely worried. “Yeah I’m fine, I just thought that I could relearn all my magic a lot easier than this,” Sunset sighed, almost losing control of the things she was carrying. Like riding a bike, you never forget. At least I think that’s how the saying goes. “Well I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I could help you if want?” Starlight floated her book on to her back and got up, giving Sunset a warm smile. “Thanks, but the only thing I want right now is some food,” Sunset walked down the hallway with Starlight right behind her. The two unicorns walk into the kitchen to see Spike putting the finishing touches on lunch. “There you two are.” Spike said balancing two bowls on his claws and one on his tail,” I was worried about you, Sunset, but I was hungry more. Sorry, I didn’t wait around for you,” “That’s okay, Spike. I lost track of time in my efforts to use the simplest of magic,” Sunset beat herself down. Spike walked over to a table a short distance way and set the bowls on it, “Sorry to hear that Sunset. You’ll get a hang of it eventually and I am sure Twilight would love to help you too,” Spike ran back to the kitchen counter to grab napkins and silverware before going back to the table and setting everything up. Sunset floated her two boxes down by her chair before sitting in it careful to not bump them over. Starlight came and joined them, setting her book on the counter; she sat on the right side of Sunset while Spike sat across from them. “What didja want to get in your room anyway?” Spike scooted his chair in. “I’d rather wait until after lunch to show you, don’t want it to get cold,” Sunset answered looking down at her lunch. In front of her was a bowl of yellow liquid with a twig of she guessed onion. It looked like soup but she couldn’t be sure. After getting so used to human world food Sunset must have forgotten how food was back in Equestria. She was, however, excited to eat Equestria cuisine when she agreed to her trip. “Um, what is this? If you don’t mind me asking,” Sunset pointed at the liquid. Spike was caught mid slurp, “Oh, it’s just some squash soup. I hope you like it.” Spike then returned to his bowl. Well it is not like it is going to poison you. Sunset glanced over at Starlight, who was floating her spoon between her bowl and her mouth in a way that even Rarity would applaud. Sunset looked to her spoon. Her stomach growled quietly. Sunset fired up her horn and focused on the spoon. Come on, Shimmer. You have done this a thousand times and will do a thousand times more before you die. You can do this. Very slowly Sunset’s magic surrounded the spoon and was lifted from its spot on the table. Sunset exhaled calmly and commanded the spoon with her magic. The spoon reached into the bowl and then inched closer to Sunset’s mouth. Sunset blew on the soup to cool it a bit. With her magic, Sunset put the spoon in her mouth and she drank the soup. The soup slithered down her throat and calmed the roaring in her stomach. Sunset quietly put the spoon back down, “Oh my Celestia that was one of the best things that I have ate in a long time. And did you see that I mess up with the spoon either,” Sunset suddenly burst out. Spike and Starlight jump in their seats, “Oh well, glad you like the soup,” said Spike not sure what to say. “See you just needed some time and it would come to you,” Starlight put a hoof on Sunset’s shoulder. “Yeah just needed some time,” Sunset picked up her spoon again and got back to her meal. The soup truly was one the best meals she had in a while. Sunset’s own cooking wasn’t nearly as good. The only time she could think of a time when she had just as good food was when she was at one of friends’ homes. A shudder went through Sunset as she was reminded of when she first went to the human world. Surviving off store bought soup with meager amounts of money. The memories just made Sunset enjoy the soup in front of her that much more. After the spoon had made enough passes that Sunset was sure that she could do it without much thought, she turned to Starlight, “So you said something about traveling through time?” Sunset had an eager grin on her face. Starlight dropped her spoon, “Oh yeah, that was nothing. Just altering a little spell and poof,” Starlight said with a hoof wave and a nervous smile. “A little spell, I thought you said it was from Starswirl’s library,” Sunset egged on. “It was a little spell from there. Starswirl has a lot of spells you know,” Starlight said. “It was actually pretty cool seeing something that I had only heard in stories,” Spike interjected, “Except for the terrible outcome of Twilight and the others never meeting.” “Spike! You’re not helping,” Starlight hissed. “Starlight its fine, I just wanted to know about how you did it not everything else,” Sunset said calmly. “Hm okay, the spell was originally only able to send the user back a few hours, a week tops. But I found out if you cast it with a central point, like say a map of Equestria, then you could go back farther,” Starlight lectured, “Plus it helps to be as well versed in magic as I am.” “I don’t doubt that,” Sunset said, “So you were self-taught.” “Yeah mostly, when I was a filly, I and my best friend taught ourselves magic. When he went away I picked up whatever material I could find on magic.” Starlight looked down at her soup. “Even if I was back up to speed, I doubt I could out magic you. I haven’t done anything as amazing as travel through time,” Sunset said. Sunset returned her attention to her soup. She swirled her spoon around, noticing how much better she has gotten at controlling it in the past few minutes. A clatter of silverware knocks Sunset out of her stupor. Spike was done with his soup and was picking up his bowl and spoon. Spike hopped down from his chair and walked to the sink, cleaning his bowl. “Ah that was a good lunch. I got some chores left to do. If you girls need anything just let me know,” Spike put his bowl and spoon on a drying mat and was about to leave. Suddenly, Sunset remembered one of the things she got from her room, “Wait Spike, I got something for you,” Sunset lifted one of the boxes other under the table. Spike stopped, walked to Sunset, and saw the box, “Wow, thanks Sunset,” Spike’s eyebrow rose, “Wait this is a gift right. Do you really think it is smart to give a gift to a dragon?” “Pfft, Spike I’ve read books on dragons, I know the dangers. Besides this for Hearth’s Warming it should be fine,” Sunset waved him off and floated the box into his claws. “Okay?” Spike took caution in opening the box. When he did he put a claw in and pulled out a very ornate pen. “You got me a pen.” “It’s more of a joint present for both you and Twilight but yeah it’s a pen,” said Sunset looking proud of herself. “It’s a cool looking pen, don’t get wrong Sunset, but really a pen,” Spike held up the pen and pinched the bridge of this nose. “I know it is not what you wanted but I went over it with Twilight and she said it was a fine idea,” Sunset said, “I just thought that you could use a different writing utensil then a quill, Mr. Greedy pants.” Spike put the pen back in the box, “Sometimes you act just like Twilight, Thanks for the gift,” He turned to leave. “Before you go Spike, I do have a favor to ask of you,” Sunset floated the other box on to the table, “And you too Starlight.” “Huh, me?” Starlight had only been partly paying attention to the gift giving besides her opting to finish her soup before it got cold. Hearing her name snapped her out of her meal. “Yes you, I want to get a picture of us,” Sunset was opening the second box and pulled out a camera. “And we are supposed to take it with that thing,” Starlight gave the camera a quizzical look. “I don’t really know what that thing is either Starlight. But the stuff they have over there is really advanced to what we have in here in Equestria,” Spike reassured her. “It’s called a polaroid camera. It is only a few steps ahead of what you guys got. The girls wanted pictures of everyone so I couldn’t say no. Now shush and stand close together you two and smile,” Sunset floated the viewfinder in front of her eye. Spike and Starlight did what they were told. With some careful thinking, Sunset pushed the button and took the picture. A second later the picture came out at the bottom of the camera. “Wow that was fast I was thinking you still can to get in developed,” said Starlight taking the picture from the camera. “Now can I go? I still have chores to do.” Spike groaned. “Yes you can go Spike,” said Sunset. Spike ran out of the room only to poke his head back in, “Welcome back Sunset,” and he was gone. “Thanks Spike,” Sunset yelled after him. Starlight smiled and turned back to her meal. Then the camera was floated in front of her. “Could you take one of me?” Sunset trying not to be rude, as she herself would like to get back to her probably cold soup. But her friends wanted pictures of everyone and that meant everyone. Starlight grabbed the camera in her magic, “You know I hear that when you take trips you supposed to take pictures of other things and not yourself.” “If I don’t take one of practically everything I will never hear the end of it. Especially from Fluttershy and Twilight,” Sunset stood straight and flashed her best smile. “So I just look through this lens thing and press this button.” “Yep,” Sunset quickly nodded. The flash of the camera goes off and then the picture comes out. Sunset grabs it and puts it with other one. “Now to our soup,” Sunset put the camera back in its box and looked to the soup. It looked cold, “Hm, do you know a heat spell, Starlight?” “Actually I do,” Starlight looked at her soup and came to the same conclusion. In a flash, the soup was back to its starting temperature. “Thanks Starlight, I think this is the start of a wonderful friendship.” “Heheh, Yeah me too.”