Deep inside Twilight’s castle, the crystal mirror began to shake. Bright lights illuminated around it. The machines that powered it began to rumble. The mirror rippled, and a pony soon stepped out.
Pear Butter stumbled as she struggled to balance herself. She wobbled. The trip through the portal had exhausted her. Although she was somewhat accustomed to the craziness, she still felt dizzy.
“Whoa nelly!” cried Pear Butter, frantically waving her arms. She lost balance and fell to the ground, nearly landing on her face. Fortunately for her, her bag softened the blow.
“Ow, not again!” She sat up and rubbed her nose. “Just great! Another dynamic entry that ended with me getting hurt. Oh, why can’t I catch a break—huh?”
Pear looked at her right arm. She no longer had a hand anymore; it had been replaced by a hoof. She glanced over to her other arm and saw the same thing.
“I-I have hooves. Does this mean I’m a pony again?” Pear used her hooves to examine her body. She felt the warm fuzziness of her coat as she moved her hooves up and down. She turned and saw a familiar mirror, and her reflection.
“I really am I pony again! Have I made it back to the pony world?” Pear turned around again, observing the area around her. She was surrounded by nothing but books. Each one was placed on crystallized bookshelves that decorated the room with its bright colors and fine texture.
I recognize this place. It’s the same library from before. The books, those weird machines, and even this crystal mirror. A wide smile crept on Pear’s face. “Yeehaw! I did it! I made it to the pony world!”
Pear threw her hooves into the air, celebrating her successful arrival. After a few minutes of squealing, she forced herself to calm down.
I think that’s enough excitement for now. Turning into a pony is a wonderful experience, but I need to find a way out of here. Can’t stay in one place for too long.
Pear reached for her bag with her mouth, clenching it tightly with her jaw. She was about to pick it up, but she spotted her reflection on the mirror again.
Hmm, I feel like I should examine this body a bit more before I leave. I wasn’t able to do so last time because I was in a rush. Maybe a proper inspection wouldn’t hurt.
Pear stood up on her two legs and tried to walk toward the mirror, but immediately fell to the floor again as soon as she tried.
Oh, right. I can’t stand on two legs. Gotta stand and walk like a pony now.
Pear Butter brushed herself and stood on her four hooves. She trotted forward, taking each step as slowly as she could. As she reached the mirror, she gazed at her reflection, examining every part of her pony body.
It was small, too small to be considered an adult horse by her standards. Pear felt a bit plump too, causing her to believe that she had gained weight. However, she didn't need to worry much as her yellow coat hid away most of the fat.
“I-I look kinda cute,” Pear commented. “It’s almost as if I entered into some sort of young girl’s fantasy world. Hmm, I wonder how Apple Bloom would react if she saw me? She spends a lot time with the horses back at the farm. Would she like my new appearance?”
A smile crept on her face. She had to admit, her pony body was cute. She had always liked horses since she was a little girl. And now that she was one herself, she felt very happy.
This is amazing! Who would’ve thought having a pony body could feel so great! My coat, my mane. They look so wonderful!
Pear twisted her body to the left, examining her right side. As she did, she spotted a strange image sitting on her left flank.
What’s this?
It was a picture of some sort and was located on her flank. Pear thought it was an ornament at first, but upon further inspection, it was a picture of a preserved jar.
Is that, a tattoo of some sort? She turned to her left side and spotted the same image. I even have the same marking on my side. Why is that? Is it something that ponies get in this world?
Pear shrugged. Oh well, I really shouldn’t be thinking too hard on this. This is a fantasy world full of ponies, after all. Weird things are bound to pop up here.
Taking her bag and wrapping it around her neck, Pear stood up and began to look around the room. She hoped that there would be an exit nearby, at least a door that can get her out of this room. Her eyes wandered back and forth until she saw a what she was looking for at the far end.
Yes, a way out. Finally, I can leave and start exploring this place! Pear stood on her four hooves and trotted toward the door. She stumbled at first, but Pear managed to control herself shortly after her fall.
Walking on four legs is getting a bit easier now. Not bad for a human who just turned into a pony. She was about to open the door, but stopped. Something odd caught her eye. Wait, these doors have knobs. Does that mean ponies here use door knobs? Why? You can’t turn a door knob with hooves.
Pear scratched her head, trying to comprehend on what to do next. Maybe they use their mouths? I did pick up my phone with my mouth earlier, so maybe I should do the same? Tilting her head, Pear opened her mouth and bit on the door knob. She twisted her head to the right until she heard a click sound. Once she heard it, she pushed the door open.
There, that wasn’t so difficult. Though wouldn’t using my mouth to open doors make me stand out? I mean, it’s not like ponies have any alternatives to open doors, right? Pear shrugged. Oh well, I guess I can figure it out later.
Pear stepped out of the library room and checked her surroundings. She was in a hallway of some sort. Bright crystal walls decorated the interior. Their colors perfectly matched the library room from earlier.
Wow, this place looks like a five-star hotel building.Whoever designed this place must really like crystals. Pear closed the library door and began to wander the hallway. She observed the area and noticed that doors had surrounded her on each side. Oh my gosh, so many doors. Do any of them lead anywhere?
Pear approached one of the doors, grasping the knob with her mouth. She tried to push the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. Guess I gotta pull. She trotted backwards and opened the door, but as soon as she did, several cleaning utensils fell to the ground.
Nothing but brooms and mops here. I should move on, though I really shouldn’t leave a mess here. She shrugged. Oh well, I guess someone will clean it up eventually. Pear Butter continued forward along the crystal hallway, opening doors one by one. Unfortunately for her, none of the doors led anywhere. Some led to unused rooms while others were just closet doors.
“Do these doors go anywhere?” whined Pear Butter, showing a bit of frustration. “There has to be more than just empty guest rooms and broom closets!” She opened several more doors, but did not get any results.
Pear grit her teeth as frustration slowly crept up on her. “What’s with this place? Why are there only closets and empty rooms here?! Where is the god dam—.”
She flinched. “No, calm down, Pear Butter. No need to get mad over this.”
She took a deep breath before trotting toward the next door. I’m sure the exit is somewhere here. I just need to—. As soon as she opened it, another stack of mops and cleaning detergents fell to the floor. Pear stepped back as the detergent oozed all over the crystal floor.
Pear Butter growled. Unable to hold her frustration, she screamed at the top of her lungs.
“Oh, for pete’s sake! Where am I?!”
“Who’s there?”
Pear’s eyes widened. She covered her mouth with her hoof and looked around the area. Someone heard her scream, but who? She bit her lip as she thought about the possibilities.
Is she in danger? Is that person friendly? What’s going to happen to her?
“Hey!” Pear Butter was snapped out of her thoughts. She turned her head to the side and gasped. Standing in front of her was another pony. She had a light purple coat. Her mane was also purple, but darker and had a teal stripe on the center. What stood out the most though, was a horn sticking out of her forehead.
Pear gasped. Oh my gosh. It’s an actual unicorn!
“Just what do you think you’re doing here?” asked the unicorn in a demanding tone. “Citizens are allowed inside the castle. Unless you got permission from the princess, you’re considered a trespasser.”
Pear ignored the unicorn and continued to examine it. Hmm, judging from the tone of her voice, she’s an adult female horse. But she has the same build as me and she’s nowhere near the size of adult horses back at the farm. Could it be that in this world, adult ponies can grow only at a certain size?
She gazed at the unicorn’s coat again and spotted something peculiar. She has one of those tattoo things on her flank too! Does this mean tattoos are common for ponies here?
She squinted at the tattoo on the pony’s flank. I can’t make it what it is. That tattoo’s image, what does it mean?
“Hey!” Pear snapped out of her thoughts as the unicorn yelled at her. “Are you going to stare at me all day, or are you going to answer my questions? Do you have permission to be here or not?”
“Oh, sorry about that,” replied Pear Butter as she recovered from her fall. “I was…. lost in thought is all.”
The unicorn raised an eyebrow. “Right, okay then. So, what are you doing here? Only ponies with direct permission from the Princess is allowed in her castle.”
Pear blinked. I was in a castle the whole time? An actual castle?! Oh my gosh! This means I am in some sort of magical pony kingdom! I’m experiencing every young girl’s dream! She covered her mouth with her hoof to hide her sheepish smile. Okay, Pear Butter, play it smart. Just come up with an excuse and you can walk free. Maybe even get this unicorn to escort me to the exit.
“Sorry about that, I got curious about this place and decided to barge in,” lied Pear Butter, giving away a false smile. “I was wandering down the hallways and got lost somehow.” That seemed like a pretty good lie.
The unicorn glared at the farm pony, rubbing her chin with the tip of her hoof. She was unsure how to respond to Pear Butter. Her excuse seemed rather reasonable, but she still had some doubts.
Pear, however, knew that the unicorn was suspicious of her. She could feel it. Although she’s terrible at lying, Pear hoped that her excuse would work.
“Fine, I believe you,” the unicorn finally said, giving Pear Butter much relief. “You’ll be getting a warning for now, but next time there will be bigger consequences.”
The unicorn then gestured her hoof toward Pear Butter. “Come on, I’ll escort you out. You’ll be getting a warning, but the next time this happens, I’ll kick you out. Princess Twilight already has enough problems as it is.”
“Wait, Princess Twilight?” Pear Butter froze. Didn’t Apple Bloom say that a girl named Twilight came to her school before the Fall Formal?
“Hey, what’s wrong?” The unicorn asked, but Pear remained quiet.
This “Twilight” pony, is she the same girl that showed up all those months ago? Pear scratched her muzzle. Could it be that the Twilight that showed up during the Fall Formal and Battle of the Bands came from the pony word? If that’s true, I must speak to this pony right away!
“Hello? Is anypony there?” Pear Butter looked up. The unicorn stood rather close to her now, waving her hoof.
“Ah!” cried Pear Butter, stumbling back.
“Sorry about that. You kinda banked out again,” said the unicorn. “Are you alright?”
“Y-yes, I’m fine,” replied Pear Butter as she stood back up. “Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?” The unicorn nodded. “I know that this is sudden, but is it possible that I can meet with Princess Twilight? There’s some questions that I want to ask.”
“Oh no, you aren’t!” rebuked Starlight. “You already broke into her home and already made a mess of things. Don’t think I didn’t see your accidents from earlier.”
Pear sighed. Oh well, so much for that.
“Come on, let’s go!” The unicorn ran behind Pear Butter and began pushing the farm mare with her hoof.
Hey, what are you doing?! There’s no need to do that!” complained Pear Butter. The unicorn, however, ignored her and kept on pushing.
Pear sighed. This unicorn pony sure is persistent. She really wants me to leave—hey stop that! Pony flanks are very delicate. You can’t just touch me like that! She scowled. I hope other ponies aren’t like her, let alone unicorns. Because right now, I’m starting to dislike them.
The two ponies continued trotting alongside each other in the crystal hallways. Pear grumbled to herself. They had passed through nothing but crystals and doors. It seemed endless. Even if they walk through a door, it just led to another hallway.
When will this torment end? Pear cried to herself. Her getting nowhere and the constant pushing from the unicorn hit Pear at her boiling point. She was about to retaliate, but she stopped as soon as she saw two large looking doors at the far end.
Is that, the exit? Pear smiled and immediately bolted toward the two large doors. However, she was stopped in her tracks as the unicorn placed her hoof down on her tail.
“Hold it right there!” said the unicorn as Pear Butter fell to the ground. “Don’t think you can just dash right out of here right away. There’s something I need to do before I let you off the hook.”
“What?!” cried Pear Butter. “What now?!”
“Well, I need to get your name and put it on this list here,” explained the unicorn. “Princess Twilight wants to keep track of the ponies that visit her castle. She’s a very organized pony and she does this to keep her schedule in check.”
“Oh, that’s it? You only need my name?” Pear asked. The unicorn nodded. “It’s Pear Butter. My name is Pear Butter.”
The unicorn nodded again. Pear watched as the unicorn’s horn glowed light blue. A shimmering sound was heard. In a flash, a piece of paper and a quill appeared out of nowhere. Both items were floating and were completely covered in the same blue color.
Is that magic? A wide smile began to appear on Pear Butter’s face. I-I think it is! Oh my gosh, there’s actual magic in this world!
“Is something wrong?” asked the unicorn.
“Oh no, nothing’s wrong,” replied Pear Butter, fumbling out of her thoughts. “By the way, I didn’t catch your name. You were so busy pushing my flank you forgot to introduce yourself.”
The unicorn rolled her eyes. “The name is Starlight Glimmer, and you, Pear Butter, are free to leave.”
“Really?!” asked Pear Butter in excitement.
“Yup,” Starlight replied. “Just, please don’t barge into the Princess’ castle unnoticed. I’m going to give you a warning this time, but if you do this again, I’m going to have to arrest you.”
Pear nodded. “Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for showing me the way out.”
Using her magic, Starlight opened the double doors, causing sunlight to pour into the castle. The bright light caused Pear Butter to cover her eyes. Nevertheless, Pear trotted outside and took a good look at her surroundings. What she saw made her jaw drop.
In front of her was a beautiful grassland that stretched far and wide with tall trees and steep hilltops blending perfectly in the background. There were roads and houses sure, but the structures did not get in the way of the view. In fact, the town itself fit the background rather nicely.
It’s like I’m in some sort of pony country town. Pear Butter trotted forward, admiring the view. Oh, I bet Bright Mac would love this place. He never liked the hustle and bustle of Canterlot City. The kids would probably like it here too. Oh, I can just imagine coming here on vacation with the family.
“Excuse me, ma’am?” Pear’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard Starlight speak to her. “Is everything alright?”
“I’m fine. I’m just admiring the view is all.” rebuked Pear Butter. Dang it! You just had to ruin the moment! Stupid unicorn.
“Sorry about that,” replied Starlight. “It’s just that, you’ve been standing there for a few minutes doing nothing. It’s almost as if you’ve never seen Ponyville before.”
“Y-yeah,” replied Pear Butter. Ponyville? Is that the name of the town this castle is located? An odd name, but fitting for a world full of pastel talking ponies.
“Well, enjoy your stay,” said Starlight. She waved her hoof before lighting her horn again, slamming the doors shut immediately with her magic.
Pear humped. How rude. Grasping her bag once again, Pear gazed at the town of Ponyville. She smiled, and trotted down the dirt road.