//------------------------------// // Visit Beautiful Ponyville // Story: Making Family // by Cirrus Sky //------------------------------// Meeting and greeting at the castle hadn't been over after the initial entry by the visitors. Starlight and Trixie had to be introduced to the guests, with the necessary covering stories to stop too much rumour being spread regarding another world. While Starlight knew plenty from her own visit, they weren't sure how much to share with Trixie. Mostly to avoid a panic on the part of other ponies. The magician was aware the mirror was a portal to another dimension, and their visitors were from the other side. She also knew it was a secret. Once she had agreed not to share it, Twilight was ready for their next plans. “We had better go and meet the girls now Sunset.” The purple princess was eager to show her friend around Ponyville. Last visit, they had rushed to Canterlot with a strict time limit. Now she could take Sunset to all the places she had described, to try the treats at Sugar Cube Corner and visit the orchards of Equestria's Sweet Apple Acres. “Oh? Sure.” Sunset had been playing catch with Spike, using her magic was one of her favourite things to do when she had a chance. Getting her horn back meant all her magic had returned and the simple act of levitation was so enjoyable. She caught the last throw from Spike and floated the ball back to him. “You coming too Spike?” “No, I'm good. Go have fun with the girls. I'm going to see if those lot have finished up with campaign planning.” Spike pointed a claw back to the small group gathered around the library table. Two Discords, Big Mac, an earth pony Luna and Trixie were all hashing out a way to include the visitor's characters in a game. “Have fun then.” Twilight nuzzled her assistant and sent him on his way. “Mom, do you want to come?” Sunset called over. Her mother had sat with Princess Celestia for tea and talk while Princess Luna returned to Canterlot, having only briefly visited to greet the travellers. Starlight had elected to take “Mirage” to see the lake and do a little sight-seeing while the gamers played. “I think I'll stay here and keep an eye on Luna and Discord.” Celestia said. She had hopes to speak with the Princess without listening ears around. “Okay then. I'll bring back some treats.” Sunset smiled and cantered off with Twilight to meet with the Equestrian versions of her closest friends. -*- True to form, Twilight had a checklist for their trip to Ponyville. There was landmarks to be pointed out, stalls and shops to visit and finally a lunch-meet with Twilight's friends. Sunset was enjoying the more relaxed pace of life in the small town. It was a far cry from Canterlot, both sides of the portal, Sunset could see what kept Twilight here. The friendly ponies who lived there all seemed to know each other by name, there were stores and stalls to buy anything you could wish for and all of it hoof-crafted or freshly made. The produce was all grown locally and the wooded surroundings were peacful. “So what do you think?” Twilight asked Sunset, the unicorn looked pretty happy, so hopefully the answer would be positive. “Its great here.” Sunset looked to her friend and smiled. “So peaceful and quiet.” “Ah-heh... Yeah.” Twilight looked sheepish, “Peaceful and quiet until the next crazy thing happens here.” She looked around in case it jinxed the situation. “Ursa Minors, Bug Bears, Parasprites, Bunny Stampeded, somepony targeting the castle or me...” “Wow, trouble magnet.” Sunset laughed and bumped against Twilight with a grin. The mannerisms of a pony had come to her naturally in this form. A good thing to discover, for a time Sunset had been worried that she had forgotten “how to pony” and had something of an existential crisis “I don't know if it is me or if Ponyville is just that weird.” Twilight laughed. “Though, if the fact I felt so at home right away is because of how inherently odd it is...” “Hmm, maybe it's just so strange here that you're just another facet to the whole diamond of odd.” Sunset teased, laughing. Twilight just deadpanned until Sunset finished. “Quite. I think it is about time to go get lunch now, so you can concentrate on food and not sass.” “Hey, I may be on the side of good now, but I'm still the sass master.” Sunset swished her tail and flounced her mane. Again, things she had missed so much as a human. “Come and meet the girls.” Twilight changed the subject, with the snark from Spike and now sass from Sunset, she knew it was better to move on. “Pinkie Pie arranged for everyone to meet up at the Dine-amic Diner. A minotaur who moved into town set it up.” “You know, it is really amazing how much Equestria has opened up to other species. When I was at the palace, there were only really emissaries and ambassadorial staff. Now you have a whole school to foster friendship between everyone.” Sunset smiled to her friend. She knew Twilight still sometimes felt overwhelmed and unworthy. But there was a real achievement in her “realm” because of the young Princess. “Thanks Sunset, that means a lot. Did I tell you though? It was thanks to the human world I could help change the language we use? You're words are so much more inclusive. Everyone instead of everypony was such a huge leap.” Twilight nuzzled Sunset, she loved that her friend was there to listen to her vent, to share her worries with. “Glad to help.” Sunset carried on walking with Twilight, they were close to a building with a model of a flexing Minotaur stood atop it, trays of food in its hands. “I'm going to guess that this is Dine-amic Diner.” “Yes it is, we just need to find our table.” Twilight started, until the crazed waving of a pink pony attracted their attention. “I think we've found it.” “Yeah, that looks about right.” Sunset giggled, Pinkie Pie was universal, multiversal even. “I think you can guess, but meet Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity.” Twilight introduced the girls. “Girls, this is Sunset Shimmer.” Settling down at the table, Sunset was looking forward to some Equestrian food after so long. It was funny, she had missed the plainer dishes of her foalhood over the extravagant creations served at the palace. “I ordered us the Friendship Feast.” Pinkie Pie told the new arrivals. “There is lots and lots to share.” “That sounds great Pinkie Pie.” Twilight said, she grinned and rubbed her hooves together. The Friendship Feast had been her design, every favourite and every tasty treat was included in the meal, all good to share. Large enough to satisfy an Alicorn appetite. “I ordered the tea, the coffee and the punch drink options.” Rarity added, “I was unsure what you were partial to darling.” The unicorn looked to Sunset. The visitor was taken aback at how alike the two Raritys were. Minus the equine features, the expression she had was so familiar. “Tea sounds great, thank you.” Sunset was pleased that the unicorn was so like her friend. It would be much easier to become friends with the mares if they were indeed as like her own human friends. “Double Dynamic Delivers!” A voice bellowed as a Minotaur in a chef hat and apron carried a huge platter of food. He placed the loaded tray on the table. “Drinks are on their way.” He said in a more normal tone, inclining his head to the group and stepping back. -*- “Aaand then we saved Equestria. Again.” Pinkie Pie grinned. They had eaten their fill of the huge meal, drunk the drinks and devoured desert. During the meal the Elements of Harmony had decided to trade stories of magical mishaps and world saving deeds with their visitor, no stranger to those kind of tasks. “Okay, Equestria needs a lot of saving.” Sunset shook her head, boggled by how many threats they had halted with their own hooves. Talking with the mares, it was like meeting her friends when they reached adulthood and had settled into their lives. It was strange, but at the same time pretty cool. Something to keep in mind as time passed, to see if they did match up even more. “So how about you? Twilight said you kicked some bad-guy plot!” Rainbow Dash grinned and mimed hoofing something hard. “Oh. Sirens, Gaia Everfree...” Sunset was aware that their triumphs in the human world hadn't been against quite as threatening enemies. She stuck to the stories that at least had some kind of payoff. “Then we had whole new outfits and superpowers to go with the amulets.” Sunset finished. Rarity was looking at her starry eyed. “They give you outfits?” She squealed. “Oh Twilight we have to find a way to make dress amulets!” Rarity clapped her hooves. “Uh, I guess I can add that to my research on them. The amulets are crystal spheres and I already know a lot about crystal matrices to store magic...” Twilight seized on the puzzle. “Ooooh, dress spheres! That could be perfect.” Rarity sat closer to Twilight. “So what kind of stunts dose your Rainbow manage without flying?” Rainbow asked, eager to find out. -*- Their conversations with each other had lasted well into the afternoon, to the point that they had bought more snacks and drinks from the diner. It had been fun to talk with Twilight's friends and Sunset had enjoyed her afternoon. Twilight and Sunset trotted back to the palace, Sunset was hoping to help Spike make their evening meal and meet up with her family again. She was interested in their impressions of Equestria so far. “So now we have to figure out a way to store dresses in crystals.” Twilight said, she and Rarity had spent some time discussing it. “By the looks of it. New research project then!” Sunset grinned. They had both been puzzling over the amulets since they had arrived, and this was just an offshoot from that. “We'll figure that one out easily.” Twilight and Sunset arrived at the palace to find it in one piece. “You know, I half expected it to be upside down, with two Discord's in one place.” Twilight laughed. “Dad's not so bad, it is weird to think that here in Equestria he's the embodiment of chaos.” Sunset giggled. “And in the human world he is just my goofy dad.” She stopped when Twilight nuzzled her. “Okay?” “I am so happy for you Sunset. I told you to find your family.” Twilight had a tear in her eye. “And there you are with a Mom and a Dad, aunties and friends.” The purple alicorn wrapped a wing over her friend. “It is more than I ever could hope for you.” “Thanks Twilight.” Sunset nuzzled her friend. They took a moment to compose themselves, it was time to join everyone again and see how the other visitors had enjoyed their day.