Sunset looked at the bus and back at June. “Why don’t you come with me and Flash? I can introduce you to the girls, and you can come with us on whatever they planned.”
“I-would-like-to,-thanks,-sounds-like-fun,-do-they-know-about-you-and-Flash?”
“No, please don’t tell them, we made a promise.”
“I-won’t-tell.-So,-the-purple-nerd-is-Twilight,-cotton candy hair is Pinkie,-rainbow-hair-is-
Rainbow- dash,-the-wite-and-purple-one-that-always-says-‘Darling’-is-Rarity,-Country- accents-is-Applejack,-and-shy-girl-is-Fluttershy,-right?”
“Yep. Only please don’t call them that to their faces, except for Pinkamena, she loves when people compare her to candy.”
*****
“So, while we're back home, do you want to come to my house? Meet my parents?” Flash said. He looked out the window of the bus at the buildings passing by.
Sunset shrugged. “Sure, never have before, and how long has it been since we got back together?”
“Since December when Anon-a-Miss was around, so… I’d say about a little less than half a year.”
“Half a year? It’s been more time than I thought.”
“Next thing you know I’ll be down on one ne asking you the big question, did I say that out loud?”
“Aww, you love me that much?” Sunset smiled, causing Flash to turn red.
“Yes, so are you good at three?”
“Sounds good to me.” The bus came to a halt and Sunset let Ray climb onto her shoulder. She walked to the front of the bus where June was sitting. “Ready June?”
June stood up and waved goodbye to Riptide, who she had sat with the whole bus ride. Riptide had figured out most sign language, so it was easier to talk now.
Sunset walked out of the bus first, and was tackled by a wave of hot pink cotton candy hair. “Sunset! Happy birthday! Hi tiny lizard!” Pinkie practically yelled.
“Okay, Pinkie let go of me!”
“Okie dokie!”
“First, it’s not my birthday, second the tiny lizard is actually a gecko, and his name is Ray, you should know that by now.”
All the rest of her friends pulled her in for a hug as the bus drove off. Once they let go, they looked around her and saw a thirteen year old girl with light red berry colored skin, white freckles like Applejacks, and pink peach hair with light blue stripes through it.
“Uhh Sunset who’s that?” Twilight pointed to June, but before she could answer, Pinkie grabbed June and hugged her tight. “Hi! I’m Pinkamena Pie! Pinkie Pie! YAY FOR NEW FRIENDS! What’s your name?!”
“Pinkie, she’s-” Applejack cut her off. “Why are you here with Sunset?
“GUYS! Listen!”
“Sorry darling, but why isn't she answering?”
“This is June, she’s from juvie, she came to camp for a nature rehabilitation program, and she’s mute. I invited her to come stay with me during the weekend because she has no one to come home to this weekend.”
Fluttershy’s eyes started to tear up. “That’s the saddest thing i’ve ever heard!”
Twilight just looked sceptical. “You want me to spend the weekend with a criminal?”
Sunset raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Does her background story sound familiar to you?”
Twilight’s eyes went wide. “Sorry, I didn’t think about it that way.”
“Ha! Look who the inconsiderate one is now!” Rainbow smirked.
“Enough, Rainbow, that aint that nice, of course June can come with us on our day we planned.”
“You guys planned out the day?” Sunset smiled. “Sounds fu-” Rarity interrupted her by grabbing her arm. “Darling! How many friends have you made at camp?!”
Sunset looked down at her arm which had ten or so friendship bracelets on it. “Well, I -”
“You simply must tell me everyone you got these from! The designs! I have had inspiration! I can create a whole new line! Just what I needed! Creativity block has lasted ever since you left!”
“I will later, so what do you guys have planned first?”
“First, we're going to watch the new Daring Do movie, then we can go take a nice relaxing walk on the nature trail, then we can visit princess Twilight, by the way Sunset, we found the old journal that you ran out of space in and managed to get a few sentences into it, she said we can meet Flurry Heart! Then we can go to the Sugar Cube Corner.” Twilight read of a list made on a notepad as she said this.
“Umm… Twi, do you know who Flurry Heart is?”
“I don’t really know, I thought that was just another one of other Twilight’s friends.”
“Oh jeez… this is not going to end very well, listen, Principal Cadence at Crystal Prep, you brother who works there, there counterparts are a princess and captain of the royal guard and… there… Married.”
“There WHAT?!”
“And Flurry Heart… is Twilight’s niece, which also makes her-”
“MY COUNTERPART BROTHER AND PRINCIPAL CADENCE’S COUNTERPART ARE MARRIED AND HAVE A DAUGHTER NAMED FLURRY HEART?!”
“Twilight! Calm down! It’s Equestria, not Earth!”
“Okay… I’m calm, I'm calm.”
“Know let go of me.”
“Okay.” Twilight let go of Sunset and took a deep breath. “Sorry, it’s just a lot to comprehend.”
“I understand, know, when did the new Daring Do movie come out? I've never heard about it.”
*****
After the movie and nature walk, the Rainbooms gathered by the portal to Equestria, and talked about the movie while they waited for Rainbow Dash, who insisted on going to get her Daring Do books so A.K. yearling could sign them, after finding out a few months ago that in Equestria all Daring Do’s adventures were real and her counterpart was friends with her, she had been eager to go and meet her.
In the movie, it had turned out that Ahuizoti wasn't dead after all and came after Daring Do, and as always, Daring Do got the lost relic or whatever she had been after this time, and made it out of another dire situation. In Sunset’s opinion, the book had been better, and Twilight had agreed, while Rainbow loved both equally.
Rainbow Dashed up to them with a huge stack of books in her arms. (Pun intended) And she launched herself through the statue without a second thought.
Sunset ran in after her, followed by all her friends. “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” Pinkie let out a squeal of excitement while they were in between the worlds.
Everything was upside down, and the Rainbooms groaned as they wobbled onto their hooves. Everyone except Sunset was there, and they all looked around.
“Guys! I’m here, June and I were looking for Twilight, but we found a Flurry instead.” They all looked around, and their mouths dropped open when they saw a tiny baby alicorn with light tinted pink fur, with purple and blue hair, flying above them from the next room laughing.
“Girls! Thank Goodness you found her, I couldn't find Flurry anywhere! I still can’t find my way around this castle!” Princess Twilight flew up and started to make silly faces at Flurry, and they both landed back on the ground.
“Umm… Sunset, why is there a fowl hiding behind you?”
“June, come out, no one is going to arrest you.” June walked out from behind Sunset and looked up at Twilight.
“Who are you? Twilight smiled.
“Her name is June, but she’s mute.” Sunset said.
Flurry wandered up to June and jumped up and down. “Fwy! Fwy! Equa la loo la!”
“Flurry, June can’t talk.” Twilight explained, but Flurry wasn’t having it.
“LA EQUASO TI LO!” Flurry shot a magic blast from her horn and before anyone could stop her it hit June. June fell backwards and yelled at the top of her lungs, “WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!”
Everyone stared at June like she was radioactive. June stood up and her eyes went wide. “Did I just… talk? I did it again! What happened? I can talk!” June started to jump up and down and flap the pair of wings on her back, causing her to lift into the air. She flew around the room. “I can talk! I can hear my voice! It’s not just in my head anymore! People can hear me! Thank you Flurry Heart! Thank you!” She landed next to Flurry and gave her a hug.
“We baloo!” Flurry jumped up and down again once June let her go.
“When we go back to camp I can do the sing alongs with everyone else! I can talk to other people when I have stuff in my hands! Whoo whooo!”
Twilight whispered to Sunset, “I think I should introduce her to Scootaloo.”
“Good idea.”
*****
After spending a few hours with Twilight and Flurry, meeting princess Cadence, Shining Armor, catching up with Starlight, The new leader of the changelings Thorax, one weird part when Twilight introduced, or showed the broken bits of the storm king to them, (which had really creeped her out), and keeping up with June, everyone was tired and agreed it was a good thing that they were going to Sugar Cube Corner, one they were extremely hungry, two, there were tables there.
They all walked inside and took their place at a table. “Why hello girls, nice to see you all, and who’s this little one?”
“I can finally introduce myself without help, hi I’m June!”
“I’m Mrs. Cake, what did she mean by that?”
Pinkie leaned over. “Remember when I told you about our school secret?”
“Yes.”
“We went to the pony world and she was mute but then a baby alicorn shot her with a blast of magic and she could talk.”
“Whatever you say, so what would you girls like? The usual?”
“Rainbow, remember what we talked about?” Twilight forced a smile.
“I’ll have a salad with a side of french fries and a cinnamon and spice donut.”
“Okay, and what would you like June?”
“I never got to pick food that doesn't taste like rocks before, except for when we were at camp, can I have a tomato sandwich, a mini cupcake and some water?”
“Sure sweetie I-”
“The TWINS ARE ATTACKING! THE TWINS ARE ATTACKING!” Mr. Cake ran out of the kitchen. “Thank goodness! Pinkie Pie, Twilight, get in here and put some use to those powers of yours!”
Pinkie and Twilight looked at eachother and stood up. “Okay, those Cake twins are going down for a nap.” Both of them went back to the kitchen with Mr. Cake but ran out back to the table covered in flour and sprinkle’s.
“We lost the battle!” Pinkie announced.
“In less than ten seconds.” Twilight growned.
“I’ll give it a try.” Sunset stood up and walked away to the kitchen. Just a few seconds later she came back with two one year olds, not even a speck of dust on her.
“How did you do that?!” Everyone said in unison.
“I just said, ‘Stop it you two.’ and stayed calm.” Everyone stared at her.
“Okay… not how I was expecting you to get them to stop.” Mr. Cake picked up the twins and went back into the kitchen and up the stairs.
Sunset walked back to the table and they all ate their food. “Hey Twi? What time is it?”
Twilight pulled out her phone. “It’s 2:48.”
“I’m gonna be late!” Sunset grabbed her bag and ran out the door, but came back and looked over at them from the door. “Can you watch June?”
“Sure, but what are you late for?” Twilight said quizzingly.
“Thanks, bye!” Sunset ran back out the door and down the street.
“What was that all about?” Fluttershy said.
“I don’t know. Why she run off like that?” Applejack said.
Rarity looked at the door. “She’s up to something, and obviously she’s meeting someone.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I agree she’s up to something, but I’m sure she’s not meeting someone.”
“You have no idea.” June shook her head and went back to her food.
“What?” Pinkie tilted her head.
“Nothing.”
******
Sunset ran to Flash’s house, fast as she could go, until she found herself in the driveway in just a few minutes. Someone taped her shoulder. She turned around. “You realize that if I didn’t know it was you you’d be on the ground right now, right?”
Flash laughed. “I know.”
“How did you get behind me anyway?”
“I saw you and snuck around the back of the house.”
“You are a goofball.”
“And I was also trying to get you to say that, I love it when you smile.” Flash took her hand and they walked up to the door. Flash opened it, but was immediately tackled by a small black and white puppy. “Banana! Get off of me!”
Banana jumped off of Flash and he stood up. “Sunset, meet my dog, Banana.”
“Banana?” She giggled.
“My little sister named him.”
“That really is adorable.”
A little girl about ten walked down the hallway and picked Banana up. “Hi.” She looked just like her brother, except with a lighter tint of blue in her eyes and longer hair. “My name’s Compass Rose, what’s your name?”
“Sunset Shimmer, nice to meet you.”
“Are you the girl who came from that other dimension to this one?”
“How did she know that?” Sunset whispered to Flash.
“There’s not a lot in this town she doesn't know about, even school secrets.”
“Flash, your friend here?” a voice called from the living room.
“Yes dad.” Flash led Sunset to the living room where a person about in his forties was sitting on the couch. He stood up, he was only about two or three inches taller than her, but he seemed to tower over her as an evil/hateful grin spread across his face. “So what’s your name?”
“S..s..sun-” she seemed to have a panic attack then fell on the floor.
“DAD!”
“I didn’t do anything!”
“I told you to stop using that look!”
“Well that shouldn't have made her pass out.”
“Sunset has had anxiety attacks since the Anon-a-Miss thing happened! They only get to this point when she’s gotten beaten up or scared out of her life, which I told you!”
“What’s going on in there?” Compass walked in with Banana still in her arms with Flash’s mother following behind. “Oh, oh my.”
Flash gently picked Sunset up and laid her on the couch, then grabbed a blanket and laid it on top of her. “Dad, please quit it with the army act, Lightning is less terrifying, and he once tied me to a chair when we were younger and played, ‘how many knives do I have to throw at six year old Flash before they slice of the rope?’ I had nightmares for weeks!”
“W..what’s happening?” Sunset sat up and looked around. But as soon as she caught sight of Flash’s father glaring at her, she had another panic attack and curled up in the corner of the couch.
Flash sat down next to her and gave her a hug. “It’s okay Sunset, your fine, and no one is gonna hurt you again.”
Sunset peeked out at him then glanced back at his father. “A-are you sure?”
“Not while I’m around, no one will.”
Sunset slowly started to let herself relaxe. “Okay, thank you.”
Flash gently kissed her cheek. “You're okay.”
Both Flash’s mother and sister went, “Aww.” While his father rolls his eyes. Seeing this, Mrs. Sentry grabs his arm and pulls him out of the room, and Compass walked away to her bedroom.
“Sorry about that, I should have told you my dad was a little scary.”
“It’s fine, I guess it’s just not easy yo bounce back from getting beat up by those kids.”
“I swear, they had no evidence that it was you, yet they still hurt you, right before Christmas break no less, and the fact you have been through enough.”
“I’m just glad no one found out about it, the CMC was hugging me enough after they confessed, then they sent me ten apology letters each in different languages, most of which I didn’t know.”
“It’s strange, they were in their freshmen year, and they caused a school wide hatred, and brought us back together, although that one was unintentional.”
“Everyone except you, thanks again for saving me, I could have actually ended up dead if it weren't for you.”
“Can you come close to guessing your birthday?”
“No, tried.”
“Or remember your parents names?”
“Also tried, can’t.”
“I’m sorry about all that's happened to you, I swear Celestia was probably drunk while you were her student.”
“She wasn't drunk, she just had some very harsh teaching methods.”
“Oh so you getting trapped in some dark world where time is still for a full year is just a ‘hash teaching method?’”
“Fine, if drugs existed there she probably would have been drunk.”