“This place is nice,” Sunset offered as they pulled into the parking lot. The building was a stately edifice that looked like it would be right at home at any Ivy League college complete with ivy growing on the building. Sunset could see a number of smaller structures set apart in a park-like area with trees and lawns. There were tennis courts, a soccer field, benches around trees, dormitories, and all the walkways were clear of snow.
“Who clears all the walks?” Sunset asked as Dusty parked.
“Steam heating. They ran the steam pipes under the walkways, the road in and out of the grounds, and the parking lots,” Autumn explained. “The snow has to dump really heavy before it becomes a problem. I kind of wish I could afford to stay in the dormitory. It’s really nice and I wouldn't have to worry about the buses not running and getting arrested by an idiot.”
“At least it all worked out,” Sunset consoled her as she opened the passenger side door. She had her book in a satchel as she got out followed by Autumn as Dusty got out on his side. Philomena had decided to snuggle inside of her jacket. From there they made their way up to the entrance of the school which just happened to be the back of the school. Not that it mattered much as all the offices were in the back of the school.
The hallway had a few students lingering, but overall it was quiet.
“Autumn! You made it,” Called a familiar face. “Hang on, you brought Sunset?”
“Hi Blossom,” Sunset called.
“Sunset’s here? Sunset! Oh my gosh, you look like you got beat up?!”
“Hi Fern Flare,” Sunset called as the two girls hurried over to them.
“She got beat up, among other things,” Autumn offered.
“Things got pretty bad,” Sunset admitted.
“So is the big cowboy your bodyguard?” Blossom asked.
“That’s my dad. Dusk Shimmer.”
“Ladies,” Dusty said with a tip of his hat.
“You have a dad?” Fern asked.
“Ya, big surprise to me too,” Sunset admitted. She'd a big smile on her face.
“Excuse me, can I help you?”
“Dean Cadance, this is Sunset and her father,” Autumn informed the young administrator. She’d just come out of an office to see who was there. “She wants to transfer to our school.”
“Oh, well in that case come right this way,” Dean Cadance offered. “We are on a snow day owing to a number of our students calling in to let us know the roads hadn’t been cleared in their areas. Which means minimum staffing and fewer activities. We can’t really close down like other schools do because we have students in dormitories.”
“Sunset, how do you feel about dormitories?” Dusty asked as they followed Dean Cadance into the administration office.
“Might keep that one up in the air for now,” Sunset offered. “It’s kind of going to depend on Scootaloo. She was always a little resentful of me and she never forgave me for ratting out Dash.”
“Mind if I ask?” Cadance inquired.
“Scootaloo is a half-sister,” Dusty offered. Sunset gave him a curious look.
“Dash is Canterlot High’s top athlete,” Sunset began. “She was hanging with the wrong crowd, invited Scootaloo to join, and Scootaloo, being the typical oblivious middle school girl, blabbed the whole set up to me.”
“And you weren’t about to let her get initiated into a gang,” Cadance suggested.
“No, I wasn’t. My actions kept her out and even got Dash back on the right track,” Sunset supplied. Her head dropped a bit as her gaze went downward. “Neither ever really understood how close they came to ruining their lives.”
“You did the right thing. Now, let’s have you talk to Mrs Esmeralda. Mrs Esmeralda, we’ve got a student who wishes to transfer here.”
“A new student? In the middle of the school year?” Asked a pale green woman with gray hair.
“It’s the end of the quarter,” Sunset pointed out while looking up hopefully. “Brand new quarter coming up.”
“I’m going to be getting a new place and felt Sunset would be better off here than at her old school,” Dusty offered.
“Who is it this time? Not another one from Canterlot is it?” Called a voice from an office. “We are not accepting students from there. I’ll not have that rabble bringing their drama over here.” She, an older woman with a pale blue complexion and hair colored orchid and eggplant with streaks of magenta exited from the office.
“Principal Cinch, she’s a friend of Miss Autumn Blaze,” Cadance offered. “Her name is Sunset Shimmer.”
“Shimmer? Well then, perhaps we can make an exception,” Principle Cinch offered as she walked over to them. Her tone had gone from night to day in an instant.
“Mam?” Mrs Esmeralda asked. “But look at her. She’s obviously been in a fight.”
“Sunset is the best mind over at Canterlot High, Granted that’s not really saying much, I have got a hunch she is more than capable of meeting our high expectations. That and there is a scholarship from the Silverwood Foundation…” Cinch trailed off. “Curious, the wording said when not if. All necessary expenses, tuition, and supplies approved.”
“The fight wasn’t exactly my idea. In fact, I filed charges with the police,” Sunset offered. “Now what’s this about a scholarship?”
“It’s been available for the past three years like they expected you to come over here sooner or later,” Cinch replied.
“Wonder if that has anything to do with Philomena?” Sunset mused.
“Philomena?” Cinch asked.
“When she was little she bonded with an Akkadian Phoenix. She had left her behind but the little darling sought her out. About the size of a large parrot. Fish and game have already checked, she’s good to have it,” Dusty offered. “Don’t ask me about the details, I wasn’t there when they bonded.”
“Hey, Phil, do you want to come out?” Sunset asked. Philomena made a curious chirp, stuck her head out where Sunset’s jacket was opened, looked about, zeroed in on Cinch, blew a raspberry, and ducked back in.
“As long as she’s not a disruption in class we’ll allow it,” Cinch offered perhaps thinking only of the prestige having such a bird at the school would bring. “Just one thing before we sign you up, how would you feel about joining our Friendship Games team?”
“I’m assuming you mean for this year?” Sunset asked.
“Well, it would have to be this year unless you plan on an extra year of high school,” Cinch pointed out with just a hint of cheerfulness.
“You know, Sunset, you don’t really owe them anything,” Dusty offered. “You should try to enjoy what you have left of high school.”
“I imagine that’s true enough. Might even be worth it just for a little payback. Principal Cinch, I won’t be rocking any boats by joining the team so late in the year will I?”
“I’ll have a talk with the team. I think they’ll understand.”
“Adding me in is strategically sound. After all, it’ll get more than a few tails in a knot, but I’ll only do it on one condition. No one outside the team is to know until the games.”
“I think we can manage that,” Principle Cinch replied with a predatory smile. “Come, sit down, and we’ll get Sunset signed up. Sir, I didn’t quite catch your name?”
“Dusk Shimmer, mam.”
“I’m going to need an address?” Mrs Esmeralda prompted.
“Let’s see, the horse Ranch in Kentucky isn’t likely to do you much good.”
“Kentucky?” Sunset asked.
“And we can forget about the place in Pebble Beach.”
“Not Hollywood?” Sunset asked skeptically.
*“I have a mansion, forget the price, ain’t never been there, they tell me it’s nice.”
“Where do you live?” Mrs Esmeralda asked.
* ”I live in hotels, tear out the walls, I have accountants pay for it all.”
“Ya, well my place is trashed too,” Sunset offered while giving him a dirty look.
“Guess we’ll just have to use Lofty and Holiday’s place until I can get a local address.”
“Lofty and Holiday?” Mrs Esmeralda asked and then switched gears while shifting her attention to Sunset. “Hang on, your place is trashed?”
“Same people, presumably the same who gave me this black eye, also trashed my apartment. It could be weeks before it’s livable again,” Sunset explained. “Dad’s planning on getting a place though.”
“Dull-witted people do tend to be resentful of more intelligent people,” Cinch offered. “And you’ll need to keep us up to date concerning where you are staying.”
“Lofty and Holiday are Sunset’s guardians when I’m not in town,” Dusty offered. “We let her have the apartment because she’s stubborn like her mother was. To be honest, we were a little worried that she’d just up and leave once she got it into her head she wanted to move out.”
“So you just let her?” Mrs Esmeralda asked.
“Under our terms,” Dusty replied. “I couldn't take her with me. My work has, until recently, kept me moving.”
“If you don’t mind, what exactly do you do?” Principle Cinch asked.
“Oh, I do a variety of things. I’ve got a number of investments that keep me in ready cash, I provide broncs to rodeos, do a little busting, and if I ain’t too beat up at the end of the day I play Country music at night shows.”
“Do you really have a horse ranch?” Sunset asked.
“Won it in a poker game.”
“Seriously?”
“Would I lie to you?”
“If you aren’t careful, they’re going to make you pay the full tuition.”
“OK, fine, I lost it later the same night.”
Sunset’s face brightened into a big smile followed by laughter.
Over at Canterlot High, when Twilight had finished ripping a new one for each and every one of the Rainbooms the first thing she did was go back to Equestria and take her copy of the diary out of the apparatus that forced the portal open.
Spike gave her a sharp salute, nor was she surprised to see Canterlot guards waiting. Princess Celestia waiting for her was a little unexpected.
“Twilight, they know about the portal?” Celestia asked.
“One thing that’s come out of this mess is that the government on the other side more than likely knows about the portal.” Twilight offered.
“Is Sunset alright?” Celestia asked, the concern evident.
“She has someone looking out for her. Which is better than I did. I trusted the wrong people. Just because they look like my friends here, doesn’t mean they are going to behave the same. Or that hue-mans are going to behave like civilized ponies.
“Meanwhile, I need a better way to secure the portal whenever it’s in use. No more going through and leaving it open. But before I do that, I need to go see Granny Smith about an Apple.”
“Why do you need to see Granny Smith?”
“Does the name Dusk Shimmer or Pippin Apple ring any bells?”
“Not really, no. Are they important?”
“Sunset’s parents,” Twilight provided and then turned to the guards.
“Gentle colts, I know this is sudden, but owing to information that’s come to my attention I need guards to keep an eye on that mirror, and the book that makes it work. I’d like two ponies in the room, and two outside until further notice.”
“Ma’am,” One of the guards replied with a salute. “Understood. Might I inquire about moving it to a more secure location?”
“I considered moving it, but it’s going to take planning. There are any number of unused rooms in the castle that can be used and I’m going to want to take the time to do it right. Make sure we aren’t going to have to worry about uninvited guests.
“Princess Celestia, if there are any of Starswirl’s notes on the mirror that I don't already have, I’d feel better if we could move the other end as well.”
“I’ll get our top researchers on it,” Celestia offered. “One thing, Sunset’s parents?”
“Sunset is presently in the company of a stallion named Dusk Shimmer. He pulled her off a bridge.”
“Off a bridge?”
“While I was enjoying myself at the Hearth’s Warming pageant Sunset was contemplating ending her life.”
“Oh no,” Celestia gasped just as the diary began to buzz.
Twilight rushed over to the book and opened it. “Princess Celestia, Sunset says she’s been granted a scholarship by the Silverwood Foundation. Says it was just waiting for her any time she wanted to attend. Philomena is with her? But how?”
“Nova,” Celestia said softly. "And Philomena can cross the dimensional barrier any time she wants."
“Celestia?” Twilight inquired.
“Sunset isn’t the only Equestrian in good standing in that world,” Celestia informed Twilight. There was a hint of a smile on her face.
“Celestia?”
“Tell her that blue skies are forecast for the future.”
“Blue skies?” Sunset asked as she looked at her diary. She and Dusty were in the school’s cafeteria, which looked a great deal like a first-class restaurant. Philomena was there as well and enjoying being fussed over by Autumn, Blossom, and Fern. “Oh, OK, I get it, she’s being cryptic, but apparently I’ve got an ally here. Wonder if it’s the person who tipped off Mr Coulson?”
“Maybe,” Offered a boy with a shock of red hair and a pair of glasses as he sat down at the table. “Names Zachery Apple. Friends call me Zap because of my scar.” He pushed up his hair to reveal a thin white scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. My sponsor, a representative of the Silverwood Foundation wanted you to have this,” he said as he offered up a small book with a simple heavy linen cover.
“A book?” Sunset asked as she picked up the book. Just the print on the cover was enough to send shivers of delight up and down her spine. She looked back and forth between him and the book and then opened it up to find she was completely and utterly delighted at the contents. The book was written in old Ponish of all things and it was an introduction to magic. Not pony magic as she knew it, but the magic of the world she was presently in.
“I imagine your going to be in the folk arts and forgotten empires class same as myself.” Zap suggested. "Autumn and Fern are in the program but in a different class."
“Folk arts is it? I imagine I wouldn't miss it for the world. Sure would have been nice to have known about this sooner.”
“Can’t really tell you. Aunt Nova can get kind of cryptic. Said she wasn’t able to change that which she knew had already happened. Only that she could set things in motion to make sure things turn out the way they are supposed to.”
“Oh, that sounds like someone did a little time travel and got stuck,” Sunset mused. “I’m also a little surprised you aren’t ogling Philomena.”
“Aunt Nova has one, and she has dual citizenship in England and Akkadia. I do too. I’m here in Amareica on a student visa.”
“Ah, makes sense. Seems I’ve been to Akkadia when I was really little. Don’t remember any of it though.”
“I spent most of my younger childhood on the islands of Akkadia. Living in a tropical paradise was interesting. I kind of thought it was normal until I came here.”
“Most of your childhood?”
“I was born in England, and of course I’m attending High School here.”
“So, are you related to the local Apples?” Dusty asked.
“I might be related to Granny Smith. She and my Aunt Nova went to school together. My family in England is related to the Macintosh Apples. I’m to understand her father emigrated here during the first big war. My family kind of got wiped out during the second.” he paused a moment to remark on Sunset’s stricken face. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I don’t even remember them, and I’ve got plenty of family now.”
“That’s good to hear. Well bad and good,” Sunset said as her emotions waged a war inside of her.
“You doing anything over the winter holidays?” Dusty asked.
“Not much, why?” Zap replied.
“We’ll be going over to say high to Granny and the Apples this weekend, maybe you’d like to join us? You see, we’re kind of related to the Apple’s too.”
“Do you think it’d be alright?”
“All apples are welcome.”
“You sure you should be inviting when my relationship with Applejack is so tenuous?” Sunset asked.
“I’ll admit that I’m asking a bit, but, well, to be honest, hate to say it, having Zachery there would be just enough of a distraction to take a little of that heat off you. Although, now that we know who was responsible for that gossip profile, I can’t see why Applejack wouldn't be willing to make up with you.”
“It’s not like she’s made any effort to call me.”
“Have you checked your phone? And keep in mind you’ll probably still want to personalize that thing.”
“Already changed the password,” Sunset offered as she pulled out her new phone. She logged in and then checked for missed calls. “Oh, gees, Fluttershy had gone after me after I left the cafe. And she sent me a couple of text messages today. She’d be at school so I’ll just send her a text and let her know I’m alright now.”