It didn't take Sunset very long to realize that Maretime Bay was a considerably livelier town during the day. Trolley cars, pulled carts, and pedestrians everywhere. It didn't quite match the feeling of downtown Everfree, due to the lack of vehicles. In fact, she hadn't seen anything remotely close to the vehicle they had drove here in, maybe it was the first of it's kind.
Not that she minded; aside from the occasional trolley, ponies had the run of the streets. It was almost a perfect blend of what she had gotten used to in Everfree, and what she remembered from her protege days in Canterlot. She also noticed how just as there was the occasional earth pony and unicorn on the streets of Zephyr Heights, it was mostly earth ponies here, with a unicorn and pegasus every now and then.
Sunset couldn't imagine an Equestria divided. After everything that Twilight and her friends had done; after everything that Twilight had done for her, what could have possibly happened?
On the other hoof, things could change over time. Cultures and practices could easily shift over the course of a generation, and depending on how many there had been, everything Twilight and her friends stood for could have absolutely faded over time.
Sunset wondered what fate would have befallen her if Sunny hadn't shown up just hours later. Queen Haven seemed benevolent enough, and that was hardly a dungeon they had tossed her into; it was a day spa with bars and one spectacular view. Not even the unicorns of Canterlot had been that luxurious towards prisoners.
So, treating Maretime Bay as any tourist would, Sunset eyed her map carefully, and spotted Pickings For Pets on the corner two streets down. She was halfway down the block when she realized that since Ray had also changed form when he had made the journey through the portal, that his diet had likely changed as well.
What had Spike eaten over here? Gems? Hopefully the pet store would have some information, or she might have to spend a good portion of the day doing her own research.
"You still like insects and some occasional salad and fruit, right little guy?" Sunset asked the winged lizard riding in her right saddlebag pocket. Ray had been a fantastic exterminator in her apartment that basically worked for free. She was hoping that even though he was now five times the size, he wouldn't require five times the food.
She came to the corner shop and after detaching herself from the cart, entered through the front sliding doors, a chime signaling her entrance.
"Hello, and welcome to Pickings for Pets, looking for anything in particular today?" the mare greeter asked. She was a light tan earth pony in a white vest.
"Yeah, I'm looking for a terrarium for this little guy," Sunset replied, motioning down to Ray, who was looking up at the new face, and taking in his surroundings.
"Well hello there, little guy. Been awhile since I've seen a dragon that big. Our terrariums are right over in aisle two, and decorations are one aisle over in three."
"Awesome, thanks. Any diet recommendations?" Sunset asked.
"Hm, well if he's like other dragons, I imagine he's an omnivore, so leaf greens, berries, even gems. If you let him have free range of your residence, they also make great insect control," the greeter said.
"Yup, already experienced with that. I just moved here and his terrarium wasn't one of the things I was able to bring along," Sunset explained.
"Mmm. Always sad leaving stuff behind. But at least you're here, and I can assure you that our terrariums are hoof-built to last, and come with our best warranties. Take all the time you need to look around," the store rep told her.
Sunset nodded with a smile, then headed towards aisle two. She recalled plenty of the pointers from when she first got Ray from the pet shop in Everfree; a terrarium needed a wet area, a hot area, a humid area, and a cool area. With his increased size, she figured 20 gallons was too small, so she immediately moved down to the 50 gallon tanks. These would just barely fit in the cart out front. They were luckily having a sale, and she able to get an affordable glass one; that would be easier to clean and disinfect; she'd just have to be careful getting it back to Sunny's lighthouse. Next up was what would effectively be the ground; river pebbles. After that, it was a matter of decorations and hideaways. She grabbed a variety of preserved logs and rocks, some hollowed out, some solid, and lastly, a heating pad that would go under the terrarium.
Carefully placing these all into a cart, she went to the checkout counter, and only now did she hope that Sunny gave her enough bits.
"Alright, with the sales, your total comes to 96 bits," the cashier said.
Sunset let out a quiet breath of relief as she emptied the entire bit bag and got four 1-bit coins back. It took a couple minutes with the greeter's help to carefully load up her cart outside, but after that, she was on her way back to the lighthouse.
"Alright, Ray. Let's go get some food, and then get your living arrangements set up."
Sunny bit her lip softly as she very slowly and very carefully set the greyed Crystal Heart onto the steel wire stand she had spent the past thirty minutes carefully bending into shape. With that done, Izzy lifted up the glass case with her horn, and gently set it down into the recesses of the wooden display stand.
"Quite an addition to the wing, that's for sure. Glad you made it up there and back safely, Miss Starscout," Cinnamon said, looking at the Guardians of Harmony wing's newest display. A podium in front of the case showed an image of the Heart in it's original, pristine appearance.
"Certainly not the most interesting thing we found on our trip," Sunny commented.
"In addition to the thousands of books we'll need to go back and get once Sprout gets that trailer built. I can't believe he's started on it already," Izzy added.
"Well, we open in fifteen, so if you want to sneak out to the back to get a quick bite to eat, now would be the time," Cinnamon told her.
"Nah, I had a good breakfast. But I do need a favor. I need to bring somepony in after hours for a private viewing, if that's alright with you, Mr. Cinnamon," Sunny said.
"What, like a V.I.P.?" Cinnamon asked.
"You... Could say that, yeah," Sunny replied, not wanting to give too many details yet. Restoring unity and magic across Equestria was one thing, but interdimensional time-travel was something else.
"Well, no objection from me. Now let's have another great day of teaching history!"