//------------------------------// // Back to Equestria // Story: Shine Again // by Fandom Trash Snivy //------------------------------// Back in the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom castle, Twilight Sparkle and Spike appeared in front of the mirror first. "Welcome back, Twilight!" chirped Pinkie Pie. "Everypony's still getting here," Twilight Sparkle told the rest of the Mane Six. "It's not everypony stepped through the mirror at once." A minute later, Sunset Shimmer came out of the mirror, standing on her two hooves. After about fifteen seconds, she faceplanted on the ground. "Ouch... Still getting used to being a pony again..." Twilight Sparkle helped Sunset Shimmer. "Don't worry. You can stay in the castle for a couple of days. After that, you'll have to find a new home on your own." "What if those days are up?" asked Sunset Shimmer. "I guess you'd probably have to stay in the castle for about two months," replied Twilight Sparkle. "Same goes for those Dazzlings, I guess," Applejack added. "They won't have anywhere to stay either." "I can't wait to meet them!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Everypony else glanced at her. "Erm, I mean, I'm very excited to meet The Dazzlings." After Rainbow Dash spoke, The Dazzlings finally came out of the mirror, still wearing their necklaces. Adagio Dazzle was still wearing her headband and her gloves on her front hooves. Aria Blaze was still wearing her star bands on her mane and her wristbands on her front hooves. Sonata Dusk was still wearing her mane in a ponytail and her spiky collars on her front hooves. Fluttershy was the first of the Mane Six to speak. "Hello Dazzlings! My name is-" "Hold on," interrupted Adagio Dazzle. "You look exactly like somepony else on the other side of that mirror." "Really?" Fluttershy asked. "Well, then again, Twilight never did tell us what that world she's always in is like..." "I guess nopony really needs to introduce themselves if they look exactly like somepony else on the other end of that mirror," added Aria Blaze. "Hooray!" exclaimed Sonata Dusk. "I'm a pony! I'm a pony!" Sonata Dusk bounced up and down until Adagio Dazzle stepped in front of her. "She's always like this; an endless ball of energy." "Just like me!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie. Sunset Shimmer walked next to Twilight Sparkle. "Well, Twilight needs to teach me how to live like a pony again. Who else wants to come with us?" "I guess we'll come too," Aria Blaze replied. "After all, we just got back here. Now it's time to be a vegetarian again..." "Just follow me!" spoke Twilight Sparkle. "I'll show you around." "I guess I'll just stay here," commented Spike. "I'm sure Rarity will leave you in good hooves!" replied Twilight Sparkle. Spike ran right over to Rarity. "Oh Spike-Wikey! Make sure not to run so hard into a lady next time. I know how much you want to see me again after all of that alternate world traveling you did with Twi." "Goodbye, friends!" shouted Twilight Sparkle. "We'll come back soon around five o'clock sharp!" Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and The Dazzlings started to head down the stairs. Welp. It's time to get used to our surroundings again. thought Adagio Dazzle. Little did she know, Sunset Shimmer was also thinking the same exact thing that she was. It had been five minutes since Twilight Sparkle had been giving Sunset Shimmer and The Dazzlings a tour of Ponyville. "And that's Sugarcube Corner! That's where my friend Pinkie Pie works!" "It looks great," commented Sunset Shimmer, "but could we please see the rest of Ponyville?" "I guess if you're not that interested in Sugarcube Corner," replied Twilight Sparkle. The five of them continued to walk through Ponyville. However, Sunset Shimmer and The Dazzlings, still feeling a bit uneasy about their surroundings, started to sing in their heads: It’s been a long time since we have all seen All of the things we previously came between Sunset Shimmer sang: Even though the lines still remain a blur I’ll come back there soon, that’s for sure Adagio Dazzle sang: Bein’ a siren isn't easy When the ones around you aren't so forgiving We all felt pretty uneasy But at least we’ll all be right here together, living… Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk sang: Breathing... Sunset Shimmer sang: Walking... They all began to sing: We’ll be walkin’ on four hooves Just like all the rest Seeing everything they’re seeing As the world around us improves Aria Blaze sang: I’ll be breaking free Beyond my mental prison gates I’m free to be me Sonata Dusk sang: Taking a breath feels so great Somethin’ there to relate To finally take the world And get it back on your side Adagio Dazzle sang: Now it’s time to show the world That we’ve all changed for the better Before that, we were under the weather We are totally different girls It didn’t feel easy When the others around you weren’t so forgiving We all felt uneasy But at least we’ll all be right here together, living… Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk sang: Breathing... Sunset Shimmer sang: Walking... Soon they all began to sing: We’ll be walkin’ on four hooves Just like all the rest Seeing everything they’re seeing As the world around us improves ‘Cause we’ll be walkin’ on four hooves At five o'clock sharp, Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and The Dazzlings promptly made it back to the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom castle. "Do you four want to continue exploring on your own?" "I guess," Sunset Shimmer replied. "It'll be great to talk with the other ponyfolk here." "I'll go tell my friends that you'll be gone until six o'clock sharp," Twilight Sparkle told Sunset Shimmer. "Got it," she accepted. Twilight Sparkle opened the huge, crystalline castle doors with her magic and walked inside. The doors shut as Sunset Shimmer and The Dazzlings began to walk away. "So Dazzlings, where should we go?" "We could go to Sugarcube Corner!" an obviously-excited Sonata Dusk suggested. "We can eat all of the sweets that we can eat!" "Let's not fill up too much, Sonata," pointed out Aria Blaze. "You don't want to have another stomachache like last Tuesday." "That was horrible!" Sonata Dusk replied. "It felt like my tummy would explode! I also had a sugar high right after I drank a whole bunch of soda to calm my poor little tummy down." "That is how not to get rid of a stomachache," added Sunset Shimmer. Before long, the four made it to Sugarcube Corner...behind a long line. "Why is there a long line here all of a sudden?" asked Sonata Dusk. "It could possibly be because of a popular dessert or candy," suggested Adagio Dazzle. "I remember on that same Tuesday, you dragged us into a candy store. There was a really long line at the sand candy dispenser machine." "Oh, I remember now," added Aria Blaze. "There were a whole bunch of kids that were filling up on that sand candy. One of them even had his mouth on one of the spouts." Sunset Shimmer grimaced at the thought of what Aria Blaze just said. "Ew! That's disgusting! Did that kid have to get carried out by an employee or something like that?" "Yeah," began Aria Blaze, "he had to! It was even on the local news channel." All of a sudden, the line began to move. Five mares ran out of Sugarcube Corner, screaming. "I can't believe that Sapphire Shores was in there!" "I know! Perhaps she was snacking there before beginning her tour or something like that!" "Sapphire Shores?!" Sunset Shimmer asked. The name sounded familiar to her, yet she couldn't remember who exactly she was. All that she knew was that she was a very popular celebrity in Equestria. Before long, the line cleared away, revealing the reason why everypony came to Sugarcube Corner in the first place. Sunset Shimmer and The Dazzlings entered inside. As soon as they stepped on the "Welcome" mat, Sapphire Shores gasped. "Are you three over there The Dazzlings?!"