//------------------------------// // Prelude to some strange times // Story: Week of the unicorn // by CrossRedstone //------------------------------// The scene in front of Twilight could easily be considered comically. Several students of Canterlot High were trying to pet a unicorn Sunset Shimmer, who didn't look too happy about it. She looked like a puppy who got too much attention and just wanted to get away. No one seemed to have noticed Twilight walking out of the portal, so she made herself known by helping Sunset Shimmer. "I-I think that's enough guys." Everyone turned around towards the source of the voice. "Princess!" "Twilight!" "You rock, Twi!" Various people greeted her, but Twilight had only eyes for Sunset. "Are you...alright?" Twilight asked. "I...think so, yeah. But it feels like I just lost a great deal of my mane." She shot the students an angry glare, who returned a sheepish smile, some of them predatory. "Anyways" Sunset sighed "you don't happen to know as to why I am a unicorn now of all times?" "Ehehehe... funny story. You see-" XIII "So let me get this straight." Sunset deadpanned. "You tried to transform yourself, overshot the spell after being startled and this all happened next to the open portal?!" "Yeah....you could say it wasn't exactly my brightest idea." Sunset facehoofed at that statement. A few students around them started whispering, some laughing behind their hands. "So" Lyra Heartstrings walked up "is she going to stay like this? Hey, you could be our school mascot!" she exclaimed in half-seriousness. Everyone around them started to laugh really loud. Sunset's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, but else she kept her cool. "Let's get inside before anyone outside CHS sees me. AND NO PETTING!" Vinyl blushed, her arm stretched out and her hand almost touching Sunset's mane. Twilight giggled at the antics of her friends and followed a grumpy Sunset Shimmer inside the school. It didn't become any better from there on out as you can guess. Students would point their fingers at her or simply stare. Or they would do what 99% of the human population would do: pull out their cell phones and start recording. Sunset sighed and she knew it wouldn't be the last time she'd do that. They needed to stop every now and then for Twilight to greet random people she at best had seen at some point during her stays in the human world, while Sunset needed to tell every single person NOT to pet her. "Where are we going?" Twilight asked at one point. "Principal Celestia's office. I figured we should tell her first about the situation, since I can't exactly go outside like this." "Why not?" Sunset sighed again. "In case you haven't noticed, talking ponies aren't exactly a common thing around here." "Oh. I guess it would be a little awkward." Twilight concluded. Resisting the urge to facehoof, Sunset knocked at the door to the principal's office. "Come in." called a voice from inside. Twilight opened the door, obviously having an advantage with hands. "Principal Celestia?" XIII Principal Celestia had been having a good morning so far. Despite some 'incidents' this school year, their budget was still good. Ironically that was thanks to Sunset Shimmer. Luna and Celestia really hadn't been able to report Sunset to the police for multiple reasons and they didn't want to anyway. Still Sunset saw it as her duty to pay back the damage she had done. Luna had taken a spit-take, as she saw Sunset producing a bunch of gems out of her pockets and onto the table. "These aren't worth much in Equestria." she had explained. "We grow them on rock farms." Naturally the first thing the two sisters did was checking for any robberies and brought the gems to the nearest police station. After nothing came up and repeatedly insistence of Sunset Shimmer they traded the stones for money and so no school activity needed to be cancelled. Back to the present, Celestia just enjoyed her morning tea, when someone knocked at her door. Placing the teacup down she looked up towards the door and called: "Come in." When Princess Twilight Sparkle of all people entered the room, Celestia felt a sudden sense of dread entering her mind. It turned into confusion and surprise, when a yellow unicorn with a fiery mane entered her office. The principal wasn't as skilled as her princess counterpart at hiding her surprise, as the two in front of her found out. "Oh dear..." she whispered softly, so only she could hear it. "Hello principal. I wish I would be here for a simple visit or maybe even asking to attend the school to learn more about human culture, but...I think Sunset over here is self-explainable." "Sunset Shimmer?! Is...that really you?!" "Actually that's how I normally look like." Sunset explained. Celestia rubbed her eyes and pinched herself under the table, just to make sure. "So, I take it there's more ancient magic to fight?" "Actually" Twilight blushed "this is completely my fault." "Please explain." Celestia tensed a little. "Long story short, I was casting a spell, a friend of mine startled me and I shot it through the portal and it hit Sunset, turning her into a unicorn again." Celestia felt the need of some of Luna's strong coffee, until she saw that this could be solved easily. "Are you two now going back to...Equestria, was it? In order to undo whatever you did?" "It's not that easy." Sunset told her. "It sounds good on paper, but magic is way more complicated than quantum physics at times. I have a lot of free time. Anyway, I'll simplify it like this: best case scenario, I turn into a pony-human hybrid, possibly a centaur. Forever. Worst case scenario I become a very disturbing looking being." Celestia probably didn't want to know what the last sentence meant. She took a deep calming breath and thought about the situation, putting a hand under her chin. She leaned forward at her table, her expression becoming serious. "Is there any way to remove the spell? There's no telling as to how the public would react to a fairy tail creature becoming real. No offense." "None taken." the two replied. "As for the spell, it should wear off after some time, but I have yet to do the math. The mirror however most likely had some kind of influence on the spell. Whether it lengthened or shortened the spell, I have yet to determine." Twilight felt really guilty about what she did. Celestia leaned back and focused on Sunset Shimmer. "You seem awfully calm about this." Sunset shrugged. "A part of me actually feels relieved being in my own body again. If only everyone else wouldn't try to pet me." "You look rather adorable." Celestia smiled, causing Sunset to blush and Twilight to giggle. "Can one of your friends take you to your home or to theirs?" she asked further. "I...don't know. I think Applejack can take me in." Celestia resisted the urge to make a really bad joke and nodded. "If you cannot find anything, you can always come to my home." "That's..." Sunset was a little taken aback by the offer. "Thanks." she muttered. "It's not a problem. While we're at the issue, do you want to go home until your little predicament is over?" To her and Twilight's surprise, she shook her head. "A lot of students have already seen me. I don't want to make any accusations, but when some of them start coming to my place or the places of my friends just to see me other people would notice." "I see." Celestia nodded. "I think I should still should make an announcement, so no one will misinterpreted as to what happened to you." "I could help." Offered Twilight. "I think they would believe it easier, if I would support it." "I don't think it's necessary. Knowing the rumor mill first hand...eh hoofed....whatever...probably all of CHS already knows about me. It wouldn't surprise me, if SOMEONE would already be SPYING on us." A loud crash could be heard outside. ... "I was joking, you know?"