Macinplums 2: Mac Again

by Iggypots

Terra Firma

Sugarplum leaned back in her chair and slowly looked around the dining room. Cabinets with wine glasses and fancy plates took up space along the walls, while a veneer'd oval table sat in the middle. Four cushioned chairs were arranged around it, with two more pushed into a corner, Sugarplum was sitting in one of the latter.

“Your folks have a nice house,” Applejack whispered from the other chair. “Bit fancy for me.”

Sugarplum smiled. “Thanks AJ,” she whispered back. “If you weren't here, I'd start wondering if Ponyville was a dream.”

“Don'cha fret, we won't disappear.” Applejack patted her knee.

Sugarplum went back to soaking in the dining room, and thought about how she'd finally reached this point. Twilight had worked another four months, with help from some Canterlot scholars, after helping Sugarplum see her parents again. First, Twilight was able to teleport a chair back and forth to either side of the mirror. Later, she and Sugarplum's father were able to pass the chair though the mirror. Finally, it came to try sending a live being through. There was an argument about who should take the risk (the half-burned letter on Sugarplum's desk may have been a factor). Twilight insisted the task should be hers, Mac calmly said he was the most expendable out of all present, and Sugarplum claimed the risk was hers because all this effort was for her benefit. Sugarplum's dad settled the argument by boldly stepping through to Equestria.

After that it was hugs and a fresh round of tears and happiness. Sugarplum showed her parents her little home, and the next day she went across finally returned to the house she grew up in. She remembered wandering around the house, sight blurry, seeing things that she had worried she'd never see again. Her room was left exactly as she left it, minus the dirty dishes and laundry. She had laid on her bed, then immediately gotten back up; she was afraid that if she slept there, she'd wake up to find out that Ponyville and Mac were just a dream. She'd looked at her rock collection, her mystery books and old science texts and wondered why it felt so odd to be back among things that were familiar to her. That was three days and several more visits ago, and now Sugarplum and Applejack waited in the dining room to bring another person into their secret.

Sugarplum heard the front door open and the voice of her brother announce his arrival. Sugarplum shut her eyes and pulled Applejack into a hug. She listened to her parents greet him, her brother asking why dad was home early, her mother getting him to sit down and then small talk about his day.

“Well, the reason your father is home,” Sugarplum's mother explained, “is because we have a surprise. Your sister finally found a way home and she's here. Carrie-Ann?”

Applejack gave her an encouraging squeeze, then Sugarplum stood and stepped into the living room. Her brother was up and embracing her before she could even blink. She hugged him back, whispering to him. “Glad to see you too, Kevin.” She blinked and held out at arms length. Where once he had been a full head shorter, her lead was down to only a couple inches. Wow, have I really been gone that long? “Wow, you got tall.”

Kevin looked her up and down. “You got tanned.”

She examined him some more. The short brown hair was the same, but the shoulders were broader and the acne was almost gone. She remembered the times she jokingly poked at his face while saying “Pop pop pop pop pop”.

“So do I finally get to hear the whole story?” Kevin looked from her to their parents and back. “How'd you end up stuck in another country? Why do we have to keep it a secret?”

“Better sit back down for this,” said their dad.

“Well, saying I was in another country is kind of understating the case.” Sugarplum sat him in a chair as she explained. “The best way to explain is just to show you.” She turned towards the dining room. “Applejack?”

Her friend stepped out into the living room and tipped her hat to Kevin. “Howdy, partner!”

He blinked. “Whwhwhwh wha fuw fwuk the huh?”

Sugarplum put her arm around him. “Ok, its like this...” She told him the whole story of her landing in Ponyville, her life there, and finally being able to get back. Applejack offered an explanation of things in Equestria where needed. The farm-mare was in the middle of explaining zap apples, when the mirror-portal flashed into existance on the living room wall. Everyone jumped at its sudden appearance. Twilight stood on the other side, waving.

“Hey Twilight!” called Sugarplum. “Meet my brother, Kevin!” Kevin smiled weakly and waved.

“Hi Kevin, hello everyone!”

Applejack got up from sitting on the floor. “Well, that's my ride.” She went over and hugged Sugarplum. “I best be skedaddlin'.”

“You can't stay for dinner?” asked Sugarplum's mother.

“Maybe next time. In fact, why don't both our families have supper together sometime?”

She nodded. “We'd like that.”

Applejack stepped across the portal and looked back. “Seeya in few days. Don't forget to come back now! We'd miss ya.”

Sugarplum smiled. “Of course I'm coming back. I've got something very important back there.”

The ponies waved and the portal closed.

Kevin exhaled and settled back in his chair.

“So... Do you have any questions, dear?” his mother asked.

He slowly at each of them in turn, his face unreadable. He finally turned back to his mother. “What's for dinner?”

Comments

[Bryan Luna]

“What's for dinner?”

He managed more than I would have.

[PetuTheViewer]

8092336 It was an important and relevant question. And as a bonus it gave him time to collect his thoughts. At least that is how I see it.

[Bryan Luna]

8093000 Now there is a good point. I'd probably be on the floor in that situation.