X Steps Through The Portal

by Tennis Match Fan

43. Principal Celestia

"Sunset Shimmer, I must ask you something."

Sunset's teal eyes darted around the room. Celestia found this sign of nervousness amusing. Sunset obviously had no idea why she had been called to the office.

"Yes, Principal Celestia?" she ventured.

"Would it be possible for me to visit the world on the other side of the portal?" Celestia queried. Sunset opened her mouth, then stopped and blinked.

"Principal Celestia, why would you be interested in that?" Sunset questioned. Celestia smiled.

"The portal is on school property, after all. I feel I should get to know this world, in case our students take unintentional trips." Celestia rolled her eyes. "No doubt this has already happened on occasion. There was the Fashionista Vs. Faculty War... I'm not sure what that was about..." Celestia cut her ramblings off when she cleared her throat.

"Principal Celestia, I'm sure nobody has gone through the portal," Sunset reassured her. "Twilight has it carefully guarded!"

Celestia narrowed her eyes, watching Sunset. The teenager's seafoam eyes were looking everywhere except for Celestia's face.

Celestia nodded.

"That guard system certainly did not prevent you from entering, Miss Shimmer," Celestia remarked intuitively.

"W-what are you talking about, Principal Celestia?" Sunset protested. "I haven't- alright." Sunset resigned herself. "I went once. But, er, that doesn't have anything to do with the, um, current situation." Sunset shifted in her seat.

"So, would it be possible for me to visit the portal?" Celestia repeated.

"I'll schedule it with Twilight," Sunset replied.

"Thank you, Sunset Shimmer." Celestia smiled. Sunset managed a smile back, then stood up. She quickly scurried out of the room.

After a moment, Principal Celestia uncharacteristically squealed in delight.

"I'm going to a pony world!" she fangirled.

---

"Principal Celestia, Twilight requested you stay no longer than a half hour," Sunset informed the principal a few days later. "This was the earliest she could fit in, there's a wedding later today, and the rest of her week is packed."

"I understand completely, Sunset," Celestia responded. She stood with Sunset and Vice Principal Luna, as well as the rest of Sunset's friends, right next to the portal.

"Before I go, is there anything I should know?" Celestia asked. Sunset thought about it for a moment.

"You're an alicorn, I'm assuming, and your counterpart is the ruler of Equestria," Sunset replied. "That's about it."

Celestia nodded and responded, "Thank you for telling me."

"Don't worry Celestia, I'm capable of running this school while you're away," Luna remarked teasingly. Celestia smirked back.

"I'm sure you are, Luna."

Without further ado, Celestia stepped into the portal.

---

Sunset turned to look at her friends.

"I bet you guys want to go too, right?" she asked, smiling playfully.

The rest of the girls looked up and down, averting Sunset's gaze.

"Yup." "It would be... quite interesting." "Sure do, Sugarcube." "Um, I'm sure they have lovely animals... I wish I could've stayed!"

"Oh, Sunny, I already know what it's like over there! I've only been, like, a billion times!"

Everyone stared at Pinkie, especially Sunset.

---

Celestia's feet landed on hard rock. At least, that's what it felt like.

Not feet any more, she reminded herself. Pony hooves.

"Celestia's here!" a familiar tom-boyish voice called out.

Celestia opened her eyes. Did Rainbow Dash follow me in?

She was immediately met by the gaze of a blue pegasus. Her choppy rainbow mane wasn't the only thing reminiscent of Rainbow Dash, this pony also had the magenta eyes and friendly smirk of CHS's top athlete.

"Welcome to Equestria, Princess- er, Principal Celestia!" Rainbow threw her hooves up in the air. "I'm Rainbow Dash, but I'm sure you can tell, since there's another me over there!"

"Hold up, Rainbow! Wait for the rest of us!" A country-accented voice preceded the orange pony that walked into the room next. Applejack was followed by a yellow pegasus, Fluttershy, and a pale unicorn, Rarity's counterpart.

"This is so very interesting!" Celestia exclaimed, watching the four ponies in interest. "Where is Twilight? And you have a Pinkie Pie, right?"

"We're right here!" Twilight Sparkle backed up into the room. Her sentence was muffled by the fuchsia tail of a pink pony. Pinkie Pie's counterpart was hastily scribbling in a book of sorts.

"Stop, Twilight!" she yelled. "I am in the middle of dealing with- oh, hi, Celestia! -an inter-dimensional crisis!"

"That can wait!" the purple unicorn reprimanded her, dropping Pinkie's tail. "We have a guest!"

"It's nice to see you again, Twilight!" Celestia exclaimed. "Especially in this form."

"Thank you, Principal!" Twilight responded. "I hope we can give you a sufficient tour in the little time we have!"

"Perhaps I can attend this wedding?" Celestia suggested immediately.

"Sorry, your counterpart's gonna be there," Applejack piped up. "That might result in some complications, accordin' to Twilight."

This statement earned a quick eye-roll from Pinkie Pie as she scribbled away.

"Um, Celestia? Have you bothered looking at yourself?" Fluttershy asked. "You look like you've been standing there this entire time."

"Oh! I have, haven't I?" Celestia immediately looked down at herself. Her legs were long, no surprise.

"My hair! It's flowing!" she realized, raising a hoof to the multicolored mass. The sensation felt like touching stardust.

"So, Celestia, what do you want to see in this amazing town?" Rainbow Dash asked. Celestia paused for a moment, thinking.

"I think I'd like to tour this lovely building, first," she decided.

"Twilight!" a purple dragon burst into the room. "Twilight, there's some monster outside!"

"We'll deal with it in a moment," Twilight told him. "Come on, Princess, we can go to the dining room first."

After a few wobbly steps, Celestia confidently followed the ponies throughout the castle. Though it was barren, she marveled at the beautiful architecture.

"This very much reminds me of Crystal Prep, back in the human land," she remarked as she peeked into the main room. "Are you familiar with them?"

Pinkie once more looked up from her book. "Yeah! Sunny Flare, is, like, on the Master Shipper's list!" She returned to scribbling. "Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

"I don't know them," Twilight remarked, looking around.

"They really are a delight-ah!" Celestia was cut off by a violent shaking. She stumbled into the wall. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew into the air. Only Pinkie remained unfazed.

"What was that?" Rarity asked.

"The monster!" Spike exclaimed, pointing to the window. Everypony crowded around. A giant bee-bear was hovering outside. The creature rammed itself against the castle once more.

"Agh!" Applejack was sent tumbling into Rarity, who tumbled into Twilight, who tumbled into Fluttershy, who was knocked up against Celestia. Celestia fell back, and Rainbow Dash consequently became entangled in her hair.

"We've got to get that beast!" Rainbow shrieked, breaking free of Celestia's mane.

"Are you girls capable of taking over that, that thing?" Celestia asked in concern.

"We're more than capable, Miss," Applejack told her, tipping her hat.

"There's not a threat we can't beat!" Rarity added.

"No, Sunset!" Pinkie screamed suddenly. Rainbow Dash face-hoofed.

The bee-bear struck again, leaving everypony stumbling about.

"Let's move, girls!" Twilight ordered. The six ponies ran out of the castle without further notice.

"I'll just, let myself out, then?" Celestia asked herself.

"You'd better, unless you have a spare wedding gift on you," Spike remarked, walking by her. Celestia's eyebrow rose in confusion.

"I wonder if that kitchen had any cake in it..."

Comments

[EpicShadowz]

So this ties with your other stories?

[Tennis Match Fan]

6182004 It's development for this story and the chapters in it, but not my other stories.

[FIMScourge]

Finally! Celestia is here! I winder if we finally get to see her break apar-

After a moment, Principal Celestia uncharacteristically squealed in delight.
"I'm going to a pony world!" she fangirled.

.....or that can happen. Going for a slightly more fun loving Celestia, hmm?
No matter. This is still gonna be-

"You're an alicorn, I'm assuming, and your counterpart is the ruler of Equestria," Sunset replied. "That's about it."
Celestia nodded and responded, "Thank you for telling me."

.....how did she accept that so quickly!? She is a ruler, and an Alicorn!
So now you got a more serious Celestia? Alright....
Well, let's see wh-

"My hair! It's flowing!" she realized, raising a hoof to the multicolored mass. The sensation felt like touching stardust.

And now she knows what stardust feels like. Must have been adventurous, going to space.
Maybe Luna was an astronaut at one point....
An awesome chapter something I've been looking forward too!
One more thing, though..... Well, two really.

fell back, and Rainbow Dash consequently became entangled in her hair.

How does one get tangled in something ethereal? Or am I missing something?

Celestia was cut off by a violet shaking.

I read this and imagined a mini Groot dancing, and everyone was literally blown away by his prowess.

And the last part make semi thunk if that is the reason that pony Celestia and Luna didn't have the gift....

[Tennis Match Fan]

6182259 Celestia's hair, much like Pinkie Pie's, breaks the laws of physics. It is a paradox in itself.

[FIMScourge]

6182266
Jeez, I thought on that for just a minute, and my brain hurts already.
It also reminds me of when I had a discussion during a really important match in a video game, where we went from taking about food, to the lore, to art, to discussing whether or not 'freedom' is the choice to have choices, or the choice to not have choices.

[Tennis Match Fan]

6182282 Well, isn't that fabulous?!

[FIMScourge]

6182342
Plz, no....

[Tennis Match Fan]

6182550 Okay, fine!

[keaton-furman-prower]

New headcanon: Principal Celestia stayed there the whole day, while Princess Celestia went to the human world to take care of Canterlot High. Unfortunately, Princess Celestia took the wedding gift with her, so Principal Celestia had to make up some excuses

[Tennis Match Fan]

6187162 That was perfect!

[keaton-furman-prower]

6189260 Yes. Yes it is