A Week in Equestria

by Doughboy

Chapter 0: Waking up with Nausea

As Sunset was awash with the sensory overload that was the portal that bridged the gap between two worlds several things were floating through her nervous mind.

Although Sunset was mostly excited to return to her home, she couldn’t help but worry about a few things. Namely how the others will treat her, this new girl that Princess Twilight kept talking about or her old mentor. And then there was the topic of her magic, sure Sunset has been used it in the human world but only in times of crisis. Of course, there was the time she was here last but Sunset had written that off as a fluke from the adrenaline of the moment.

Sunset had tried to calm myself before stepping through, by psyching herself up. Sunset kept on telling herself that she is a better person – er, pony- now and she had learned so much about friendship and the magic of it. The girls tried to give her words of encouragement but it did little to calm her frayed nerves.

When the princess had suggested Sunset spend her spring break in Equestria at first she was very apprehensive towards the idea. Things were just starting calm down after the Friendship Games and Sunset had certainly tried to explain to the princess that now would not be a great time.

But the Princess would not take no for an answer, for every excuse that Sunset could think of she was met with a well thought out logical reason for why those excuses were not a problem and Sunset definitely should come visit for a week. And she knew better than anyone that once Twilight gets her heart set on something she won’t let it go.

So Sunset told the Princess that would think about it but she would also talk to others to let them in the loop and the Princess gave her blessing.

“Yeah, it’s not like some terrible demon will attack while you’re away,” Sunset remembered Rainbow Dash exclaiming which was met with a few stern looks, “What! I can’t be the only one thinking that.”

Sunset had asked everyone to meet at Sugarcube Corner to discuss the Princess’s proposition with them before Sunset gave her final decision. Everyone was sitting at their favorite booth. It was practically in a permanent reservation.

“Rainbow has a point dear, we will be quite fine without you here for a week much less a day,” Rarity pipes up breaking the tension.

“I know, it’s just I am kind of nervous about starting over. The only ones that actually know me over there is Princess Twilight, Spike, and…” A sigh escapes from Sunset lips, “and Celestia.”

“Ah well sugarcube, you’ve made friends with everyone here. I’m sure you’ll make em quick over there too,” Applejack says trying to pick up the mood. Sunset give her a light smile of thanks.

“Yeah, besides from what the pony princess Twilight has said it seems that the pony us’s are clones of us us!” Pinkie Pie states pointedly before giving a giant grin.

All six of them then look at their Twilight who has yet to really voice her opinion.

“Ha eh, guess I’m the exception to the rule as it was or the rule with an exception,” Twilight starts to fidget in her chair and playing with the hem of her skirt clearly not used to all the attention quite yet.

“Oh I’d jump at the chance to meet a bunch of adorable little ponies, even if there are us,” Fluttershy squeaked from the other side of the table. Sometimes it’s hard to remember she is even here.

“Hey who are you calling adorable! Pony me is probably super awesome,” Rainbow bursts out, being met few giggles Sunset included. Rainbow blushes “Tell’m Sunset I’m the coolest over there right?” she looks at Sunset pleading.

“I’ve told you guys before I never met or even seen you before I came to the Human world. Pony or otherwise.”

A gasp from the other side of the table draws my attention. “I just had an absolutely fabulous idea” the gasp had come from Rarity. “Let’s get all the ponies gifts.”

“Ugh, we’re not making a bunch of dresses for ponies,” Rainbow rebutted.

“I wasn’t talking about dresses darling, but if I was to make a dress for something like a pony I wouldn’t even know where to start. First I would need their measurements and then…”

“Rarity, back to your initial point,” Applejack getting back on track.

“Right yes, another time, well the Princess wasn’t able to make it for Christmas because of the portal being closed and Sunset wasn’t able to do the same for her holiday…”

“Hearth’s Warming Eve,” Sunset corrected.

“Yes that, so what if we get gifts for all the ponies and send them over with Sunset when she goes in a few days.”

“Hey wait a minute I never said for sure that I was going!” Sunset slams her hands on the table.

“Come on dear, everybody needs a vacation.”

“But I can just stay here with you guys. That’s all the vacation I need,” Sunset crossed her arms.

“That’s sweet and all Sugarcube, but when was the last time you were even in Equestria?” said Applejack, “Besides some of us will be out of town.”

A chorus of yeps comes from Rainbow, Pinkie, Twilight, and Applejack.

“I didn’t think of that. And I haven’t been in Equestria since I took Twilight’s crown and before that when I first went through the portal.”

“I don’t know about you but if I was away from home for that long I’d be awfully homesick,” said Fluttershy hugging herself.

“Even I get a homesick for Crystal Prep sometimes,” said Twilight.

“We’re not trying to force you into going. We’re just saying that it would good for you if you did,” Applejack speaking what everyone was saying before.

Applejack’s words ring true as always. Sunset knows it would be good for her if she went but Sunset had just gotten comfortable here and the idea of starting at square one just made her anxiety worse. Most of it coming from meeting Celestia again since Princess Twilight would never let that go.

“All right I’ll go,” Sunset say finally.

Cheers all around. Rarity had set to work immediately to find out what to get the ponies with the others help.

Sunset was half way through packing for the trip when she realized that she wouldn’t really need all of this stuff. It’s going to be weird not wearing clothes again.

Sunset shook herself from her thoughts. She was still in the swirling vortex of a rainbow light show. Sunset certainly didn’t remember it taking this long before. At that moment a blinding light came up ahead. Oh there it is, Welcome back to Equestria, Sunset Shimmer.