Sunset Shimmer's Equestrian Friendship Tour

by CapNTilfy

Sweet Apple Acres

Twilight, Spike, Starlight and Sunset had arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. The air was filled with the scent of apples.

"This place is huge! It's way bigger than the one in the mirror world." said Sunset.

"Well...now that's a voice I never thought I'd hear again." said a voice with a southern drawl.

"Hi, Applejack." said Sunset.

"Howdy yerself." said Applejack. "What in tarnation are y'all doing here?"

Twilight got between Applejack and Sunset. "Hang on, AJ. Before anything else, listen to what I have to say."

Applejack stopped. "Okay. I'm all ears." she said.

Twilight told Applejack everything she knew. From the Friendship Games to the Memory Stone incident and the most recent events from the day before.

"Well I'll be." said Applejack. "You've been through a whole bushel of craziness, haven't you?"

Sunset nodded. "Seems like there's more of that to come."

"I'll say." said Applejack as she took off her hat. "After all you've gone through and the many ways you've proven yourself, I'd be glad to spend some time with you." she gave Sunset a sincere smile.

Sunset gave Applejack a hug. Applejack was surprised at first, then returned the hug and put her hat back on.

After a moment, the hug broke.

"So are apples all you sell here?" asked Sunset.

"Shoot, no." said Applejack. "We also sell corn, grapes and carrots, among other things."

"How long does it take for you and your family to clear the trees?" asked Sunset.

"Depends on a lot of things." said Applejack. "For one, it's usually just me and Big Macintosh. Sometimes Apple Bloom helps out, and one time Twilight and the girls helped me after I let my stubborn streak get the better of me." she blushed.

"Oooh, I haven't heard this one before!" said Starlight.

Applejack told Starlight and Sunset about the time Big Mac was injured and unable to help her harvest the apples.

"Yikes." said Starlight.

"Good thing you finally asked for help. It's not good to overwork yourself like that." said Sunset.

"I know that now." said Applejack, smiling.

"Another thing that apple harvesting depends on is the weather. Rainbow Dash stops by to give me the schedule so I know what to expect and when to expect it." said Applejack. "Course, there's many more factors but I get the feeling we don't have enough time for me to go into all that."

Sunset nodded. "So. Do you need any help now? We'd love to give you a hoof."

Applejack smiled. "Well, that's mighty sweet of you. Sure you can help! Just one question."

Sunset nodded.

"How strong are your hind quarter muscles?" Applejack asked.

"Good question." answered Sunset. "I've been in the mirror world so long that I've only used my legs to walk. Maybe kicking a few times while playing sports, but nothing like bucking."

"Okay then, how about this?" said Applejack. "Come with me." she gestured Sunset over as Twilight, Spike and Starlight followed.

"I can easily buck all the apples out of this here tree." Applejack said as she pointed at a specific tree. "I reckon Twilight can too, since she has all the abilities of the three pony races." Twilight nodded. "And Starlight can get a few good apples outta one buck." Starlight smiled proudly. "So." she said to Sunset. "Show me what you've got."

"All right, then." said Sunset. She stretched for a couple of moments. "I hope I get at least one apple down." she said.

"You should be able to. Apple Bloom can buck down half the apples off a tree, and she's still a youngin."

Sunset turned to face the direction opposite of the tree. She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Okay. Here goes!" she said as she tucked in her back hooves. She launched them forward with a grunt and all her might. Her hooves struck the tree and it shook. Several apples fell to the ground.

Applejack looked around the tree. "Hmm." she said. "Not too shabby there, Sunset."

"Thanks." said Sunset. "Speaking of 'not too shabby'..." she took out a cupcake from her saddlebags.

"Uhh...what's a cupcake got to do with anything?" asked Applejack.

Sunset blushed. "Oh yeah, I forgot Pinkie gave this to me before I left..."

"You aren't going to eat it, are you?" asked Twilight. "It's passed through the mirror. Celestia knows what'll happen to you if you do."

"Good point." said Sunset. "I'd rather not take the risk." she put it on the ground and destroyed it. "Just in case. You can never be too careful sometimes."

Twilight nodded in agreement.

"Anyway." said Sunset. "This is what I meant to take out." she said she took out her drawing and showed it to Applejack.

Applejack looked at it, tears slowly forming in her eyes. "Well I'll be..." she said as she wiped the tears away. "I ain't never seen nothing like this before. That's what we all look like in the mirror world?"

"All of you but Twilight." said Sunset. "The mirror Twilight in that picture belongs to the mirror world. Princess Twilight's mirror form looks slightly different."

"Lands sake, Sunset Shimmer. Y'all got a serious talent for art." said Applejack as she gave Sunset back her drawing.

"Thanks." Sunset smiled. Her stomach growled.

"You must be hungry, huh?" Applejack grinned. "Why don't you come on into the barn and I'll have Granny Smith whip us up something special for the occasion?"

"Sounds good to me, AJ." said Sunset.

Over the course of the meal, Sunset and Applejack got to know each other better, with Sunset doing most of the speaking. She shared several anecdotes about her time in the mirror world after the Memory Stone incident that even Twilight didn't know. They all laughed and had a great time together.

After the meal, Sunset and the group said their goodbyes.

"So, Sunset." Twilight said. "Anything from the book?"

Sunset checked. "Nope. It looks like Princess Luna's raising the moon."

Twilight smiled. "That's okay, because we're down to our last stop: Sugarcube Corner."

Twilight teleported the group to the front door of Sugarcube Corner. Sunset was about to open the door when she was struck by a pink, pony-sized projectile.

Comments

[vanilleah]

"This place is huge! It's way bigger than the one in the mirror world." said Sunset.

I thought you said that she called it the human world?

[CapNTilfy]

8905228
Right. Nice catch there. ^_^;

[DragonxFlutter]

"Uhh...what's a cupcake got to do with anything?" asked Applejack.

Sunset blushed. "Oh yeah, I forgot Pinkie gave this to me before I left..."

"You aren't going to eat it, are you?" asked Twilight. "It's passed through the mirror. Celestia knows what'll happen to you if you do."

"Good point." said Sunset. "I'd rather not take the risk." she put it on the ground and destroyed it. "Just in case. You can never be too careful sometimes."

It was at this moment Sunset knew: she fucked up.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

"Okay then, how about this?" said Applejack. "Come with me." she gestured Sunset over as Twilight, Spike and Starlight followed.

I hope Sunset's prepared for what's coming.

"Good point." said Sunset. "I'd rather not take the risk." she put it on the ground and destroyed it. "Just in case. You can never be too careful sometimes."

I'm surprised that cupcake survived this long, it would've been ruined by now.

Twilight teleported the group to the front door of Sugarcube Corner. Sunset was about to open the door when she was struck by a pink, pony-sized projectile.

How am I not surprised.