1 - Boring Days Just Got Interesting

Sunset Shimmer tapped her fingers against her desk as she stared out of the window beside her. Math class was so incredibly boring. She turned her head to look at the pupils around her. Applejack. Boring. Carrot Top. Boring. Fluttershy. A living snore-fest.

With a long sigh, Sunset looked at her watch and then slammed her face into her hands as she realised there was still another thirty minutes of the lesson left. Perhaps if they were learning something interesting she would be inclined to stay, but this… this was something she had learned back when she was just a little filly living in Canterlot!

‘I took Celestia’s advanced courses! I learned this stuff and so much more back in her School for Gifted Unicorns! I read myself to sleep with Mathematical theory more advanced than this!’

Sunset Shimmer’s patience finally left her body, and with as much noise as she could, she scooped up her belongings into her bag and rose out of her seat. “Miss Shimmer, class is not over yet,” the teacher said, not even bothering to turn around. “Please sit back dow-”

“I’ve already answered every question for the next ten pages. It’s on my desk. I think you’ll find I answered them with a hundred percent accuracy. If there’s nothing else left, I really don’t see why I should still be here.” Nobody said anything as Sunset Shimmer approached the classroom door and left.

Nobody said anything because it was a daily occurrence. Sunset Shimmer would make an effort to show up to class, get bored halfway through, and walk out. At first the teachers were annoyed with her, but after she proved that she knew the material during mid-term exams, they decided not to waste the time and effort trying to make her stay when it would ultimately result in failure.

The students were at first amused by her antics, but a good number of them had started to grow annoyed by the fact that she was allowed to simply walk out of the classroom whenever she wished, and many more were envious of her ability to cut class and still get perfect scores on her schoolwork.

The corridors were empty, as to be expected. It was time for classes, after all. Sunset Shimmer stopped at a water fountain and leaned down to drink from it. Only, it did not work. ‘Oh, wonderful. No ‘out of order’ sign? Luna will hear about this!’ Sunset stomped her feet against the marble floor as she made her way through the school’s corridors.

“Going somewhere?” a voice asked. Sunset noticed two girls standing to her left, leaning against some lockers. Trixie Lulamoon, the school’s ‘Great and Powerful’ magician who had won every talent show she had entered into, and Rainbow Dash, the school’s soccer Captain who had led their school’s team to victory in every game they had played since she had joined the team. It was Trixie who had called out to her.

“Classes are still on, right?” Rainbow asked with a teasing grin. “Should you really be cuttin’ class like this? You’ll fall behind.”

“Please,” Sunset scoffed. “I graduated my Middle School already when I was just a fi- a child! I was reading up on quantum theory when you were still watching cartoons explaining proper punctuation usage.”

“Right. In that other world you come from,” Trixie said. “Which reminds me-”

“Thirty moons,” Sunset said. “The portal will open in thirty moons. Then you can go through. In fact, please do.”

Trixie crossed her arms and pouted. “So another twenty-eight to go. This is taking too long. The Great and Powerful Trixie wants to experience real magic already, and also desires to meet her other self.”

“There’s a thought that’ll give me nightmares,” Rainbow said with a shudder. “But I gotta admit, two Rainbow Dashes would be pretty neat. Plus I can fly over there! How cool is that?!”

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. Ever since she had told them about Equestria, magic and flying were all that they could think about, and they never failed to bring them up in conversation. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Where you goin’?” Rainbow asked. “Off to steal a magic crown and wreak havoc in the school?”

“Not today,” Sunset replied. “I’m simply on my way to give the Vice-Principal a piece of my mind! The way she runs this school is a joke!”

The two girls behind Sunset Shimmer both broke out into cold sweat. “Er, not a good idea,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Nightmare Moon,” Trixie added. “It’s, uh… Nightmare Moon in there right now.”

Sunset’s eyes widened. ‘I-It’s that time of the month already?’ ‘That time of the month’ of course referring to Luna’s time of the month. During this period of time, the Vice-Principal would become a monster. Literally. The students in the school have taken to calling this version of the Vice-Principal Nightmare Moon, and when Nightmare Moon was out and about, you did not want to run into Vice-Principal Luna or disturb her for any reason whatsoever.

“W-Well then, I guess I’ll just go home early. Not much else to do here.”

“Mind if we tag along?” Rainbow asked. “We were planning on just cutting this one lesson, but hey, might as well go the extra mile.”

“No. You may not,” Sunset replied. “For the last time, where I reside in this world is none of your business.” ‘If they find out I’m living with the Principal, my reputation will just be damaged even further!’

“Suit yourself,” Rainbow said before turning to Trixie. “So, wanna hit the arcade?”

“Why? So you can lose to me again?” Trixie asked with a smug grin.

“No, so I can kick your butt again!” Rainbow replied with a smirk.

Sunset rolled her eyes. ‘Those two make even me seem humble and modest.’ Opening the school’s front doors, Sunset Shimmer walked outside. She could hear the sound of a ball hitting the ground repeatedly behind her, along with footsteps, which told that Rainbow Dash and Trixie were following her.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie’s next show is sure to take the school by storm.”

“Just make sure you’re not late to my match! I’m gonna be scorin’ goals so fast you’ll only be able to see a blur the whole time!”

Sunset Shimmer tried to drown out the sounds of the chatting girls behind her, even going so far as to place her hands over her ears. ‘Gah! I’d rather be back in Equestria with Celestia than be here right no-’ Sunset paused her train of thought, and shook her head. ‘No, I take that back. If I ever see that traitor again, it’ll be too soon.’

“Excuse me. Miss Sunset Shimmer?” Sunset stopped as a tall, white-skinned man intercepted her path. His hair was a deep blue with light and dark-blue highlights, and his eyes a matching aqua colour. He was dressed in a black suit with a red tie that had a shield with a six-pointed star inside. The pattern looked familiar, but Sunset Shimmer couldn’t quite put her finger on it. “Are you Miss Sunset Shimmer?”

“I am,” Sunset replied in a bored tone. “And you are?”

The man pulled something out from inside his suit. A wallet, it seemed. He opened it up and showed the contents to Sunset Shimmer. A badge with his name and face attached, and some letters that made her eyes widen. “Shining Armor, FBI.”

‘F-FBI?’ Sunset swallowed nervously as she took a cautious step back. ‘If my research is correct, they’re like this Country’s equivalent to the Royal Guard of Equestria.’

“I’m sorry, but can I ask you to come with me?”

“Why should I?” Sunset asked, only to flinch as she felt a hand grab a hold of her shoulder.

“Because if you don’t, we’ll have no choice but to arrest you,” a female voice said from behind. “After all, we have more than enough evidence, Miss Shimmer. All the evidence we need to lock you away for the rest of your life.”

Sunset Shimmer turned around slowly. Standing behind her was a tall, pink-skinned woman with long, striped hair of three colours: purple, pink, and cream. She was also wearing the same suit as Shining Armor, only with a skirt in place of trousers, and the pattern on her tie was also different. It was a blue, heart-shaped gemstone.

“Now, please come this way,” the woman said as she pushed Sunset Shimmer forward.

“H-How dare you?! Who do you think you are?!”

“Please ma’am,” the man said. “We don’t have much time, and we would prefer not to use force if at all possible.”

Glancing between the two people she was stuck between, Sunset Shimmer ultimately saw that she had no means of escape.

“Hey!” a voice called out. “What are you doing?! Leave her alone!” The three turned around to see a rainbow-haired girl charging towards the woman in the suit, carrying a soccer ball in her hand. She dropped the ball to the ground and kicked it. It flew through the air towards the woman’s face… and missed as the woman dodged to the side.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie does not take kindly to her fans being harassed!” Trixie shouted as she bent down to the ground and pointed a firework towards the woman.

“Wait! Isn’t that a little much?!” Rainbow Dash asked.

‘And since when was I your fan?’ Sunset Shimmer thought as she attempted to flee, only to be caught moments later by Shining Armor.

The firework launched, shooting past the woman and grazing over the black car parked behind the man. “Let’s go,” Shining Armor said. “Leave the two girls alone. We have to get back quickly.”

“… Fiiiiine,” the woman said as she followed Shining Armor and Sunset Shimmer into the car, the latter entering of her own will after seeing that there was no chance of escape.

“Hey, wait!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she chased after the escaping vehicle. She gave up after the car picked up speed and kicked the ground in a fit of anger. “Darn it! What was that all about?!”

“Fret not,” Trixie said, placing a hand onto Rainbow’s shoulder. Rainbow turned around to find Trixie holding up her phone. On the screen was a map of the city, and inside of the map was a flashing yellow dot moving quickly though the streets. “You owe Trixie big-time for this.”

Rainbow Dash smiled again and wrapped her arms around Trixie, an action that the showgirl was not too sure about. “Lemme guess, the firework had some sort of tracker on it?”

Trixie pushed Rainbow Dash away and flicked her hair. “Sorry, but a magician does not reveal their secrets. Now if Trixie were you, she would gather her friends and chase this signal at once.”

“What about you?” Rainbow asked. “Aren’t ya gonna help?”

“I’ve got to report this to the Principal, and then I’ll likely be asked to fill in a statement by the police.” Trixie shook her head and gave the phone to Rainbow Dash. “Besides, she’s your friend. I think it should you guys that go after her.”

With a nod, Rainbow Dash took the phone and ran past Trixie. “Thanks again! I’ll make sure she goes to your next show after this!” The bell rang just as Rainbow entered the school building, signalling the changeover to the next period classes. “I’ve gotta hurry! Everyone except for Rarity should be in Home Ec. right now.”

2 - Uncomfortable Car Ride

Shining Armor felt uncomfortable during the long drive back to headquarters. He tried to calm his nerves by just watching the peaceful scenery outside of the car window, but he could still feel the heated glare of Sunset Shimmer driving into his skull. He chanced a glance over at the girl, and her glare intensified tenfold as their eyes met.

The woman sitting beside Sunset Shimmer chuckled, and leaned over to put a hand on her co-worker’s chest. “There there, honey. You don’t have to feel nervous about being around another girl just because I’m here.”

“It’s not that,” Shining Armor said, once again looking outside the window. “And for the last time, Chrysalis, that disguise does not make you Cadance. Please take it off.”

The woman, ‘Chrysalis’, gasped and brought a finger to her hair, twirling it about as she hid her blushing face behind it. “Shiny, please. We have company here, and we’re on duty.”

“You know what I mean,” Shining said through gritted teeth. “Stop disguising yourself as my girlfriend already! It’s really creepy!”

“Oh come now. I put a lot of effort into this one, you know? Her voice took a very long time to emulate, and I had to bind my breasts to make myself as flat as her. Of course I still can’t do anything about my height. Such a shame.”

“Can’t do anything about your weight, either,” Shining mumble. A finger and a thumb grabbed his cheek and pulled at it, causing him to swing his arms about in pain.

“What was that?” Chrysalis asked in a threatening tone.

“I-I said you look great! Y-You seem to have lost a lot of weight lately!”

Chrysalis released Shining Armor and shot him an innocent smile. “Why thank you! I go to the gym everyday to work out.”

“Hey,” Sunset said, not sure how much more of this she could take. “Mind telling me what this is all about? If I were under arrest, I should be wearing handcuffs. And you two wouldn’t be playing about like a dorky couple in love.”

Shining Armor cleared his throat and straightened his tie, and then turned to face Sunset Shimmer. She was still glaring at him. He averted his eyes and tried to explain the situation to her. “W-Well, you see, it’s like this…” Shining shifted his eyes back to Sunset Shimmer once more. “… She really does look like her, huh?”

“That’s because she is her,” Chrysalis explained. “She’s Sunset Shimmer just as much as the one from this world is.”

Sunset’s eyes widened. “You two… know the other Sunset Shimmer?”

Shining Armor nodded. “Actually, she’s my sister’s friend. She visits Twilie’s place quite often and the two together are at the top of their classes.”

Sunset Shimmer huffed. “So, the me here is friends with that spoiled little Princess, huh?”

“Am I sensing deep-seated issues here?” Chrysalis asked in a teasing tone. “Sounds like somepony is jealous.”

Sunset changed her glare to Chrysalis, who didn’t so much as flinch under her gaze. “Jealous?! Hah! As if! If anything, I feel sorry for that brat! Unlike me, she still believes Celestia’s every word! Unlike me, she’s still playing lapdog to that fat-flanked whorse! Unlike me… D-Did you say ‘somepony’?”

“I sure did,” Chrysalis said, pressing a finger to Sunset’s nose. “That’s right. We know all about the world that you came from. Well, not all about it. But we know that it is there, and that you came from it.”

“Some years ago,” Shining Armor began, “An agent working for the FBI spotted you at Canterlot High, but at the time you were spotted, you were also at my parent’s house, eating dinner with Twilie. I was there too, so I could vouch for that.”

“That’s why we kept an eye on you,” Chrysalis said. “It didn’t take long to conclude that you must have come from this alternate world we had spent the last fifty years trying to reach. We watched you from afar, and we took note of every one of your actions. Everything you did, we saw.”

“E-Everything?” Sunset asked, now worried about where exactly the two were going with this. “Y-You mean like-”

“You becoming a demon and enslaving your school? Yeah, we saw,” Shining said. “You may recall, during your transformation, there was probably a tingling feeling in your head at some point. As if something had hit it a high speed?”

“Huh? Uh, now that you mention it…”

Shining sighed. “To think that a sniper’s fire would do absolutely nothing. Magic is truly a force we must learn to control, before the wrong hands figure it out first.”

Sunset’s eyes widened in horror. “Y-You tried to kill me?!”

“What choice did we have?” Chrysalis asked. “From the moment you donned the crown and began to use a power we have no knowledge of, you became too big a threat for us to allow you to live. Of course, now, you’re just an ordinary little girl.”

“An ordinary girl, but with the knowledge we need,” Shining said. “You see, a few months ago, using the magical residue left around the school area, we finally had a breakthrough in our research. And with that, we finally accomplished something that we had been trying to achieve for so long. We opened up our own portal to this other world, one that is open when we want it to be.”

Quite a breakthrough indeed,” Chrysalis said. “With this, as soon as we can guarantee its stability and safety, we can travel into this other world and begin negotiations with its inhabitants. By exchanging knowledge and technology, our two worlds may just be able to guide each other into new, golden ages of peace.”

“Just, one problem,” Shining Armor continued. “Two days ago, a rogue agent by the name of Sombra stole an experimental weapon from our research department, and jumped through the portal.”

“The reason for his sudden betrayal is unknown,” Chrysalis said, “But we cannot simply leave things like this. Our boss has requested that Shining Armor here lead a search party into your world, to find Sombra, apprehend him, and recover the stolen equipment.”

“I’ve already decided that I will be taking Cadance with me,” Shining said. “And for our third member… I felt that somebody with actual experience in this world would be our best bet.”

The three remained silent for some time as Sunset Shimmer allowed all of this information to sink in. “So, let me get this straight: you want me to follow you through this experimental portal back to my home world, the place I fled as a child, to chase after some guy who stole a weapon that does who-knows-what?”

“Essentially, yes,” Shining said. “Of course, if you do not wish to come with us, simply providing us with information about your world will be sufficient. If you refuse to help, I’m afraid I’ve been given orders to lock you away until you change your mind. However, if you do assist us, then we are willing to strike all of your previous crimes from the record. You’ll be free as a bird.”

“… Two things,” Sunset said, “First, I want the FBI to stop watching me twenty-four/seven.”

“I think that can be arranged,” Chrysalis said.

“Second…” A grin crossed Sunset Shimmer’s face as she stretched her hand out towards Shining Armor. “Count me in.”

3 - Welcome To The Agency

Sunset Shimmer whistled at the view outside of the glass elevator. The FBI headquarters was certainly an impressive sight, but the view from so high up was nearly enough to take her breath away. “I wonder if this is what Pegasi feel the first time they fly?”

“Pegasi?” Shining asked.

“Yeah. You know, ponies with wings.”

Shining put a hand to his chin. “Ponies… have wings where you come from?”

“You didn’t know that?” Sunset asked. Shining shook his head. “Then are you in for a surprise. How many people are going to cross through the portal, anyway?”

“Just us three,” Shining said. “We don’t want to send in too many people in the event that something bad happens. I volunteered for this expedition myself, and Cadance practically begged to come along when she saw I wouldn’t back down.”

“And Chrysalis?”

“I have no intention of being burned to a crisp, thank you very much,” Chrysalis answered with a glare.

“She’s afraid the portal will fry her alive,” Shining whispered to Sunset Shimmer. “She watches a lot of sci-fi.”

Sunset turned to Chrysalis with a grin. “Ooooh, so that’s it, huh? You act all cool and tough, but really, you’re just chicken, aren’t you?”

“… If you were not under our protection right now, Sunset Shimmer, I swear to god I would-”

“We’re here,” Shining announced as the elevator ‘dinged’ and the doors opened. Shining took one step outside, and was immediately pushed back inside and pinned to the floor by a pink blur that took Sunset Shimmer completely by surprise.

“Welcome back, Shining!” the pink woman on top of Shining Armor said before crushing the downed man with a tight hug. “I’m so sorry I forgot to pack your lunch! Are you okay? You didn’t pass out from hunger did you? Oh you poor thing, you must be starving! Come with me and I’ll whip you up something good!”

Sunset’s eyes widened as she saw the woman’s face clearly. Apart from her height, this woman was the spitting image of Chrysalis.

“Actually,” Chrysalis said, “We stopped at McDonalds on our way. We are quite fine.”

The woman looked up at Chrysalis with a glare. “You’re disguised as me again? Give it up! You know my Shiny would never fall for your cheap tricks!”

“Perhaps, but if you don’t get off of him soon, your ‘Shiny’ will probably die from suffocation.”

The woman looked down at Shining Armor to find that he was having trouble breathing. “Oh! I’m so sorry!” she said as she quickly climbed to her feet and straightened out her uniform. Behind her, there were some more people dressed in suits, and some in white lab coats, laughing, which caused the woman to blush.

“Uh…” The woman turned to Sunset Shimmer. “Based on what I’ve heard and what I’m seeing, you must be Cadance.”

“That’s right,” Cadance said with a smile, stepping over Shining Armor to approach Sunset Shimmer. “Wow, this is so strange. I mean, I’ve met Sunset Shimmer before, but you’re a different Sunset Shimmer, aren’t you?”

“That’s right,” Sunset replied with a grin. “I’m the much superior one. The one in this world is nothing compared to me.”

“May I suggest we move this conversation elsewhere?” Chrysalis asked. “Somewhere with biscuits and tea?”

“Wonderful idea!” Cadance said as she knelt down, picking Shining Armor up and helping him to his feet.

“Hey,” Sunset called out, “This is just going to get confusing. Would you mind losing that disguise or whatever?”

“Yes, please do,” Cadance said with a nod.

“Oh, fine,” Chrysalis sighed. “I guess it’s three against one. I’ll make a quick stop to the restroom and meet up with you all later.”

As Chrysalis left down one corridor to the elevator’s left, Cadance carried Shining Armor down the opposite direction to Chrysalis. “This way, Sunny.”

“‘Sunny’?” Sunset Shimmer asked, the displeasure of being referred to in such a way clear in her tone.

“Oh, sorry,” Cadance said. “I’m used to calling the you here by that name. She doesn’t care much for it either, but I guess it would be rude of me to refer to you by that, given we really don’t know much about each other.”

“I would prefer you never call me by such a name at all,” Sunset said as she followed Cadance down the corridor. “So, I’m curious, how exactly did you people manage to harness the magical residue left by my brief moment of glory wielding the Element of Magic? Or for that matter, how did you even detect it?”

“You appear to be under the assumption that magic does not exist in this world, but that’s not quite so accurate,” Cadance replied. “Think about it. If magic didn’t exist here, how do you explain the portal linking our worlds? Or the power boost you gained that night?”

“I always figured it was magic from Equestria leaking into this world. If there is magic here, then why can no one use it?”

“I don’t know how it works in your world, but over here, we cannot interact with magic directly. We must use science and technology to detect and harness magical energy. In fact, it was only within the last century that magical research reached the point where we could truly confirm the existence of magic itself. Before then, it was mere speculation.”

Sunset Shimmer put a hand to her chin and nodded. She was starting to become interested in what these people had to say. “So just as our world has science to a minor degree, so does this world have magic to a minor degree.”

“It would seem the key differences between our world is that magic is more easily accessible to your kind, so that was the path your civilization took.”

“That explains why your grasp of technology was so terrible when you first arrived here,” Shining said, his strength now back after his earlier assault. “Thanks Cadance, but I can walk on my own now?”

“You sure?” Cadance teased.

Shining removed his arm from around Cadance and wobbled for a bit, before straightening himself out and continuing to walk alongside her.

“What did you mean by my grasp of technology being so terrible?” Sunset asked.

“I mean how you pounded the keyboard with your fists, how you were startled every time a phone did something new, or how you wondered how televisions worked without the ‘magical glow that all spells produce’,” Shining answered.

Sunset Shimmer growled. “Just how much were you watching me?”

“The only times we weren’t watching were when you visited the bathroom or when you were at Principal Celestia’s home.”

“Since you hadn’t yet committed any crimes that posed a threat to national security, we were limited in the extent to which we could invade your privacy,” Cadance added. “Ah, here we are. Please make yourself at home.” Cadance turned to her left and opened a door into a small, cosy room with a glass table in-between two couches.

Sunset Shimmer and Shining Armor followed her inside. The room gave off a nice atmosphere, and was very cool inside. The colour scheme was a rather bland brown, and the smooth jazz didn’t appeal much to Sunset Shimmer, but the sweet aroma of the tea on the table certainly drew her attention.

Cadance and Shining Armor sat down on one couch, and Sunset Shimmer took a seat on the opposite couch, reaching for the cup of tea closest to her and lifting it up to her lips. She stopped and glanced towards the two sitting before her. “… This isn’t poisoned, is it?”

“Would you like me to drink from it?” Cadance asked.

Sunset Shimmer looked back down at her tea and scrutinized it. ‘If they wanted to kill me or incapacitate me, they could have done it already.’ Satisfied with her own conclusion, Sunset took a sip of her tea. It tasted very good, but was perhaps a little too hot. She quickly pulled it away from her lips and blew on it gently.

“Perhaps I should introduce myself properly,” Cadance said. “That little scene in the elevator hardly qualifies as a true introduction.”

“Go ahead then,” Sunset said as she brought the tea in for another experimental sip.

“My name is Mi Amore Cadenza.”

“That’s a mouthful,” Sunset commented.

“Indeed. That’s why I just prefer ‘Cadance’ for short. I’ve worked with Shiny here for some time now, though our fields of expertise are a little different.”

“In what way?”

“Well, while Shiny and Chrysalis’ jobs involve them going out and investigating in person, my job is more of a… desk job…”

“Don’t say that,” Shining said, bringing an arm around Cadance and holding her closer. “Your job is just as important as anyone else’s here.”

“Oh please. All I do is shift paper around from one place to another.”

“You also get us the information we need to solve our cases and make sure we’re up-to-date with the latest intel.” Shining leaned forward and kissed Cadance on the cheek, making her blush. “If it wasn’t for you, I’d have sunk many cases in the past.”

“Oh, stop…”

Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat, reminding the two that she was still in the room with them. The couple quickly turned bright-red and shuffled away from each other. “S-So,” Shining began, “Why don’t you tell us a little about your world then?”

“Y-Yes. I’m most curious about it myself,” Cadance agreed.

Sunset Shimmer crossed her arms and closed her eyes. “Not much to tell really. I never left Canterlot while I was there, and although I read up on the land of Equestria a lot… there’s no telling what might have changed since I was there. Much of it should still be the same, though.”

Shining Armor and Cadance both nodded. The looks on their faces told Sunset Shimmer that that wasn’t enough. “Well, I guess I can begin with some history… Let’s start with the founding of Equestria.”

4 - You're Not Welcome At The Agency

Outside of the FBI’s office complex, a bus stopped at the station just opposite the towering building. From within the bus, five girls jumped out. Rainbow Dash was the first, her eyes glued to Trixie’s phone as she followed the yellow blip on the map.

Applejack jumped out second, her back and her legs aching as she carried the heavy load of Rarity’s bags on her back. As she slowly crept after Rainbow Dash, Rarity followed off of the bus after her. “Oh, please do be careful not to drop anything, Applejack darling.”

“No… promises,” Applejack grumbled in-between pants. Fluttershy was the next off of the bus, her eyes fixed to the pavement below her feet as she tried not to make eye contact with anybody.

Finally, Pinkie Pie hopped off of the bus, cheering loudly as she made her first step into a new land. “This is so, great! I’ve never been this far out of my village before, and I’ve certainly never cut class, much less cut class to go after our friend who was kidnapped by suspicious looking people in black suits! This calls for a party!”

“Pinkie Pie,” Rarity began, “No offence, but perhaps the party can wait until after we know that Sunset Shimmer is safe. And not up to anything while we’re not watching.”

“Y’don’ reckon this’s jus’ some sorta trick ta scheme behind our backs, do ya?” Applejack asked.

“Well we certainly cannot deny the possibility. Don’t you remember our first day out together? She vowed her revenge, if I’m not mistaken.”

“That may be the case, but Twilight trusted that she’d come around. And ah trust Twilight.”

“Hey guys!” Rainbow Dash called over to her friends. “This is it! The signal stops at this parking lot here! Which means Sunset Shimmer must be…” The five friends turned their heads skyward as they eyed the skyscraper standing before them. “… In there.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Pinkie asked as she skipped happily across the road. “Let’s go rescue her already!”

“Pinkie, wait!” Rainbow Dash called out, but it was no use. She and the other four girls gave chase after their friend, stopping when they saw Pinkie Pie being confronted by a tall, light-brown-skinned woman with grey hair. She was wearing a leather biker jacket, a white tank top, and a pair of ripped blue jeans.

“This place is off-limits,” the woman said, glaring at the pink schoolgirl. “Hey, shouldn’t you dweebs be in school right now?”

“School’s out today!” Pinkie said with a smile. “Hey, our friend’s in there! Mind if we go get her real quick?”

The woman lifted the cigarette in her right hand to her mouth, and breathed a cloud of smoke into Pinkie Pie’s face. Pinkie Pie quickly held her breath and backed away. “Nice try. Listen here, this place ain’t no place for dweebs like you, so either buzz off, or spend the night in a cell!”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash asked, handing Trixie’s phone over to Rarity and approaching the woman with a stern look on her face. She read the name badge on the woman’s shirt and then looked up into her eyes. “And just what’re you tryin’ ta hide in there, Gilda?”

“Nothing you need to know about! Now beat it, last warning!”

“Or else what?!”

“Y’happy now, Dash?” Applejack asked as she glared at Rainbow Dash from her seat on the not-so-comfortable bedding that was in their cell.

Rainbow Dash winced and flailed her arms as Rarity and Fluttershy tried to administer some first aid onto her wounded face. “I totally could’ve taken her if she hadn’t cheated and pulled out a weapon!”

“She was a security guard, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said. “I don’t think friendly competition was her goal in that fight.”

“Um, Rainbow?” Rainbow turned to Fluttershy, who was holding up two different plasters for her. “Would you like the sunflower pattern, or the rabbits?”

Rainbow Dash sighed and turned to Pinkie Pie, who was sitting in the corner playing a harmonica, her hair unusually flat. Fluttershy decided to choose for her and went with the plasters that had rabbits on them.

“Alright dweebs,” Gilda said as she approached the cell. Pinkie’s playing stopped and everybody turned to see what she wanted. “We’ve contacted your school, and they’ve contacted your parents. They’ll be here to pick you all up soon. Lucky for you, the head honcho here’s decided not to press charges for attempted trespassing and provoking the Head of Security, but if you try this again, y’won’t get off so easily!”

“Look, ah’m sorry for Dash’s behaviour earlier,” Applejack said, rising to her feet and approaching the bars, “But our friend really is in there, an’ we’re mighty worried ‘bout her! Can’t ya jus’ tell us what’s goin’ on up there? Her name’s Sunset Shimmer. Please.”

Gilda stared into Applejack’s eyes for a few moments, and then scanned the rest of the group quickly. “… Sunset Shimmer, right?” she asked, receiving a nod from everybody in the cell. “Fine. I’ll make a quick call. One sec.”

Gilda left the girls alone as she wandered back to her office. The five girls waited silently until she returned a few minutes later. “Well?” Rarity asked.

“Classified,” Gilda said, her tone of voice sounding more annoyed than it did moments earlier. “I can tell you that Sunset Shimmer is indeed up there, but I can’t tell you anything more.”

“What?!” Rainbow Dash asked, flinching as she felt a stinging pain in her face.

“I can’t tell you, ‘cause they wouldn’t even tell me anything! Whatever’s goin’ on with your friend, it’s on a need-to-know basis! And you guys don’t need to know!”

“But she’s safe, right?” Applejack asked.

“She’s under our protection,” Gilda said. “And that’s all I’m able ta tell ya.”

After that, Gilda left the five girls alone together in their cell. Applejack walked back over to the uncomfortable bedding and sighed. “… Girls, ah got a bad feelin’ ‘bout all this.”

Sunset Shimmer stood in-between Shining Armor and Cadance in the middle of a large, empty, white room. “Are you ready?” a voice asked over the room’s intercom. “We’re activating the portal now. Please standby.”

A spark of energy appeared in the centre of the room, followed by another, and another. Sunset felt her hair standing on end as she watched some sort of dark-purple aura forming in the centre of the room, and slowly start to expand. “That’s the portal?” she asked.

“It is,” Cadance said with a nod. “Once it goes blue, that means it’s stable.”

A few more seconds later, and a flash of light erupted from the aura. When Sunset Shimmer could see again, the aura was light-blue instead of dark-purple. “Jump in now!” the voice over the intercom shouted.

The three all charged together in unison, jumping into the portal that would take them to another world.

To Equestria.

5 - A New World

Sunset Shimmer gazed off into the distance, admiring the beautiful scenery before her eyes. Green fields as far as they eye could see, filled with windmills and the occasional group of foals playing about. There were a few buildings nearby that she guessed where farmhouses. The sky was clear of any clouds, and the sun was at its highest point in the sky.

“I wonder where we are?” Sunset thought aloud as she inhaled the fresh country air. “The last times I came here were for enacting my revenge on Celestia. I can’t believe I’ve forgotten how peaceful this land is compared to America.”

A flash of light prompted Sunset Shimmer to turn around. She saw a white Unicorn stallion suspended in the air before her by a light-blue aura. The aura dissipated, and the stallion dropped to the ground like a rock. “Ow!”

“It seems there’s a minor gap between our arrival times,” Sunset said. “But at least it doesn’t seem to be big. Otherwise I would just be on my way.”

Shining Armor rose to his feet. Or rather, his hind hooves. He brought a forehoof to his head and rubbed it, and then gasped at what he felt. He brought his forehooves before his eyes and they widened in shock and horror. “I… I…”

“You are a pony, yes,” Sunset said. “What did you expect to happen if I became a human?”

Shining Armor turned to look at Sunset Shimmer, now in her pony form. “You… Sunset Shimmer?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re… You’re… Good lord, Shimmer! You’re naked!” Shining shouted, closing his eyes and turning around.

Sunset blushed, though she wasn’t entirely sure why. Perhaps she had just spent so long as a human that it was making her feel embarrassed at the thought of wearing no clothes, but she tried to shake it off, reminding herself that she was now a pony. “Y-You idiot! Ponies don’t need clothes!”

“What do you mean?! You just walk around with your chest exposed and-”

“Do I look like I have breasts?” Sunset asked, puffing her chest out for Shining Armor to examine.

“… B-But what about… you know…”

“Moron. Us ponies don’t tend to pay much attention to those parts. If we catch a glimpse by mistake, we shrug it off and look away. Not a big deal.”

Another flash of light appeared, followed by another aura, this one carrying a pink Pegasus mare, before dropping her next to Shining Armor. “Ow!”

“Ah, I guess that’s Cadance,” Sunset said. “So a Unicorn and a Pegasus, huh? And your Cutie Marks are…” Sunset watched as Shining Armor helped Cadance up to her hooves. Neither of them paid much attention to her as they stared at each other with absolute shock, examining each other’s new bodies to see what exactly had changed.

“S-Shining,” Cadance began, a worried tone in her voice, “A-Am I still pretty?”

Shining gasped and quickly nodded his head. “O-Of course you are, Cadance!”

“… You’re just saying that, aren’t you?”

Shining quickly shook his head. “No, of course not! Even as a horse, you’re still the most beautiful person in the worl- … T-That’s not creepy, right?” Cadance giggled, followed by Shining Armor.

“Interesting,” Sunset said, startling Shining as she touched a hoof to his flank. “A shield. That would suggest your special talent has something to do with protecting people. Perhaps a defence attorney would be a suitable job-change for you.”

“My special talent?” Shining asked. “Uh, I don’t know what you mean, but I became a policeman to protect the innocent. From there, I was recruited by the agency.”

“What are these marks, exactly?” Cadance asked. “Brands?”

“They’re called Cutie Marks,” Sunset told her. “They signify your special talent. Your destiny, essentially. Mine signifies my special talent in magic, and shows that my destiny is to one day rule Equestria in place of Princess Celestia.”

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. “Uh… I-If you say so. So what’s Cadance’s?”

“… I have no clue. It’s a heart, so maybe she should start a dating show?”

Cadance frowned at that suggestion. “I don’t like that. Oh, I know! Maybe it shows my charm and my grace! And that my destiny is to one day become Shiny’s beautiful wife!” Cadance lay her head on Shining’s shoulder, and the stallion blushed and smiled as he wrapped a foreleg around her. When his hoof brushed against one of her outstretched wings, he couldn’t help but eye it curiously.

“So Cadance is a Pegasus, right?” he asked. Sunset Shimmer nodded. “And you have a horn, so you’re a Unicorn.”

“You have one too,” Sunset pointed out.

“I do?!” Shining asked, suddenly retracting his foreleg to feel around his forehead. His hoof made contact with his horn, a little too quickly, and he gasped as a sudden shock rushed through his body, retracting his hoof right away. “So does this mean I can do magic?”

“Potentially,” Sunset said. “But I’d imagine it would require some practice in order to get the hang of it. Though having said that, your world’s Rainbow Dash adapted to her wings mere seconds after acquiring them, so…”

“W-Well, I can’t say the same for me,” Cadance said. Shining Armor and Sunset Shimmer turned to her to find her flapping her wings about, and hovering just slightly above the ground, clearly struggling just stay afloat. With a yelp, she suddenly crashed down to the ground. “Ow…”

“It must have been the Element of Magic then,” Sunset concluded with a nod. “Now then, may I suggest we find a town before nightfall? If we’re going to find this Sombra person, we stand a good chance going somewhere with lots of ponies.”

“What about those ponies over there?” Shining asked. “If the three of us wound up here, Sombra may have landed here, too. They might have seen him.”

“Good point. Okay, we’ll go and ask these ponies if they’ve seen Sombra, and we’ll also ask for directions, too. I’m afraid that there are no distinctive landmarks for me to identify where we are.”

The three ponies began their walk towards the nearest farmhouse. Sunset Shimmer looked over her shoulder to see Shining Armor and Cadance walking on their hind legs. “You know, you look kind of silly walking like that…”

The two looked down at their hind legs. “Well, yeah,” Shining chuckled nervously, “But it’s just natural for us. Walking on four legs is kinda… embarrassing.”

The three heard laughter coming from ahead of them, and they turned to see a group of fillies and colts pointing and laughing in their direction. “… On the other hoof,” Cadance said, “When in Rome…” Cadance brought her forelegs to the ground and turned to Shining Armor, who hesitantly followed suit moments later.

“This is harder than I thought it would be,” Shining said as he took a few experimental steps forward.

“Why don’t you two stay out here and practice?” Sunset suggested. “I’ll go and interrogate the ponies here.”

“Question,” Cadance said. “We’re not here to make enemies, Sunset Shimmer.”

“I’ll come with you,” Shining said. “I want to make sure you don’t step out of line. You’re still under probation right now, after all.”

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, like I would just run off blindly without a plan. Once I know where we are, then I’ll consider trying to ditch you.’ “Fine then. I guess we can play some ‘good cop bad cop’,” she laughed as she led the way towards the farmhouse, Shining Armor stumbling after her and Cadance staying behind to practice her walking.

Working on a wooden cart outside of the house was a grey-coated stallion with a green mane and tail, his Cutie Mark a cartwheel which Shining guess meant he was good at building carts and such.

“Hey!” Sunset Shimmer called out, startling the stallion and causing him to smack his hoof with his hammer by mistake. Sunset didn’t seem to care though as she continued to approach the stallion, stopping just in front of him and stomping her hoof on the ground to ensure his attention would be on her. “We have some questions for you, if you don’t mind.”

“Geez, lady. Don’tcha know it’s rude ta startle ponies like dat?” the stallion asked as he rubbed his sore hoof. “Darn city kids. Always comin’ outta nowhere an’ makin’ such a racket, jus’ like that one guy what wrecked me shed couplea days ago.”

Sunset and Shining’s eyes widened. “Somebody wrecked your shed?” Shining asked. The stallion nodded. “Can you describe him?”

“Eh? Well, didn’t really get a good look at ‘im. But if ah recall correctly he used this weird metally thing ta blow a hole in me shed, then tried ta steal mah tractor! The nerve o’ him. Luckily that thing was busted on that particular day, but he managed ta get away by hoofing it in the direction of Manehatten.”

“A strange metally thing… Did it have a mark on it that looked like a snake eating its own tail?”

“Eeyup! That’s it alright! Say, you two wouldn’t happen ta be friends with that pony, wouldcha?”

Shining shook his head. “No, sir. We’re not. Actaully, we’re F-” A hoof from Sunset Shimmer pressed against his lips silenced Shining Armor.

“We’re undercover Royal Guard, sir,” she said, earning a gasp from the stallion. “We’re pursuing the stallion that you just mentioned. The device that he used was a magical artefact stolen from Princess Celestia’s Royal Court Magi. For the sake of peace, we must ask that you forget what you saw two days ago. We don’t want panic to spread throughout Equestria.”

The stallion tipped his hat to Sunset Shimmer. “Ah reckon ah can do that, but what ‘bout me shed?!”

“We’ll send some reparation money just as soon as we return to Canterlot. A large figure that should easily cover the damages and more.”

The stallion grinned and nodded his head. “Well, now, that’s what ah like ta hear!”

“You said this pony was heading in the direction of Manehatten,” Shining said as soon as Sunset’s hoof left his mouth. “Could you tell us which way that is?”

The stallion raised his eyebrow and gave the two an odd look. “What kinda Royal Guard don’t know the land they’re supposed ta protect? Honestly, what’s become of Equestria today?” The stallion turned to his left and pointed down the vast amount of fields in the distance. “If’n ya keep goin’ in that direction, ya’ll eventually reach a dirt road. When ya do, there should be signs pointin’ ya in the right direction.”

“Thank you, sir,” Shining Armor said with a salute. Sunset Shimmer simply turned and left, and Shining Armor joined her seconds later. “Hey,” he said once they were out of earshot of the stallion, “What was that about reparations? You know we can’t-”

“Just something to make things easier on us,” Sunset Shimmer said, cutting Shining off. “Same with the whole Royal Guard lie. If it means we achieve our results with the least amount of hassle, then just roll with it.”

When the two arrived back to the spot where they had left Cadance, they found her lying on the ground, her mane and tail both completely messed up and a large frown on her face.

“Any luck getting those wings to work?” Sunset asked with a knowing grin. Cadance simply shook her head as she rose to her hooves. “Too bad. Hopefully you can at least walk, because it looks like we’ve got quite a journey ahead of us.”