Celestia awoke with a start to the sound of screeching brakes and shouting. Pulling herself away from the plushy seat, she looked out the window and saw Ponyville in the distance.

She didn't feel great; her back ached and she was still exhausted. Not to mention the fact that she was starving. But at least her journey was nearing its end.

The train slowed down as it entered the town. Celestia could see ponies going about their daily business. Some of them looked familiar. Of course, she couldn't be expected to know al of her subject's names, but Twilight's stay in Ponyville meant that Celestia knew the town fairly well.

With a final whistle, the train drew into the platform and rattled to a stop. Celestia stretched and stood up from her seat. Levitating her bag, she filed out the door along with the few other ponies who were getting off at Ponyville.

And was nearly tackled by a hyperactive pink pony.

"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! And you must be Sunshine! Twilight told us you were coming, and I wanted to be here so I could say hi to you!" she said in a rapid-fire voice that would have put a machine gun to shame.

Celestia's eyes briefly glazed over. "How- what- wait, how did you know who I am?"

"Duh!" said Pinkie, retrieving a deerskin hat out of nowhere. "Twilight told us you'd be coming on the train tomorrow, so I went down to see all the ponies getting off the train. You were the only pony I'd never seen before, and besides, your cutie mark's a bit of a giveaway, so I said to myself, "that's gotta be Sunshine!" And it was! And you are!"

"Oh-kay," said Celestia slowly. Pinkie took her hoof and practically dragged her out of the station and into the streets.

The fresh air hit her like a wave of water; it felt so much purer out here in the country. On the breeze she could smell hay, and flowers, and cakes and apples, and dozens of other pleasant odors. It was so much quieter than Canterlot.

Except for Pinkie, of course.

"I have to take you to meet my friends. They knew you were coming, too, but they were really busy, so I said 'I'll go down to the station and meet her and then I'll take her to meet you!' And that's what I'm doing!"

Celestia nodded and desperately tried to gain tractionas Pinkie pulled her down the street.

A few ponies looked at her as she passed; a new pony was presumably much rarer in Ponyville than in Canterlot. Still, there was no sign of recognition on any of their faces.

Presently they reached the edge of town. Pinkie drew to a halt and called, "Hey Dashie! Twilight's friend is here!"

Celestia looked up to see a majestic cloud house floating above them. From within, a grouchy voice called, "Pinkie, what's going on? It's too early!"

"I told you!" said Pinkie cheerfully. "Sunshine's here! You know, Twilight's friend from Canterlot?"

Rainbow stuck her head over the edge of the cloud. "Huh," she said to no one in particular. Sighing, she alighted from her home and landed in front of the two ponies.

"Twilight's friend, huh?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes-" said Celestia, "from Canterlot." That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Rainbow tilted her head and looked over her with an appraising eye. At last, she said, "Wassup?"

"The sky," said Celestia without thinking. Rainbow and Pinkie fell over laughing.

Rainbow gasped for breath and said, "You're a hoot, Sunshine! How'd you meet Twilight?"

"The, uh, library," Celestia improvised. "I worked in the Canterlot Royal Archives."

Rainbow grinned. "See Pinkie, I told you she'd be an egghead like Twilight!" Celestia smiled awkwardly.

"Come on Dashie, we have to go take her to meet Flutters!" said Pinkie enthusiastically. Rainbow sighed good-naturedly, and Pinkie once more yanked Celestia off of her hooves and pulled her towards their next destination.

Celestia had never really noticed how adorable Fluttershy was before. They had met before, but the effect of the yellow pegasus shyly sticking her head out of her door and whispering a greeting made Celestia was far cuter than she had previous known was possible. This was not to say Celestia was attracted to her; no, the effect was more of an urge to hug and protect her as one would a small filly.

Fluttershy said something. Celestia noticed that the other ponies were staring at her expectantly. She'd been asked a question, she just didn't know what it was. Taking the safest door, she replied, " . . . Maybe?"

Pinkie Pie started laughing again. "She's so funny!" she cried.

Fluttershy looked confused. "So, um, was it a good trip or not?" she whispered.

"Oh, it was fine!" said Celestia quickly.

"Isn't this great?" said Pinkie. "I'm gonna take Sunshine to meet all our friends, so we can all have a lot of fun while she's here! And maybe I can-"

She gasped, then rocketed away.

Celestia blinked. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

"Um- what just happened?" said Celestia at last.

"Just Pinkie being Pinkie," said Rainbow.

Celestia briefly mused upon this, then decided it was best if she tried not to understand. "So . . . should I go meet the other elem- your other friends?" she asked.

"Rarity would probably want to hear about Canterlot," said Fluttershy.

"Rarity?" scoffed Rainbow Dash. "I know better than to go to the boutique. I'm gonna go see what Pinkie's up to."

And with that, she was gone, leaving just Celestia and Fluttershy.

"So . . . the boutique, then?" asked Celestia. Fluttershy just squeaked.

"Canterlot, hmm? At the palace?" said Rarity, fussing around the shop. "That sounds wonderful! Where did you work, exactly? The ballrooms? The royal wardrobes?"

"Um . . . the archives," said Celestia, looking away. The spark in Rarity's eyes faded for a moment.

"The archives? Ah, well I shouldn't be surprised by that, you are Twilight's friend, are you not?" she said, half to Celestia and half to herself. Straightening her back, she continued, "And any friend of Twilight is a friend of Rarity! Come on, darling,let's see if there's anything that speaks to you."

Grabbing some dresses off the rack, the white unicorn proceeded to circle Celestia, judging her from different angles. After a while, her expression grew perplexed.

"Forgive me for asking, darling, but, uh . . . when was the last time you washed your mane?"

Celestia froze. She thought on it for a moment. When had she last washed her mane? She had never had to do it before; it just seemed to repel dirt. Why, she hadn't washed her mane since . . .

"Tia, if you don't stop splashing your sister, I'm going to put you in time-out!"

"But she started it!"

"I don't care! You're too big to be squabbling!"

" . . . Sorry, mama."

"It might have been a while," said Celestia.

"My! Well, that simply won't do!" said Rarity indignantly. "Don't worry, I'll have it looking beautiful in no time!" With that, she disappeared into a closet.

"Where's she going?" asked Celestia, slgihtly alarmed. Fluttershy said nothing.

"Here it is!" came Rarity's distant cry. She bustled back into the room, levitating a hefty bag. "My patented mane-styling wonder kit! Fourteen different shampoos, ten conditioners, forty-five brushes of various sizes, and one hair dryer in every color!"

"Wait," protested Celestia, "you don't have to do this! My mane's fine!"

"Don't worry, darling, it gets less painful after the first time!" said Rarity.

"Fluttershy! Help me! Please!" Celestia pleaded, but Fluttershy shrank out of the way as Rarity approached, a manic glint in her eye . . .

"Rarity, what're ya doin' ta that poor mare?"

Rarity froze. "Just . . . cleaning her up a bit," she said defensively.

"It ain't cleanin', it's torture. let her be."

Celestia's savior drew into view. There was no doubt who this was; she was the only element Celestia hadn't encountered yet.

"Yer Sunshine, right?" asked Applejack, sizing up the newcomer.

"Yes," said Celestia, trying to convey her sincerest thanks through her eyes.

Applejack jsut winked at her. "Figured as much. Pinkie sent me ta bring ya'll roung ta Sugarcube Corner."

"Why?"

Applejack chuckled. "You must be a newcomer if you ain't figured that out already."

Cakes . . .

Cakes, cakes, everywhere, and every one to eat, if her appetite would hold out. Chocolate cakes, vanilla cakes, marzipan and carrot, bedecked with icing in every flavor known to pony (and several only discernable to cows).

Well, Pinkie Pie was also jumping around, saying something about a "Welcome Party", but that was only of minor importance to Celestia, whose temptation was already being tested to the limit.

"-so since you're our new bestest buddy I wanted to throw you a party that we're all really happy that you're here and we hope you're gonna have great time here in Ponyville!" Pinkie concluded.

"Thanks," said Celestia, not taking her eyes off the display cases.

"I made us all a big lunch, if you're hungry," said Pinkie excitedly.

"I think we can just skip straight to desert."