The Princesses Of Equestria

Chapter 5: The Portal Between Worlds

Sunset Shimmer walked onto the campus of her school. Well, former school now. She was carrying her boxes with her. This wasn't her first time - she had to make a few trips since she had more than one. Once she reached the statue, she was immediately met with a sight that she did not expect. Her six friends were waiting for her there, ready to send her off into Equestria.

She stared at them all in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you guys here?" She put it like it was a question.

"We wanted to say goodbye to ya," Applejack drawled in her thick western accent as she took a swig of the apple cider that she was holding in her hand.

"And help send you off!" added Pinkie Pie with a joyful smile.

"That's so cool of you guys," Sunset replied, returning her grin as she couldn't help feeling flattered.

"I bet you are so nervous-excited!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie.

"I'm fine," Sunset told her, but in truth, she really was a whirl of emotions. She was going back to Equestria, thus facing her old problems that she'd galloped away from. But at least she was going to be reunited with their friend, Twilight Sparkle.

"We'll miss you, darling," murmured Rarity Belle.

"I'll miss you too," Sunset admitted.

The seven girls hugged her individually before she declared, "I'd better get going now. But . . . thank you for all this." She smiled, still sad that she had to leave them behind. But it was for the best. They couldn't follow her into Equestria.

Stepping through the statue as if the marble was water, she was suddenly gone. The last thing that she heard was a chorus of voices saying, "Bye, Sunset." Then the magical portal sucked her in. She closed her eyes, and opened them again to see complete darkness. She let out a sigh, and as she did, she could suddenly see rainbows everywhere, zooming quickly past her, shimmering and spreading hope to her. She had forgotten the wonders of the portal.

It was a long journey and so nauseating. Sunset twirled and tumbled and hurtled through the portal, making sure to keep hold of her luggage. Then she noticed something else. Silver sparkling dust was floating everywhere. It landed all over her, and in that moment, her body began changing. Her hair was changing, too. It was a strange yet familiar sensation.

Another furious tug of nausea lurched in her stomach, and she closed her eyes, even though there was no difference. Sunset was slipping away . . . and losing her consciousness along with it. She hadn't been through the portal for so long . . . She wasn't used to it. Resisting the urge to scream, she prayed with all her heart that the spinning would stop. And then . . .

Thump!

It stopped.

"Ow!" Sunset yelped, as she suddenly landed on a hard surface. She curled up into a ball and squeezed her eyes shut again, waiting for the nausea to eventually be over. As she waited, she heard faint disembodied voices. But they seemed quite far away. Then, slowly, the voices became much clearer and louder, and she could process what they were saying.

"Princess Sunset Shimmer has arrived!"

It was the first time that she had heard her name with the title 'Princess' before it. This voice unmistakably belonged to Luna.

"But she's unconscious!" Another voice exclaimed. It sounded like Twilight Sparkle.

"I'm not surprised," answered who Sunset assumed was Celestia. "Sometimes travelling via a portal affects a pony like that, especially since she had to change bodies."

"I think that she's waking up . . ." whispered the only voice that Sunset did not recognize.

Sunset felt like her sickness had gone. Finally! She sat up and tried to study her surroundings. At first, her vision was blurry, but it gradually became clearer. The sparkling silver dust had disappeared. She had ended up in a familiar room . . . and in front of her stood Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, Princess Celestia, and Princess Cadence. The last one who had spoken was Cadence - she and Sunset had never met each other before.

Sunset immediately bowed down in respect, only to discover that she had hooves now . . . She was a pony again! She continued inspecting her equine body. Her skin was fur now! Pony fur. She felt her face with her two forehooves. Her hair was still there, but it was a mane now! It felt so different being a mare, yet the familiarity was still there.

"Is . . . This . . . Castle?" Sunset tried to ask, but was horrified when her voice came out croaky, like a frog's. There she was, trying to be polite because, after all, these were the most famous mares in all of Equestria standing in front of her, and she sounded like she was sick! Maybe going through the portal had made her sick.

"Yes, dear," responded the stunning, pure white alicorn named Celestia. Her sparkling, multicoloured mane and tail floated beside her in a breeze that wasn't there. "We are here at Canterlot Castle. And I believe that you know why you are here?"

Sunset nodded her head. She still felt a little dizzy. "I do, Your Highness."

Luna joined in, her mane and tail also floating in an imaginary wind. "Thou are an exceptionally powerful unicorn. After living in the other world for so long, let us see if thou still possess such skills."

"And if you do, young Sunset, you shall become the next ruler of the sun," Celestia added, looking at her former student with surprising warmth in her lavender eyes. At least, it was surprising to Sunset.

Sunset nodded again. It sounded like a plan . . . but there was something else - an annoying twitch in her back. What was it? She peered behind her, and what surprised her even more, was a pair of feathered orange wings springing from her shoulders. It was true! She really was an alicorn princess now!

Startled, she stumbled back. The other princesses stayed where they were, remaining unfazed.

"You are of royalty now, Sunset Shimmer," Celestia informed her calmly. Although she didn't laugh or even show the hint of a smile, a small bit of amusement danced in her eyes.

"Do thou understand the importance of the responsibilities we entrust thou with?" Luna asked, watching Sunset with an unreadable expression.

"I do," Sunset replied, lowering her head in a bow again once she had regained her confidence and lost the sick feeling in her stomach. "But . . . I don't know how to be a princess."

"It's okay, Sunset," Twilight spoke out reassuringly, as she trotted forwards and extended her wings slightly. "You'll figure it out as you go along, just like I did."

"That's right," Celestia agreed approvingly, shooting Twilight a proud smile before turning back to Sunset. "Twilight will be accomodating your needs at her castle. Do you have any questions?"

As a matter of fact, Sunset did. But this time, she only had one . . . "Will I need to find my own place to live eventually?"

"No," Celestia simply said.