One Last Ride

***Many Weeks Later: Summer's End***

***Part 1: Sweet Apple Mornings***

The dawn came with a chilling cold, one that swept across the fields of Sweet Apple Acres like a plague. It was the dawn of a new day, a very big, special day.

*Mmm... So hungry...*

Sunshine Harvest groaned and rolled over in her bed. When her eyes opened, blinding light from the window illuminated her room. She groaned and stretched as she sat upright. The morning welcomed her, but Sunshine did not welcome the morning.

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Hey, sweetie..." Sunset Shimmer said as she walked in.

She eyed the duffle bag leaning by the door.

"Do you... have everything ready?" Sunset asked.

Sunshine nodded and slid out of her bed. With only thin shirt and panties to cover her body, the cold chilled Sunshine.

Sunset smiled sadly and handed her daughter a long coat.

"You'll need this..." Sunset promised her. "It's cold where you're going. Winter has already begun in Equestria, and the snow there can be brutal."

Sunshine turned the coat over in her arms. It was long and grey, a trench coat. It came down past her knees when Sunshine tried it on.

"It looks good on you." Sunset said softly before bringing her into a tight embrace. "I'm gonna miss you, baby..."

"I'll only be gone for a few days, right?" Sunshine asked, returning her mother's embrace. "You'll survive."

Sunset pulled away wearing a smirk on her face.

"Hmm... Come on downstairs after you get dressed." She said before kissing Sunshine's cheek. "Applejack made ya' some breakfast."

Sunshine quickly removed the coat and began getting dressed with a newfound eagerness. Applejack's cooking was something she never wanted to miss.

With her clothes on and her duffle bag over her shoulder, Sunshine took on last look around the room, and she let out a long sigh. She then closed the door behind her and travled down the stairs to the dining room. Breakfast had already been laid out. Eggs, grits, ham, and...

"Oh! Pancakes..." Sunshine said hungrily as she eyed the table.

Applejack, who was sitting at the table, chuckled lightly.

"I thought you'd like it." She said sweetly. "Though, I had to keep your mother away before she ate them all."

"I was hungry too." Sunset admitted. "Go ahead and eat, Sunshine. Princess Twilight will be here soon to take us to the portal."

Sunshine made a confused look as she sat down at the table.

"Twilight's coming?" She asked quizzically.

"Of course." Sunset said. "The princess will be with you every step of the way."

Applejack took a long swig from her glass of milk and cleared her throat.

"That means you'll be stayin' with Equestrian royalty, so you better behave yourself over there."

Sunshine chuckled before turning her attention to the breakfast feast before her. Her stomached begged for food at a level of discomfort Sunshine hadn't felt before, but she was happy to comply.

***Part 2: Twilight's Arrival***

Sunset Shimmer watched from the door as Princess Twilight pulled up to the Apple homestead. With her left hand on her hip and a grin on her face, Sunset waved to her friend as she exited her car.

"Good morning, Sunset Shimmer." Twilight said with a smile. "You're looking pretty good."

Sunset chuckled and welcomed the Equestrian inside.

"You're not looking so bad yourself. How was your trip?"

"I didn't stop at the yellow light, this time." Twilight said proudly. "I think I'm getting much better at this 'driving' thing."

Inside, Applejack was waiting for them. She welcomed Twilight with open arms.

"I hope you're hungry." The cowgirl said. "We've got plenty left your your trip back to Equestria."

Twilight's eyes widened as she eyed the table behind Applejack.

"Pancakes?" She asked. "Maybe just one..."

Applejack offered Twilight a full plate, and the princess immediately began eating.

"So... You and Sunshine are gonna be staying in... Ponyville?" Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded her head before swallowing her food.

"That's right." She said. "She'll be staying with me in the Crystal Palace."

"Just the two of you in a big palace?" Applejack asked. "Y'all might get might lonely in there."

Twilight shook her head.

"My friends there will certainly be visiting a lot. I've told them a lot about Sunshine, and I'm certain they will want to meet her. Besides, Starlight and Spike live there too, so she'll always have to talk to."

"Spike?" Sunset asked. "Your pet dog?"

"Dragon." Twilight corrected her. "Spike is... uh... a dragon in Equestria."

Applejack had a confused look on her face.

"So... If Winona were to go to Equestria, would she be..."

Twilight pondered the thought. It was an interesting one.

"There is still much about the portal's transformation abilities we don't understand. The laws are... confusing at best." Twilight said, shooting Sunset a look. "Even Chief changed form when he followed Applejack through the portal. When he entered Equestria, he became human."

Sunset's gaze hit the floor.

"I would have liked to have seen that..." She said softly.

Several silent minutes passed before Sunshine descended the stairs. Twilight saw her and was the first to speak.

"Ah, Sunshine... Are you ready?" She asked. "Do you have everything you'll need in Equestria?"

Sunset reached for the counter behind her and brought back a small stack of letters and envelopes. She quickly passed them along to a very confused Sunshine.

"Don't give me that look." Sunset said with a silly grin. "You're not getting any service in Equestria, so I'll expect you to write me at least once a day. Twilight will make sure your letters make it through the portal."

Sunset wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Sunshine brushed the hair out of her eyes when she pulled away, and she looked her mother in the eyes, wearing a huge grin.

"Alright..." Sunset said softly. "Now, let's get you to the portal... You've got a big week ahead of you."

***Part 3: Through The Glass***

Sunshine Harvest stood tall where she had stood many times before, outside Canterlot High School. Only this time, she would not be attending any classes. She stared at the statue occupying the center of the campus.

Uncertain, Sunshine looked back at her mothers with a worried look on her face.

Sunset and Applejack both smiled and nodded encouragingly. Princess Twilight stood by the statue.

Sunshine turned back around to face her mothers, and she embraced them both.

"I love you..." Sunshine muttered.

"We love you too, sweetie..." Sunset said softly before planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead, just to the left of her horn. "Hmm... Maybe we'll have a little party when you get back. We can have Pinkie Pie make your favorite dessert..."

Sunshine chuckled at the thought.

"That sounds great..."

"Sunshine, the portal's open!" Twilight called. "We need to go!"

Sunshine looked back at Sunset and Applejack. Sunset smiled and mouthed the word 'go'. Sunshine nodded her head and ran to join Twilight by the portal.

"This is it, Sunshine." Twilight said. "Just step right through. I'll be right behind you."

Sunshine reached forward, but she hesitated just before her fingers could touch the statue. She took a deep breath and reached forward again. This time, her hand mad contact with the portal.

Sunshine let out a startled cry with her hand fell straight through the statue, and the rest of her body quickly followed.

Twilight smiled and looked back at Sunset and Applejack.

"Don't worry!" Twilight called. "She'll be fine!"

Then, Sunset watched as Twilight stepped into the portal herself, disappearing beyond the surface of the shimmering statue.

Silence returned to Canterlot High.

Sunset turned to Applejack with a worried look on her face.

"She... She'll be fine, right?"

Applejack looked at her wife and frowned.

"Of course, she will. Quit worryin' so much. She's a grown woman, Sunset. Ya' can't baby her forever."

Sunset smiled sadly.

"It doesn't hurt to try..."

***Up Next: The Other World***