Author's Note

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Chapter 3: Tour De Equestria

***Part 1: The Other Mother***

Everywhere in the palace Twilight Sparkle took her, Sunshine's jaw dropped in awe. Together, they travled down a large corridor leading into a common. One end opened up into a larger central room while the other lead to a set of large doors.

Twilight turned right and began walking towards the large room, and Sunshine followed close behind her.

"They're just in here." Twilight said excitedly. "They're all very eager to meet you."

"Wha-What?" Sunshine asked. "Who?"

Twilight just smiled and motioned for Sunshine to enter.

Sunshine hesitated for a brief moment, but her legs eventually began moving her forward. Sunshine walked slowly until she passed through the open doors and into the large room.

Her eyes darted around the room, trying to take in everything at once. The first thing she noticed was the tree roots above her head and the glistening gems hanging from its limbs. Her gaze lowered until it reached a large, round table at the center of the room. Around the table stood six throne-like seats, all made of crystal, like the rest of the palace. At last, her eyes landed on a group of ponies, all ranging from a variety of different colors.

One of them, a white unicorn turned and saw her. The unicorn's face broke into a grin.

"Ah! Girls, she's awake!"

A shadow passed over Sunshine. She looked up to see a blue pegasus looming over her.

"Whoa! So, you're Sunshine, huh?" She asked. "Real cool to meet ya'. I'm Rainbow Dash."

Sunshine looked at the mare's extended hoof, and she frowned suspiciously. She had heard that name recently, and hearing it made the back of her head throb in pain.

So not as to offend the pegasus, Sunshine carefully wrapped her fingers around Rainbow Dash's hoof and shook it.

A pink mare stepped forward next. Bounced forward, actually, as though she were on a trampoline.

"Wowie! I've never seen anything quite like you before! I'm Pinkie Pie, and you must be Sunshine!"

"U-Um... Hello..." Sunshine managed to say.

Pinkie Pie looked as though she was about to say more, or... explode with excitement, but an orange pony intervened.

"Oh... Leave the poor thing be, Pinkie Pie..." The mare said as she stepped inbetween them. "She's not in the mood for your shenanigans."

Sunshine gasped. She knew that voice. It was one she heard every day. It was a voice that she loved, one that raised her.

"Ap-Applejack?" She asked.

The orange mare cocked her head.

"I don't wanna sound impolite or nothin', but have we met?"

Twilight was quick to step forward.

"Sunshine, this is your mother's pony counterpart. She's not the Applejack from your world."

"Oh... Right..." Sunshine said softly, her cheeks burning red. "It's... nice to meet you."

Her horn began to glow a sickly green color, signaling her embarrassment.

Applejack smiled at her warmly.

"I may not be your mother, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't have to be for ya' to be family."

Sunshine beamed at the orange mare before throwing her arms around her neck.

Startled and unsure of what to do, Applejack put a hoof around's Sunshine's back and returned the embrace.

Several moments later, Twilight cleared her throat, getting Sunshine's attention.

"Well... You've met Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack... That's Fluttershy..."

The yellow pegasus waved before hiding behind her pink mane.

"Rarity..."

The white unicorn gave her a sly smile and a 'wink'.

"And this is Starlight Glimmer."

Another unicorn stepped forward.

"It's a pleasure." Said Starlight. "I... couldn't help noticing your horn, the... the glowing... Is the glow and the different colors tied to your emotions?"

"It is, Starlight." Twilight answered for Sunshine. "I know... Such a trait is most rare in unicorns. Chances of this kind of ability are less than one in a million."

Starlight eyed Sunshine's horn with awe.

"That's... That's incredible. I'll bet this Sunset Shimmer must feel very proud."

Sunshine felt a strange hint of discomfort, but not in the usual way. Normally, when people focused on her horn and the glowing it made, they mocked her and called her a freak. It was a strange, new sensation, the compliments and amazement.

Sunshine opened her mouth as though she was about to speak, but her stomach erupted into a series of violent growls.

"I... think that's our que..." Twilight said with a chuckle. "Come on, girls. Who's ready for lunch at the Hayseed Diner?"

The mares cheered as Sunshine's stomach growled again.

*So... hungry...* She thought to herself. *Why am I so hungry?*

***Part 2: Ponyville***

When she took her first steps outside of the Crystal Palace and into the pony world, Sunshine was blown away by everything she saw. To her left and right, rolling green fields stretched on for as far as she could see. In the far distance, perched on the side of a tall mountain, a glistening city stood alert.

"Is that... Canterlot?" Sunshine asked with awe in her voice.

Twilight smiled and nodded her head.

"That's right. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule Equestria from there. They are actually on their way here to meet you."

Sunshine's eyes widened.

"R-Really? The princesses want to meet me?"

They had reached the outskirts of Ponyville now, and Sunshine had already begun to turn heads. Ponies looked on with amazement at the human hybrid walking beside the princess.

"Of course." Twilight continued. "Everypony wants to meet you. You're a bit of a celebrity."

Everywhere she looked, Sunshine saw smiles and friendly faces. She forced herself to crack a smile, and she waved to them.

The ponies happily waved back, leaving Sunshine with a warm feeling in her chest.

After only a few minutes of walking through the heart of Ponyville, they arrived at their destination.

The Hayseed Diner

Sunshine look a quick glimps at a menu sitting on one of the outside tables and frowned with uncertainty.

"Come on, Sunshine, you're part pony aren't you?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Give it a try."

The closest thing on the menu the resembled anything from the human world was a simple salad. The rest looked foreign to Sunshine.

Sunshine's thoughts turned to Joe's place. She instantly missed her steak and baked potatoes.

"Right..." Sunshine muttered. "I'll just... get a... salad..."

The waiter in the window nodded his head.

"Of course, Miss Harvest." He said with a bow.

Sunshine waited to the side as the rest of the mane six placed their orders. Her eyes began to wander again. She looked around the diner's tables until she saw a little purple dragon with green scales sitting down. She watched the dragon with interest as he ate what appeared to be a plate full of hay.

The dragon saw her looking and waved, wearing a huge smile.

"That's Spike, my assistant." Twilight said from behind her. "He's saving places for us."

With all of their orders placed, Sunshine and the mares joined Spike at the table.

"Hey, Twilight!" Spike said. "Who's your new friend?"

"Spike, this is Sunshine Harvest, Sunset Shimmer's daughter." Twilight introduced her. "She's the one I tutored in the human world."

The dragon beamed at her and extended his claws.

"It's nice to meet you." He said politely.

Sunshine couldn't help smiling back as she shook his claws. She took an instant liking to the little dragon.

"Are there... more of you? Dragons, I mean." Sunshine asked.

"Of course!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "But none of them are nearly as cool as Spike."

Rarity nodded her head in agreement.

"Well spoken, Rainbow Dash. Well spoken, indeed. Though, that Ember wasn't all that bad, not like the rest of those brutes."

Sunshine watched the conversation like a tennis match. She could hardly understand most of what they were talking about, but it sounded like quite an adventure.

At last, the waiter arrived with their orders, and a large salad bowl was promptly placed in front of Sunshine, who eyed the food hungrily.

Sunshine picked up her fork and stabbed it into the leaves, and she lifted the fork up towards her mouth.

Just before the fork could pass her lips, a sharp pain tore through her abdomen, and Sunshine cried out a painful howl.

***Up Next: The Stowaway***