Author's Note

Sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out^^

12 - The Sun Sets and Shimmers

Jake had always loved hiking, ever since his Dad took him when he was a kid. Although his Dad was now in a nursing home, Jake still tried to go hiking in the nearby mountains at least once a month! And so here he was, out on a familiar trail in his hiking gear. On some level he knew hiking alone was dangerous, but the sheer feeling of freedom he got from it was enough that he rarely hiked with anyone else.

Jake took a deep breath through his nose, savoring the scents of nature. "Man...it is SO nice to get away from people for a while...just me and the forest!"

His hike continued undisturbed for a few hours, very little of note happening. However, he eventually noticed that the sun was setting, and decided to try and find a decent place to camp for the night...

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie was trying to soak away her emotions in a lake near the cabin. "*Sigh*...Come on Pinkie, you gotta cheer up! Your friends need you, the real you..."

Just then, Pinkie heard a twig snap! "Eeek! A bear...!" She quickly jumped into some nearby bushes, hoping that the bear or whatever it was wouldn't be able to find her!

It of course wasn't a bear at all, it was Jake. As he walked into the small clearing around the lake, he completely failed to notice the small tufts of pink hair poking out of one of the bushes...

Wow...what a sparkly lake! It's just beautiful in the sunset...Hmm...I better fill my bottle here.

Pinkie, meanwhile, was beginning to panic! What was this guy doing way out here!? He needs to get out of here before he gets infected! She watched him fill his bottle from the lake, relieved that he wasn't coming over to the bush she was hiding in...

Jake began drinking from his full water bottle. He only intended to take a sip, but as soon as the water touched his tongue, his eyes closed in sheer bliss...This was the best water he ever tasted! It was almost...magical~...He completely failed to notice as his skin slowly turned yellow...

Oh no! Just drinking the WATER was enough!? What do I do!? What do I do!?

Jake admired the lake for a few moments longer, before he noticed a large cabin a short distance away. "Oh, there's a cabin over there! Well, I doubt they want some random hiker barging in. I better get going." Jack turned to leave...

Pinkie jumped out of the bush, the fact that she was nude never crossing her mind! "WAIT! Don't go!" "Gah!"

"Naked lady! Who's...pink...?" Jake to a few steps back from the crazed naked woman who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. What the hell is she doing out here, naked!? Was she skinny dipping in the lake...?

"*Gaaaaasssp*!"
"IknowI'mnakedbutyoureallyneedtolistentomeyoujustdrankponywaterandnowyou'regonnaturnintoaponyandit'sallmyfaultandI'mreallyreallyreeaallysorry!"

Jake stared at the woman, unaware that he was slowly losing height..."Um...lady?"

"ImeanthisisjustterriblejustHORRIBLE! IleftthecabinforthirtyminutesandIalreadyinfectedsomeone!"

As Jake tried to make sense of what the strange woman was saying, he continued to lose millimeter after millimeter of height, and a slow moving wave of orange started to flow from the roots of his hair down to the tips, and his beard had pulled pack inside his jaw...

"Pinkie...?" Jake's mind had seamlessly shifted, he now suddenly knew this woman, new memories forming in his mind as his old life slowly began to be replaced...

"WhyamIsostupidWhyWhyWhyWh-Why-y-y!?"

"PINKIE!" Jake failed to notice his continuing changes, even as his hiking jacket lost its sleeves and his hiking boots gained a decidedly feminine looking style, complete with a 2 inch heel...

"WHAT!? Can't you see I'm having a moment here!? As Pinkie finally began to get ahold of herself, she really got a good look at the hiker...

Jake rested his hands on his hips, the motion completely natural for him. "Yes, I can Pinkie...But, I can't understand you, you're talking too fast. What in the world has you so upset...? And uh...why are you naked?" Jake blushed and looked away, conflicting feelings running through his rapidly changing mind...

Pinkie suddenly realized she was naked! "Oh, whoops! Be right back!" she then vanished in a blur of movement, faster than Jack could process!

No more than three seconds later, a fully clothed and dry Pinkie appeared behind him! "Sorry about-" "Gah! You know I hate it when you do that, Pinkie!"

Pinkie looked at the hiker's clothes, realizing just how quickly he was transforming! She wasn't sure who he was becoming, but she knew she needed to find out who he is, before he forgets! "Nevermind that! Quick! You gotta tell me who you are!"

Sunjake looked oddly at his friend Pinkie Pie, confused about why she suddenly needed to know who he was...

"Pinkie...? Are you okay? You're really starting to worry me." Sunjet placed her hand on Pinkie's forehead, trying to see if she had a fever...

Pinkie stamped her feet! "Come on! You're running out of time! Tell me your name, quick!"

"Sunset? Seriously, do you need a doctor or something, Pinkie?"

Pinkie's hair went completely flat. "Oh no...It's too late...I never even found out your name..."

Okay...I have no idea what's going on with Pinkie, but I need to get her to calm down. She seems to think I'm someone else...

As Sunset tried to figure out what she needed to do to help her friend, her outfit finished changing, not that she ever noticed anything was happening. She did notice her hips popping into place, however...

"Ow! Hey, what the heck? My hips just...popped for no reason. Pinkie? Um...why are you looking at me like that...?"

Pinkie could only look on as the former hiker's backpack morphed into a small black purse, and her chest slowly swelled up into a generous set of D-cup boobs...
As the last of Sunset's changes finished, with her hair growing down her back and reaching her now plump ass, Pinkie couldn't help but mourn for the unnamed hiker who had basically died in front of her...

"Hey, come on Pinkie! Where's that happy go lucky girl I made friends with back at Canterlot High? What ever has you down, I'm here for you, okay? ...Pinkie? C'mon, you're scaring me! Say something!"

Pinkie smiled sadly at Sunset..."Oh well...at least I get another new friend, right? Come on, Sunset. We need to get back to the cabin, okay?"

Sunset looked around, truly seeing where she was for the first time. "Wait...cabin? How did we even get here? Where even IS here!? Pinkie...w-why can't I remember how I got here?"

Pinkie gently hugged Sunset, mostly to hider her own tears. "*Sniffle*...The princesses can explain everything, okay? We really need to go-"

Sunset broke the hug and stepped back! "Th-Th princesses!? Y-You mean Celestia!? B-But I'm not ready to see her! A-And...wait, what's she doing in OUR world? What about Equestria?"

Geez...How come this guy got his mind all scrambled and I didn't...? Mistress...What did you do...?

Sunset grabbed Pinkie by the shoulders and started shaking her! "PINKIE! Talk to me! What the hell is going on here!?"

Pinkie pushed Sunset off of her. "S-Sunset...listen, okay? It's super complicated, and it's too dangerous for us to stay out here. I'll try to explain on the way back to the cabin, okay?

As the two pony girls neared the cabin, Sunset's head was spinning..."So...let me get all this straight. Up until...like, TEN minutes ago, I was some guy hiking in the forest!? And then I drank magic water and became...well, me?" "Uh huh..." "And YOU used to be a guy too, along with basically ALL of our friends, and all of this is because of this incredibly powerful mage who just calls herself 'Mistress'...?" "Yup..." "And now everyone in this cabin is 'contagious', and if anyone touches us or anything like that, they'll ALSO transform into...someone we know...?"

Sunset leaned on the outside of the cabin, barely registering the fact that they had arrived..."Fucking hell...So what? I'm not the REAL me? Are ANY of us real...?"

Pinkie just slumped her shoulders. "Come on, we're here..."

They entered the front door of the cabin, both dreading what was about to happen, though for different reasons...

"LAND SAKES! What's SUNSET doin' here!?" Applejack rubbed her eyes. It couldn't be...

"Uhh...hi AJ. I'm uh...guessing you've never met me before?" Sunset winced as Applejack walked right past her and up to Pinkie...

"Pinkie Pie! Did you have somethin' to do with this?"
"Uh...y-yes...I'M SORRY! I didn't mean it, I swear!"
"It's okay, Pinkie...I forgive you. AJ, leave her alone! It wasn't her fault."
"If you say so...Ah better get the others..."

Rainbow and Fluttershy were horrified to learn that someone else had already been transformed, but at the same time were glad to see a familiar face at least. Sunset was happy that she at least had most of her Canterlot High friends to help her face Celestia...

"Okay...I'm ready to face Celestia. Let's go." Sunset had already taken a couple steps towards the stairs when Applejack stopped her.

"Wait! Ya can't! She's gotta concentrate! She needs to keep that magic crystal thing goin'. If she doesn't, Mistress'll find us for sure!"

Sunset let out a sigh. "Okay...well, how about a video game to pass the time?"

Fluttershy sat in a chair with her arms folded. "Um...well, we don't have any here."

Rainbow leaned on the back of the same chair. "Believe me, we looked...And before you ask, there's no TV out here either. Just some boring books and a generator for power..."

Sunset's jaw practically hit the floor.
No games, no TV!? No way. I've gotta do something about this. As soon as Celestia switches with Luna, I'll talk to her. In private...