Original Cover Art for Volume I

Sunset could hear nothing but her own heartbeat, so loud in her ears that she thought they were explosions. She spun and twisted around, surrounded by colors so bright she had to close her eyes. None of that mattered, as she could think of nothing but the fact she was now a criminal. She had regretted attacking those guards as soon as she had done so, and her hooves had moved on their own, trotting to and jumping into the mirror’s portal.

She had briefly thought of apologizing. But what would that achieve? She had been kicked out from her apprenticeship, and she had effectively become a criminal. Even if she apologized, she would be banished from Canterlot at best, and she would still not become a princess. But in the new world she was going? Well, she could at least see what all the fuss was about and determine for herself just how useful it would be to her.

During the few seconds that had transcurred since jumping into the portal, Sunset had been feeling like flying on a pegasus chariot during a storm, tossed around by violent winds, unable to see or even feel where she was even going. At some point, however, she felt like something pushed her forward, her stomach hurled as she fell onto the ground. She groaned, feeling cold grass underneath.

She gasped and quickly sat up, regretting it immediately when her whole world spun nauseatingly.

“Are… you alright?”

Sunset’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt like she was splashed by a bucket of ice water. That was Princess Celestia’s voice. Had she followed her? Slowly, fearfully, Sunset turned her head to look at the princess.

Except it wasn’t the princess. It was a creature Sunset had never seen before. She could recognize ponylike features in its face, like big eyes and what resembled a snout and a mouth. The rainbow hair was eerily familiar to that of the princess, but there was absolutely nothing else in this creature that could be confused as a pony.

“I…” Sunset’s voice was shaking, half because of all the adrenaline running through her veins, half because the chilly air was biting at her skin. “Yeah…”

The creature lifted a thick book and offered it to Sunset. The journal Princess Celestia had given her so many years ago had somehow managed to accompany her through the portal. “I think this is yours,” it said, offering it to Sunset. “Can I ask your name?”

“Sunset Shimmer,” Sunset replied as she reached out to take the journal. She froze when she realized her hoof wasn’t a hoof anymore. “What the…” she sat on her haunches and looked at herself for the first time since crossing the portal. She wasn’t a pony anymore! “What am I?!”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” the rainbow-haired creature said, tilting its head. “You came out of the statue right as I was passing by. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen. I have so many questions I don’t even know where to begin.”

Sunset ignored the creature as she kept inspecting her new body. No wonder she was so cold; she didn’t have fur anymore. She was wearing some clothing, fortunately. Pajamas, if she had to guess by the texture of the fabric and the soft teal color. She turned to the portal, wanting to see her new appearance in the mirror, but instead she saw a solid stone statue. Blinking, she tentatively pressed a paw against the surface, watching it go through the stone as if it were water. She retrieved her paw immediately. She didn’t want to go back to Equestria after what she’d done. Not so soon, anyway.

Another paw pressed into the portal, and it also went through. The creature leaned back, eyes widening. “So this is a portal of some sort? Where does it lead?” It looked at Sunset, clearly expecting an answer. But Sunset didn’t feel like replying. Not to some creature that sounded awfully similar to Princess Celestia. The rainbow hair certainly didn’t help.

Sunset tried to stand up. The creature stood up as well, which told Sunset she was supposed to balance on her hind legs only. She wobbled and fell back to the ground. Sunset ignored the offered paw for help and instead used the portal’s edges to help herself up. When she finally managed to stand up properly, she decided to look around.

The sky was dark, with the moon shining brightly. Behind the statue, Sunset spotted buildings that looked similar in design to those in Manehatten. Many had the lights out, but the lamp posts illuminated the streets anyway. The statue itself was at the edge of what looked like a large garden, which in turn was right in front of a much larger building that sort of looked like a castle, but it was too small for that. Perhaps rulers in this world didn’t like big castles or palaces. Or perhaps governors modeled their offices after real castles?

Sunset needed to understand this other world if she was to become an alicorn and rule Equestria. She turned towards the creature and frowned. The more Sunset looked at it, the more it reminded her of Princess Celestia. Not only what little similarities she could spot in its physical appearance, but the look of fake concern in its face made her stomach heat up. She pressed her teeth together, hating everything about what she was about to do.

“This is indeed a portal to another world,” Sunset explained slowly, thinking about the right words to say. “I came here on royal business to study this world.”

“Royal business?” the Celestia look–alike asked.

Sunset lowered her head. She needed to choose her words carefully so that this creature wouldn’t be suspicious. Not that she particularly cared about its opinion, but it knew about the portal, and Sunset definitely didn’t want it wandering into Equestria and asking the princess for help.

“I am… the Royal Archmage’s apprentice,” Sunset lied. “The task given to me to finish my apprenticeship and become a rightful archmage myself is to study this world, figure out why and how it was connected through a portal to my world, and report back my findings.”

The best lies were the ones sprinkled with truths. Now, if this creature happened to go to Equestria, she’d talk about the archmage’s apprentice, not about the princess’ prized pupil. Sure, that could get the archmage apprentice in trouble, but that wasn’t Sunset’s problem.

The creature held its chin with a hand. “So your world is one where magic exists? It’s very difficult to believe, but then again, after what I’ve just seen…” It shook its head. “In any case, it’s very late. Since you just arrived, I’m sure you don’t have anywhere to stay, do you? Would you like to stay at my place? I’m sure my sister will love having you around.”

Sunset frowned.

“Don’t look at me like that,” the creature said with an infuriatingly condescending smile. “I just want to help. If you really want to know about this world, what better place to start than with the principal of a high school?”

“Principal?” Sunset asked. The word was not entirely unfamiliar. She was used to the more appropriate Headmare or Headstallion titles for the head teacher of a school, but lately, schools had started using the word Principal. It was a stupid and unnecessary change, in Sunset’s opinion.

“Ah, I guess I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Celestia. I’m the principal of Canterlot High School.”

Sunset felt a pit open in her stomach. “Celestia?” She asked. Was this a trap? Was this world an illusion? A magical dungeon? Was the princess playing some sick games on her?

“Is… there a problem?” Discount Celestia said, and the fake worry in its voice made Sunset’s anger flare up.

But she forced it down. She had already screwed everything up by letting her temper get the better of her. She needed to be smart about this. She took a deep breath, though it did nothing to lessen the shaking of her legs.

“No,” she said. “You’re just called exactly the same as the princess of my world.”

“Oh!” the creature giggled. “Well I consider it an honor, then.”

“Why do you want to help me, anyway?” Sunset asked. “What do you stand to gain?”

Fake Celestia tilted its —her?— head. “Do I need a reason to help someone in need? Besides, I don’t know about your world, but here you look like a kid, barely a teenager. I just can’t let you waltz around and get yourself in trouble. This world can be a very dangerous place for someone as young as yourself.”

“I’m not a kid!” Sunset retorted, anger bubbling in her stomach again. “I turned thirteen three moons ago!”

“Barely into your teen years,” Fake Celestia said, apparently immune to Sunset’s yelling. “Your reaction tells me you’re supposed to be an adult in your world, yes?”

Sunset’s prepared retort died in her throat. She considered the question, then nodded. “We’re considered legal adults at age ten, though not with full legal rights…”

“What do you mean by that?”

Sunset tried crossing her forelegs, but she almost fell to the floor, so she kept them glued to the statue. “We can travel, get a job, open a business and all sorts of things. But we cannot drink alcoholic beverages or get married just yet. For that we must wait until we’re sixteen.”

Fake Celestia nodded. “Well, I’m afraid that things work differently in this world. While you're not a kid anymore, you’re still not an adult. For that you must be eighteen.”

“Eighteen?!” That was practically old age! Most ponies already had their lives figured out by their fourteenth birthday!

“Also, did you bring any money with you?” Fake Celestia asked. Sunset shook her head. Of course she hadn’t brought any, she had lost her saddlebags when she had attacked the guards, and she had crossed the portal with absolutely nothing else but her ambition. “Getting a job at your age would be extremely difficult as it is, but seeing as to how you’re not even from this world… Oh dear, I’m having a headache just from the implications…”

“This world seems very difficult to traverse,” Sunset mused to herself.

“It is, and it will be even more difficult for you,” Fake Celestia said. “All alone, with no money nor anyone to help you? Bad people will take advantage of you. I just can’t bear the thought of it. Hence why I’m offering you my help. The least I can do is give you a place to stay until you put your report together and must return… Which begs the question. Do you have a time limit?”

Sunset thought about it. She had three nights until the portal closed. She supposed that, if she had a school principal helping her, she could discover the truth about this world by then. She would be able to return to Equestria with the knowledge to become a princess! Hay, she could even return to Equestria having already become a princess!

She held Fake Celestia’s gaze. “I must return the day after tomorrow,” she explained. Technically, the portal would remain open until the third full moon started its descent in the sky. But cutting it close like that would risk being trapped in this world for thirty moons.

Fake Celestia smiled. “Then that settles it. You can stay in our spare room, and I can help you with your report if you want. In exchange, I’d like for you to tell me about your world. I’d say that’s a fair trade.”

Sunset considered it. It did sound fair. Sunset would simply have to be careful not to reveal state secrets or anything that would endanger Equestria.

“Alright,” she said. Finally, pushing her own anger against the princess down, she accepted the offered paw and let Fake Celestia help her find her balance.

Sunset followed her for about twenty minutes, in which she finally managed to learn how to walk with just her hind legs, until they arrived at a tall building. Six stories high, but strangely narrow. It was like a mansion but built up instead of wide. Sunset let herself be awed at the fact that Fake Celestia was rich enough to have a house this big… Until she realized it was just an apartment complex and thought about the tiny space she’d be confined in for the next few days.

Upon entering the apartment, Sunset saw another woman —Fake Celestia had explained some things on their way there— of pale blue skin and dark blue hair sitting on a couch.

“You told me you just forgot something, sister. Why did you take so long?” The woman asked, then her eyes fell upon Sunset. “Who’s this?”

“Luna, this is Sunset Shimmer. She will be our guest for the next few days,” Fake Celestia replied.

Sunset regarded the woman, curious and surprised. Princess Celestia definitely didn’t have a sister. Was this another difference of this world, or was it yet another secret the princess had kept from everypony? The woman, Luna, stared at Fake Celestia for an uncomfortably long time with narrowed eyes.

“I thought the correct procedure when finding lost children was to take them to the police.”

Sunset frowned, already angry at this woman.

Fake Celestia simply giggled. “There is much we must talk about, sis.”

Sunset sat on the couch right in front of Luna as Fake Celestia prepared some tea. The following hours were spent with Sunset and Fake Celestia convincing Luna that she was from another world, which wasn’t what somepony would call a success, but at least the younger sister allowed Sunset to at least stay the night. Sunset could always take her the following day to the portal for proof.

As Sunset tucked herself in the spare room’s bed, she thought back to her argument with Princess Celestia, feeling anger once again rising up in her stomach. She’d show her. She’d learn the truth about this world and return to Equestria to rule as her equal. Nay! As her superior!

Sunset was going to get her due, and she’d show them all!

Author's Note

Heya! It's me again!

This time with a little twist. No Sunset x Trixie (gasp!). This time, while it'll seem Slice of Life at first, as the description suggests, it will eventually evolve to something more, but since I have to start from somewhere... In any case, I've alredy written 25 chapters, and I will be publishing them on a weekly basis so that I have time to get out of writer's block when it strikes (which is embarrassingly frequently to be honest)

I do have plans to returning to my other stories (If anyone still cares...) but for now I really want to explore this. In my other EQG fics I've shied away from magic. Well, no more! The EQG universe does have magic canonically (I'll fight you on this!) and I (Sunset) will prove it!

Please do leave your comments with your impressions and thoughts. I'm particularly proud of what I've done with this story and the plans I have for it. And that includes a bit of mystery and a lot of guessing and a truckload of fantastical science and a sprinkle of romance.

Oh! Also, I do not currently have an editor. If anyone wants to help me, please DM me. I prefer working with Google Docs.

This note has already been going long enough. Please enjoy!