A vacation of consequence

It was later in the day, the spring air bustled around the library as Twilight sat quietly outside on the tree's balcony. A book resting in her magical grip as it floated in front of her. She gingerly took a sip of tea that was resting in a small cup on the table next to her. As she flipped the page of her book into the next section, her eyes grew a little wider as she happened upon a new spell that she had been looking for the previous day.

"YES!" She exclaimed happily as she did a little jig in her seat. "Finally found that stupid spell." She sighed as she quickly began to read over it. "Trans-dimensional travel for your vacation needs. Travel to a new world to see new and exciting places. Hmmm doesn't sound very promising." She shrugged before finally seeing a small section at the bottom of the page in bold red letters. "Please remember that each world is different and can easily be a threat if you are not prepared. Please read the spell requirements before traveling. Now that sounds far more interesting." She giggled as she began to read over the requirements on the following page.

"Hmmmmm, Transformation spells to blend in with the local population. A translation spell for lingual needs, in such a case as the local population you meet does not speak your given language, and finally, at least a weeks worth of food and supplies, including magical batteries to quickly recharge magic within a ponies body. Some known and unknown destinations have possibilities of robbing a pony of their magic, hence leaving them stranded until the spell ends. This can also be deadly in case the environment does not supply the same type of breathable air as ponies do. Please note to cast a shield spell that supplies air to breathe before making the jump. A possible invisibility spell may also be used, but is sometimes not required. Remember to take all the necessary precautions before jumping."

Twilight sighed as she mulled over all the possibilities in her head about traveling into an alternate reality. This was going to take some planning as well as a few bits to get going. Although she had a few bits stashed away, she wouldn't need them to purchase many items, as she could use her magic to synthesize many of the needed gear, place it into a magical portal, and then summon it once she arrived.

XXX

After taking the rest of the day to make the required gear for her trip, she quickly placed them, including several gem batteries into a summoning portal to wait there until she had arrived into her new destination. She pulled out a checklist to finalize what she was going to be taking with her.

"Books, check, gem stone batteries, check, magical map that will show one square mile of the local area, check, food stores, check, camping supplies, check, precious gems that could be used as currency, check, solid gold bits and a gold bar, check. Magical traps for emergency usage, check, magical one use spell scrolls for emergencies, check, and finally, a cancellation scroll to send me back home in case of an emergency." Twilight beamed at having been so organized and quickly closed the portal as she headed out of the library toward the local diner to get something to eat. The thought of traveling to another dimension for a small week long vacation sounded very appealing, and she wanted to have a full stomach before heading out.

As she arrived at the local diner however, she noticed her five friends all sitting at a table together as they chatted amongst themselves. She walked over, but before she could speak up, Applejack noticed her.

"Well hey sugarcube, come on over an join us." She smiled.

"What is everyone doing? Are you all planning something and didn't invite me?" Twilight asked giving an accusing stare.

"No darling, we all simply ran into one another while walking about. Pinkie was hungry so we all decided that it be best to come here to grab an early dinner." Rarity smiled as she patted the seat next to her. Twilight giving a smile back as she took a seat next to the ivory pony.

"So what are you doing running around Ponyville? Finally read all the books in the library?" Rainbow Dash smirked toward the purple unicorn only to get a glare in return.

"For your information, I found a spell that I have been looking for for a while now. It will allow me to take a short vacation into an alternate reality from our own. I could end up in a beautiful world, or someplace dangerous and exciting. Or it could be filled with countless wonders and sentient species. OH! Or maybe even......." Twilight was quickly cut off by Dash who gave a loud groan.

"Ugh! Twilight, that is so boring. Why would you want to leave this world to check out another one? It seems kinda silly to me."

"Well, you never know what could happen. I could end up in an alternate universe where there are ponies that could fly faster than you Rainbow Dash." Twilight grinned causing everypony at the table to giggle. Except Dash who only glared.

"No way is there any other pony that is faster than me!" She snapped back. "I want to see this alternate universe thingy to see it for myself." She said giving a loud snort.

"You want to come along?! That's great! Does anyone else want to come along? It's only for a week, and I have more than enough supplies." Twilight smiled to her friends, hopping to hear another one pipe up that they would want to join her and Dash.

"Well darling, I could take a week away from my shop to join you. Will we be staying at a local inn once we arrive?" Rarity asked giving a smile.

"Well, to be honest, when I cast the spell, it makes the intended caster and party randomly jump to a random world. So I can't guarantee that we will arrive in a world filled with ponies or other sentient species that wouldn't harm us on site. I'm doing this basically as a vacation slash experiment to gain knowledge of another world. We could end up having to camp the entire week. Do you think you could handle that?" Twilight smirked toward Rarity who only looked a little shocked.

"Well, camping out really isn't my style. I prefer luxury and a plush bed to sleep on. Sleeping on the ground seems a little, dirty." She sighed while speaking.

"Don't worry none Twi, I'll join ya'n'Dash on the trip. Sounds like a hoot of a time." AJ said as she looked to the other members of the party.

"I would love to join you, but I promised the Cakes that I would foal sit this week." Pinkie said while looking a little dejected.

"Um...... I'd rather not go...... If that's ok with you." Fluttershy said while hiding slightly behind her mane.

"Well, maybe next time then." Twilight smiled to her friends.

"So when are we going? I can't wait to see what that other worlds sky looks like." Dash beamed at the thought of being the first Pegasus to fly through another worlds sky.

"Well, everything is ready for travel. I organized it earlier and placed it into a summoning portal. The only thing left for me to do is tell Spike and we can go. So at the earliest, anytime after we get to the library."

"Sounds like ah plan sugarcube, jes lemme go teh the farm an tell mah family an pack a few things. Then we can head on out." AJ said as she got up from the table.

"I already have everything we need packed Applejack. You shouldn't need to bring anything." Twilight said as she stopped AJ momentarily.

"No offense sugarcube, but ah don't right trust magic if'n it means we'll be in another world away from home. Ah'd rather be prepared an packin mah items than teh use magic teh summon'em." She smiled before leaving the diner.

"Dash, do you want to do the same?" Twilight asked her as she gave a determined smirk.

"Nah, I know yer magic can take care of everything we need. Besides, AJ always overpacks for a camping trip. We should be ok."

After the group of friends dispersed, Twilight and Dash made their way to the library. Twilight advising Spike that she would be gone for a week with two of her friends and would not return until then. She had also written a scroll, giving it to Spike and advising him that if they did not return after seven days, to send that scroll to the princess and she would know what to do.

A few more minutes went by as they waited for Applejack to arrive. Dash making a quick run into the market and getting a small satchel of food for the trip in case she got bored and wanted a snack.

Twilight had decided to take one final precautionary measure and cast a beacon spell that would tether her and her friends to Equestria through a magical line so that if in some rare event they could not return after seven days. a rescue mission could be made in order to return them to there home world.

XXX

The three ponies had finally gather in the library as Spike sat idly by watching the event unfold. AJ and Dash both had a saddlebag each while Twilight just shook her head at them saying she had more than enough supplies in her summoning portal. Although they trusted their friend to no ends. It would be best to have them physically on their person to make them feel more at ease in case things didn't go as planned.

"Alright girls, are we ready?" Twilight smiled as her horn lit up with magic, ready to cast the spell to send them into another world.

"All set."

"Ready as ah can be sugarcube."

"Alright then. Remember what I said Spike." Twilight said while looking to the small purple dragon.

"Got it Twi." He saluted.

"Her we go!" Twilight spoke out as her face contorted into a look of pure concentration as she unleashed the spell. The three ponies vanishing in a bright flash of light leaving Spike temporarily blinded.

"Good luck girls." He sighed before throwing his little paws up in the air and shouting. "WOOHOO! WEEK LONG VACATION!"

XXX

The three ponies appeared in a bright flash of light and the crack of a whip within an open forest. It was rather cold and most of the leaves had fallen from the trees to the forest floor below as the light shown through the canopy above. The cold chill of the autumn air flowed by them causing them to give a slight shudder.

"Well then, this is pretty awesome." Dash spoke up while looking around at the thinned out forest surrounding them. She glanced up seeing a large opening in the canopy above and shot straight up and through it to look around. After a minute she flew back down to the forest floor landing next to her friends.

"I don't see any signs of any villages of towns nearby, so I guess we're ok." Dash smirked.

"Alright then let's set up camp then." Twilight smiled as she looked around, trotting over to a nice flat open area. "This looks like a good spot." She smiled as her horn began to light up, pulling open her summoning portal as she began to float the first item out but jumped back in shock as the portal snapped closed tearing the bag she was floating out of it in half.

"OH NO!" Twilight shouted in shock as she looked at the neatly cut in half bag that was spilling out all of its supplies.

"What's wrong?" Dash asked as she bolted over to the unicorn.

"The portal closed and destroyed some of the supplies." She said as her eyes began to well up slightly.

"Now don't fret none, ya can just open it again and pull the other stuff out a lil quicker." AJ smiled reassuring her unicorn friend.

Twilight gave a determined smile as her horn lit up once again. The portal opening quickly but closing before she could pull anything out. She gave a nervous expression as she did this several more time's until her horn would no longer light up.

"Uh..... Twi? Something wrong?" AJ piped up seeing her expression of utter horror.

"Um.......... I can't use my magic." She said sheepishly while looking to her friends.

"Wonderful, so I guess that means you won't be able to get all of those items you put inside your portal thingy then huh?" Dash sighed.

"Yea...." Twilight trailed off as she looked to the ground sadly.

"So what were you able to pull out afor it closed?" AJ asked, giving the half a pack a gentle nudge.

Twilight came over and press a hoof to the opening of the bag to see which one she had grabbed. As soon as she saw one of the battery gems giving an unusual glow her eyes went to pinpoints.

"RUN!" She shouted as a loud humming began to emanate from the bag. The three ponies bolting in every direction as fast as they could. Twilight looked back to see Applejack ducking behind a tree.

"NO! DON'T STOP! RUUUUUN!" *BOOOOOOOOOOM*

An ear shattering explosion erupted from the bag as a bright blue ball of light expanded outward taking out everything within twenty yards of it. Including trees and the ground as well. A small smoldering crater lay at the center of the explosion. Twilight had been flung backwards from the blast while Dash had made it safely away and was now at Twilight's side helping her up.

"Dang Twi, what was in that pack?" She asked while looking at the crater.

"It was a battery gem, and the explosion should have been much larger for that specific gem. Even if it was just half of it. It appears that this world has no form of magic at all and if it is introduced into the environment, it is immediately rendered useless." She sighed but stopped as she heard a soft groan coming from nearby.

"OH NO!" Dash spoke out as she flew over to AJ who was laying on the ground with a large gash on her side, blood slowly leaking from the wound and down her stomach onto the leaf covered ground below.

"We haven't even been here for two hours yet and we're already in trouble." Twilight danced in place as panic began to set it. Dash coming over to her and smacking her across the face just hard enough to get her to calm down.

"This is no time to panic Twilight. We need to patch up AJ and see if there are any villages nearby that we can go to for help."

Twilight looked at Dash as she rubbed her now sore cheek. "You're right. But we don't even have my map or anything else. Did either of you bring any medical supplies?"

"I just brought some food. Maybe AJ did." Dash said as she carefully removed the saddlebag from her injured friend and began to look through it. "She has some rope and a couple of covers, we could tear one of them up and us it as some gauze or something."

"Good. Let's get started." Twilight said as she began to tear small strips of cloth from the blanket.

XXX

It was getting later in the evening now as the three ponies huddle together under the spare blanket that Applejack had brought with her. Dash staying in the middle of the two and opening her wings over them to add warmth to the rapidly cooling day. Dash had flown around the area for at least a mile and still hadn't found any form of life. At one point she was starting to have a harder time flying and quickly made it back to the group before she made a soft crash landing. Her wings no longer held the magic needed to keep her aloft.

"I'm so sorry you guys, I wish I had at least left the supplies out of that portal, then we wouldn't be in this mess." She sighed as tears began to form in her eyes.

"It's awright sugarcube...." AJ trailed off taking in a pained breath. "Ya didn't know this'd happen. Let's just thank Celestia that we are all still alive and have at least mine'n'Dash's supplies. Otherwise we might go hungry er freeze." She gave a soft chuckle before wincing in pain.

"Save your strength AJ. We can go and scout in the morning if your up to it." Twilight piped up but stopped as she heard a light snore coming from Dash.

"Heh, guess she's done tuckered out." AJ smiled while pressing a little closer to Dash for warmth.

"Yea, Let's get some sleep." Twilight smiled softly as she lay her head down for the night.