A Terrible, Wonderful, Living Dream

Homecoming

Hey all! I'm back from vacation and have a new chapter for you all! I think this is one of my favorites so far. ^_^ Hope you like it!

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As they made their way through town, Estrella was looking around at everything, as she should to learn about the new place that would be her home for the next year. She watched homes with ponies living their lives out, families and friends enjoying their time together, a barbeque, and of course shops with customers coming in and out with a wide variety of purchases. Even the restaurants were busy today and overall, everyone seemed to be having a marvelous time. Foals ran by, laughing and chasing each other like it was all there was to life, just goofing off and being foals. Estrella couldn't help smiling at the little tykes that went rushing by and having the time of their young lives.

At some point, the others, mainly Rarity and Twilight, started pointing out places they knew and though Estrella might like. They wandered past a bread shop where the smell of warm bread wafted over them. Estrella closed her eyes as she inhaled, the warm scent so delicious. "I've never smelled bread that good before."

"Well you've got a lot ta learn then." Applejack said. "Ponyville is famous for its zucchini bread. We'll have to take you inside fer a try!"

"Sorry AJ, but not today." Twilight said with an apologetic look but an authoritative tone. "Much as I would love to go in and have some as well, there's someplace we need to be."

Applejack laughed softly. "Yeah, yer right, sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for!" Twilight said reassuringly as they passed the shop. "Any pony would want to go in. And we will, just not today."

"Oh! And there's the jewelry shop!" Rarity pointed out with enthusiasm. "They have the best rough gems for use if you know how to talk to them."

"And Spike loves the shavings he gets from there. He's my little dragon helper. The owners just love him too." Twilight added.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "I'm not much of one for anything shiny like that, but hey, if that's yer thing."

Estrella laughed softly and said, "Something else new to see one of these days."

"What?" Rarity asked, her voice rising a pitch as her wide eyes turned to Estrella. "Oh you poor thing! Not even knowing the beautiful joys of gems!"

"Um, actually rarity, I know of gems. Just not the cut versions. We usually just clean them up but don't really cut or change them or anything. The whole gem is precious to us, why take some of it away? Other than when we sometimes break them to share with somebody. I always loved the crackle of a split gem. The light always dances so beautifully in them, like little light shows that's never quite the same and always amazing. Especially the gold ones. They're my favorites, though I've never owned one myself. Er, topaz, I think?"

Rarity tilted her head, then said, "Yes. Well I suppose I see what you mean. Actually, the way you describe it, that sounds like it could be the perfect addition to a dress! And ooh, there's a very special birthday coming up! I wonder if-"

"Whose birthday?" Twilight asked eagerly, cutting Rarity off.

Rarity gave an unladylike snort and raised her head. "Only one of the most important birthdays ever! Princess Luna's is next week!"

To that, Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy all stopped dead in their tracks, their faces frozen in stunned expressions. Applejack was the first to recover with a shake of her head and a, "Well how d'ya like that!"

Twilight returned to reality a moment later with a shake of her head as well. "I can't believe it's almost the Princess's birthday! How did I not know of this?!"