//------------------------------// // Farmers in the Library // Story: Universe 63 // by CarmenColor //------------------------------// Applejack and Applejohn spent the afternoon talking in the orchard. Both ponies really wanted the time to pass faster so they could visit Twilight and Dusk to talk about their...identity issue. "You know, it's kind of incredible..." Applejohn commented, and Applejack looked over at him with an eyebrow raised. "What's incredible?" "This..." the colt gestured all around them at the trees, "It's so much like the orchard back home... Back in mah own universe..." He sighed. "You know what I mean? It's just....incredible." Applejack nodded. "Yeah, I'd wager so..." A sudden loud noise made both ponies yelp. "What the hay was that!?" "I'm not sure... That was a mighty odd sound..." Applejack thought for a minute, but couldn't think of what it could've been. "I dunno either... It was probably nothin'..." Applejohn nodded in agreement. Looking around a bit suspiciously, the two ponies made their way back to the barn. They both had a feeling that they had heard that noise before, but they couldn't quite place it. "Granny, Applejohn and I are gonna turn in fer the night. We gotta go talk to Twilight in the morning..." Applejack said as they entered the barn. The sun had just been lowered from the sky, signaling the night to begin. "Alright, you better be going off ta bed too, Applebloom," the old mare said, turning to the filly. "Aww....but Granny, ah ain't tired...." "I said off ta bed!" Granny repeated sternly. Applebloom's ears drooped in disappointment and she slowly trotted up the stairs to her room. Applejack chuckled and she and her double made their way to their own rooms. "Goodnight, Applejack," the colt mumbled, and the mare nodded. "Goodnight..." ______________ Laying in her bed, a certain little filly found herself unable to sleep. There was something off about their cousin, Applejohn. Maybe other ponies weren't as observant, but Applebloom knew she had never seen two ponies that looked so similar. It just didn't seem right. Same coat color... Same mane color... Same freckles for ponies sake! And their cutie marks were exactly the same too! "Something isn't right here..." she drawled, "There is no way that two ponies would be so similar! I mean, it's not like they're even brother and sister! He looks more like Applejack than ah do!" She sighed, a little frustrated. "They're hiding something. I know they are! And ah'm gonna figure out what!" A determined smile appeared on her face and she nodded. Then, quite suddenly, she yawned a laid back on her bed, falling asleep instantly. ______________ In the morning, Applejack and Applejohn woke up bright and early. They went out to the orchard to do some chores before they left to talk to Twilight and Dusk. However, they didn't notice the little yellow filly that followed them outside. "I really hope Twilight and Dusk will let us talk to the family about this..." Applejack was saying and her little sister hopped into a bush to watch them. The leaves rustled softly, and the two older ponies looked around before returning to their conversation. "Yeah," Applejohn nodded in agreement, "It's kinda hard that mah own, well, sorta mah own family doesn't get to know how close we are. But then again, I see why they wouldn't let us, I mean... If we went around telling ponies that you and I were the same pony, they'd think we were crazy, or lying..." "The same pony?" whispered the little filly in the bushes. She had no idea what they were talking about. "We don't lie..." Applejack snorted. "We did last night," Applejohn countered. "...Yes, but we had to do that..." "So they were lyin'!" Applebloom whispered, "But what the hay are they talkin' about? Maybe ah should get the other crusaders in on this..." The little filly climbed out of the bush and snuck away, galloping off to find her friends. "Okay, that's the last of the chores, Applejohn. Let's head to the library now. I want to do this as soon as possible." The other farm pony nodded in agreement, and they trotted off towards the library. ______________ The two earth ponies pushed open the door of the library, ringing the little bell as they did so. The sign out front said the library was open, so they didn't bother to knock. The two librarians were awake and had been for a couple hours now. They looked up from the books they were studying. "Applejack!" they both said in unison, each one actually addressing their own version of the farm pony. "Actually, I'm not Applejack in this universe..." Applejohn said, "Since our named are the same, we decided that I would be called Applejohn instead..." "Applejohn?" Dusk snickered, "Well okay. Anyway, what are you two doing here? Do you need something? Did something bad happen?" "What? No, nothing bad happened," Applejack said, shaking her head, "We were just wondering if there was any way we would be able to tell the family about what's going on... Applejohn and I are having a little trouble lying about this to them..." She thought for a second. "And I think Applebloom might be a little suspicious, or confused, about Applejohn. She kept saying how similar we were. That little filly better not try to meddle in things she has no business meddling in..." "Oh, I wish we could help you two, but the secrecy thing was Princess Celestia's idea... So I can't just tell you it's okay to tell them..." Twilight said, shrugging, "Sorry..." "Aw, shucks..." Applejack muttered, "Well... I suppose we'll manage. We'll just avoid the subject, I guess, and hope Applebloom doesn't keep asking questions..." "It's interesting..." Twilight muttered, "...Sometimes it's the foal that noticed more than the grown pony..." She smiled a bit and went back to her reading. "Twi?" "Yes, Applejack?" "Do ya think maybe you could send a letter to the princess or somethin' and ask her about this whole 'not telling anypony anything' thing?" "Oh! I suppose I could do that...but I'll have to go get Spike before I can send it. He's spending a few days with Rarity and Elusive in Carousel Boutique..." "Alrighty then, Twilight... Thank ya kindly." "No problem, Applejack," Twilight replied, grabbing a quill and some paper to write the letter. The two earth ponies decided to leave the unicorns be and find something else to do besides watching them read books...