Apple Scratch: New Arrivals

by Brandon Sky

Ch. 6: Backstory (Derailed)

20:30:00

1ST-Day

Apple Family Home-Guest Room

“Y’all make yerselves comfortable now.” Applejack told the twins as they each claimed a bed in the room. The simple room had the two already-claimed beds as well as desks with lamps next to them. It was a bare basics room, but it served its purpose well. “Bathroom’s right across the hall, by the way.” She informed the two.

“How are we doing in here?” Vinyl poked her head in the door.

“We were gonna stay up just a little longer to talk, then we’re going to bed.” Brianna said before Brandon could suggest sleeping immediately.

“Mind if I join in or is it private?” Vinyl said, already stepping in the doorway.

“Come right in! It’s your house, after all.” Brianna said. “Just be warned if Brandon tries to kick you out to get some sleep.”

“I think I’d know better than to do that in someone else’s home.” Brandon smirked.

The Apple sisters sat on the desk chairs in the meantime.

“Say, didn’t you mention something about seeing us as humans before?” Vinyl asked Brianna.

“Yeah…that was a weird time, but it was indirectly the fans’ fault for that, since it was assumed fans would love a human movie.” Brianna shrugged. “There were mixed reactions to it, and we didn’t mind it.” She added, turning somewhere else. “So, let’s keep things civil if we’re gonna discuss THAT, okay?” She said to…you, apparently.

“Uh…Brandon? Who is she talkin’ to?” Applejack asked.

“I have no idea.” Brandon replied, staring at his sister like she just went crazy.

“Uh…right, then…” Applejack nervously muttered. “So, tell us more about yerselves.” She said to change the subject.

“What do you wanna know? Personality, hobbies?” Brandon guessed.

“Well, Brandon here used to be shy, for one thing. He still is a little bit, but just in the sense that he’s not one to start conversations with people he doesn’t know.” Brianna explained.

“Knowing us from another dimension was sort of an exception, wasn’t it?” Vinyl asked him.

“Yeah, it was. It was cool to see you and AJ in the flesh right in front of us, but it would’ve been really off-putting if we already came across as incredibly weird.” Brandon said. “Then again, we’re weird anyway, but obviously not off-putting.”

“So, how about yerself, Brianna? By comparison, yer the life of the party.” Applejack commented.

“Well, I am! Energetic, outgoing, heck, I kinda fit a tomboy checklist.” Brianna replied. “I do have to get used to dresses and skirts sometimes, but it’s not like I hiss like a cat at the very sight of them.”

“Ah see whatcha mean, I’m not one for that kinda stuff mahself.” AJ confidently agreed.

“You and I both know one gigantic exception to that, AJ.” Vinyl smirked.

“If y’all try to make me miss a certain someone, y’all will miss yours too, y’know.” AJ huffed with her arms crossed.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Vinyl challenged.

AJ sighed. “Fine…’unless the dress is from Rarity.’”

“Hah, of course SHE would make you love dresses even if they’re not your thing. Say, I wonder if she could find something for…oh right, Alternate Mane 6 are in Canterlot…” Brianna facepalmed. “Maybe except for Octavia or Twilight, that just feels downright WEIRD that none of them live here.”

“So, Octavia still lives in Canterlot normally?” Vinyl asked her, a touch of sadness in her voice.

“I don’t think so. She still plays for the Royal Orchestra, but she lives in Ponyville as far as I’m aware. I think she’s even your roommate, Vinyl.” Brianna replied.

“Roommate, huh?” Vinyl said, her smirk returning with the addition of a small blush. “That’d be really cool.”

“Waking up all of Ponyville in the morning with your dish-washing wubs…” Brianna went on.

“Go on.” Vinyl’s smirked widened.

“Getting a kick out of Octavia being mildly annoyed at the noise…” Brianna kept going.

“It just keeps getting better!” Vinyl laughed.

“AND-“

“We are NOT starting that ‘and’ train again. Just get to the point.” Brandon interrupted.

“Basically, you have a lot of fun.” Brianna finished.

Vinyl didn’t notice her blush had also reddened during her smirking, realizing that the smile wasn’t necessarily hiding it anymore. “Sorry, just the thought of how kick-ass that sounded got me excited.” She shrugged it off.

“That blush said otherwise.” Brianna said, practically stealing Vinyl’s grin in an instant. “Bro…” She turned to him before turning to Applejack for a moment, “, and this might sound a little messed up once I explain it, but, “ she turned back to Brandon, “I think, if I’m not mistaken, your OTP was just realized in this world.”

Brandon blinked before turning to Vinyl. “Wow, really?” He said, shaking his head and glaring at Brianna. “No, no, saying that right in FRONT of them!? Messed up is right, you don’t just guess or point out someone’s shipping in their world when they’re RIGHT THERE!”

“Shipping?” Both Apple sisters said at once.

“Shit, now we have to explain it…” Brandon muttered. “Okay, first of all, keep in mind that this is coming from the perspective that none of the worlds we view are supposed to be real in any sense. We always assume they’re fictional and nothing more.”

“If we can handle us as ponies from your point of view, ah think we can handle anything else jus’ fine.” Applejack told him.

“Yeah, but…” Brandon stopped, thinking there were worse things to explain in a fandom. “Alright. Anyway, ‘shipping’ is when fans pair people together for various reasons. Maybe they think they’re compatible, or that the canon relationships aren’t as good by comparison, or maybe they just think of random combinations for the hell of it. One example that a giant portion of bronies agree upon is Vinyl and Octavia. Mainly because they’re total opposites that could think the other is a missing piece to their puzzle of life…or something along those lines.”

“That was kinda poetic for a second.” Brianna said, having reclined back in her bed.

“I’m getting revenge for scaring the crap out of me at having to explain that to them, just you wait.” Brandon glared again.

“So, a lot of them bronies like Vinyl and Octavia, huh?” Applejack said while Vinyl’s combination smirk and blush returned.

“I like the way these fans think.” Vinyl commented.

“See, no revenge needed, they don’t mind!” Brianna smiled.

“I said for me fearing their reaction, not their actual reaction.” Brandon pointed out, dropping his sister’s smile instantly.

“So, what was that about an OTP?” Vinyl asked.

“Oh, uh…OTP means One True Pair. It’s basically your favorite shipping out of that media. And, at the risk of Vinyl’s blush doubling…well, her and Octavia is the only ship I’d actually support since I can’t really think of consistent pairings I personally love other than them, so they’re kinda that for me.” Brandon said, shrinking down into his bed, even though he knows Vinyl might completely approve anyway.

“TwiDash is mine, personally.” Brianna blurted out, causing AJ to tilt her head at her and Vinyl to hold laughter.

“Yeah, sometimes there are name combinations to go with ships…” Brandon added, seeing Vinyl look at him curiously. “Ugh, I’ll say them, I can’t BELIEVE you don’t find this-“

“Y’all just said before this, you didn’t know we were real, so ah can’t blame you if that kinda weird stuff is some sort of fun when you like the show so much.” Applejack told him.

“Okay, maybe I over-reacted a little bit to that.” Brandon said, sighing. “I should’ve expected you guys to understand right away, I’m sorry.”

“No problem. Now about those names…” Vinyl trailed off.

“VinylTavia and OctaScratch for starters.” Brandon named off the top of his head.

“I like OctaScratch better. It feels like it fits more.” Vinyl nodded.

“For the record, I know you guys understand, but I just have to say…” Brandon said, trying the same trick Brianna did and turning in a seemingly random direction. “I’m discussing OTP names with the very pony-turned-person I’m SHIPPING IN THE FIRST PLACE and she’s LOVING it!” He said…like Brianna did, to you.

Barring Vinyl and AJ thinking Brandon was going just as crazy as Brianna, Brianna voiced a slight concern. “We just entirely derailed asking about ourselves, didn’t we?”

“Hey, it’s cool.” Vinyl waved her off. “We’ll leave that stuff about you guys for tomorrow, I just have one last question.”

“Shoot.” Brianna prepared, as did Brandon.

“Have you guys thought about how you’re gonna go about getting home?” Vinyl asked.

Brandon and Brianna would’ve answered, but they had nothing in terms of plans so far, having not thought about it at all.

“Say, why don’t y’all go to Canterlot and ask the Princesses yerselves?” Applejack suggested.

“Would it really be such a good idea to walk right up to them and ask?” Brianna said with a grin, thinking the idea was pretty humorous. “Hey Princesses, we’re from another world, can you help us?” She jokingly said.

“You’d better actually explain it before putting it as bluntly as that.” Vinyl told her. “But yeah, you just tell the guards that you wish to ask them something, most likely Celestia when you do so. Oh, and mention that you’re staying with us for a short while, that might convince them.”

“Is it because you’re Octavia’s girlfriend?” Brianna couldn’t help but giggle.

Vinyl shook her head, though she thought that did help. “AJ and I helped to fight back a Changeling invasion and this was before we had girlfriends.”

“We? AJ has a girlfriend, too?” Brianna asked her.

“Yeah, ah do.” Applejack said, blushing a little before saying it. “It’s Rarity. That little hesitation before ah said her name before should’ve given that away.”

“So, we have RariJack to go with OctaScratch, interesting. Well, I’m glad you two found someone.” Brianna said, quickly quelling Brandon’s glare.

“Thanks, Brianna.” Vinyl said, Applejack repeating that after her. “So, are you guys up for that? We won’t be able to join you, so we’ll hand you some bits for the train ride.”

“Y’all shouldn’t need directions once ya get there, you can always see the castle.” Applejack told them.

“Thanks, you guys. You’re the best, helping us out like this.” Brandon said, yawning.

“Since Brianna still has that challenge from Cloud Kicker tomorrow, I guess you’re going the day after?” Vinyl guessed.

“You’d think right.” Brandon replied. “Besides, we have a job to do tomorrow.” He grinned, looking to Brianna.

“Yeah, more moral support.” Brianna grinned back.

“Alright, so we’ll leave you guys alone so you can sleep. AJ and I need to be up early tomorrow anyway.” Vinyl said, walking out of the room along with Applejack. “Night, guys!”

The twins turned to each other and nodded, their plans for the next day and day after being set in stone. Although, there was still something else they wanted to do between practice and the next day’s trip.

Author's Note:

We have ourselves an established objective, ladies and gentlemen! ...Or, maybe fillies and gentlecolts, but this is a human world, so...
Clearly, this chapter started out as "Hey, I should give you guys some background on our dynamic (somewhat) duo" and, like most normal conversations I have, end up horribly derailed, but ended up with something I think can be entertaining. I also thought that AJ might just be a tad uncomfortable, but tolerant while Vinyl would outright approve of how much OTP-shipping her own relationship has. I'm fairly certain that could still be in character for Vinyl in general.

However, we still have another day's worth of shenanigans before we head to Canterlot, so tune in next time for Brianna's fight with Cloudy! ...And considering CK's skill in Equestria Games, may Celestia have mercy on her soul.

Oh, and I'm keeping that time-stamp thing at the beginning of each chapter, by the way. It was a neat lead-in to the couple of Catherine references for the last chapter, but I thought it would make sense to give a quick "time and place" tidbit before setting up the scene.

Comments

[shy sad jaded shard]

ok I like this

[Brandon Sky]

3766685
I had a feeling the new Equestria Games chapter might have something to do with that mass of Apple Scratch Updates...

Anyway, thanks for checking this out. I've gotten the hint to start writing for this again, so don't worry about that huge update gap.

[shy sad jaded shard]

3766759 sweet this world as well as its main deserve more likes then they have. yours feel more light hearted then the main was that your plan when you started?

[Brandon Sky]

3767844
Yeah, it's supposed to be a bit more light-hearted. I like writing stories that can put people in a good mood, so it's a consistent element of just about anything I'll be uploading here. I can be serious when I want to, but I'm more about having a good time than anything else.

It's kinda why I haven't updated most of my stories in a while, since I tend to just wing it without a preset start-to-finish story in mind.

[shy sad jaded shard]

3768252 well it works and as you have been so kind as to type back to a commenter such as my self im going to add you to my writers list

[Brandon Sky]

3768367
Thanks! Hope you enjoy the other stories, too.