More Than A Dream

by nanashi_jones

Chapter 2

It took half a minute to find a parking space near the sidewalk. While Aurora dithered with getting money in the meter, Rainbow was already waving her arm wildly and shouting out.

“Hey! AJ!”

The tall cowgirl turned and as her eyes locked on the rainbow-haired girl running at her, her expression softened in curiosity, then scowled slightly in recognition.

“Oh, it’s you.”

Rainbow brightened as she jogged up. As a human, Applejack sure was tall. She had to be a whole two hooves higher than Rainbow. Rainbow hoped she’d forget about that when they got back to Equestria where she was just a few hairs taller than the pegasus.

“Hi! Wow. That worked? Your name is Applejack?”

The slight scowl gave way to a brow knit in slight confusion. “My... Last name’s Apple. What’s this about? Who are you?”

Rainbow snorted at the last name, but rebounded. “Well I’m Rainbow Dash and this-” Turning, she saw Twilight jogging up slowly. Rainbow sighed. Even as this person, Twilight was always the egghead and moved at a sensible speed. “She’s Twilight Sparkle.”

“Aurora,” Twilight said. Rainbow scowled at the girl.

AJ passed her gaze over the two. They weren’t trying to run her over now and were being downright friendly, so she decided to just ignore the hippy-dippy names and the near-hit. Besides, she had a cousin named Braeburn. That was always a kick at reunions. Though, if she was being real honest with herself, the two girls looked kinda familiar.

“Pleasure. I’m Ashley. AJ, if ya like. Have we met? You look mighty familiar, though I think I’d remember hair like that.”

“Well, I’m pretty unforgettable,” Rainbow said, preening. “But, do you have a minute?”

AJ pulled her phone from her pocket, checked the clock, and bobbed her head. “Well... I gotta be back at the farm...” She looked at the earnest expression on Rainbow’s face and sighed. “Ah what the hell. So long as you’re not selling bibles or Amway, I can talk.”

Settling in a wide stance, she folded her arms and relaxed in the center of the sidewalk. The light pedestrian traffic flowed about the trio.

“Okay, well first off have you-” Twilight or “Aurora” or whoever she called herself put a hand over Rainbow’s mouth.

“If you’d let me?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and nodded.

The darker-skinned girl smiled and nodded. She looked up at AJ and AJ waited patiently. The Aurora/Twilight girl seemed the smarter of these two. Definitely more well-mannered.

“So, as she said, her name is Rainbow Dash and I’m Twi-Aurora Amaryllis. We’re trying to track down some people. Rainbow thinks you look like one of the people we’re trying to find.”

“Really?”

Aurora nodded. “Yes. So just a few quick questions, if possible?”

AJ shrugged. This was getting pretty interesting- she’d bite.

“First, what are your thoughts on ponies?”

AJ scratched the back of her neck. “Um. Good for kid rides? Had one when I was younger. She was sweet. Called her...” AJ frowned, her brow pulling together. What had she called that thing? She’d thought the world of that pony.

“Applejack?” Rainbow prompted.

AJ blinked. She was right. How about that.

“Yeah. Wow. I haven’t thought about her in years.” She laughed, shaking her head, then froze. “Wait. No, that’s not true. I been dreamin’ about her lately. She’s wearin’ my hat in the dream and she bucks apples off... Trees?”

AJ blinked rapidly this time. Something was bothering her. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but it was real important.

As AJ tried to get her brain up to speed, she saw the Aurora girl shoot a glance at Rainbow, a furrowed expression of skepticism and disbelief on her face. The Rainbow girl just looked smug. AJ blinked at her and realized she wanted to slap the look off. Only in play, mind. Rainbow just needed to be taken down a peg from time to time not... Where had that come from?

“Uh...” AJ put a hand to her head. Her cheeks flushed and she felt dizzy, like when she’d been in the field too long on one of the hot summer days without paying attention to her water.

Aurora placed a guiding hand on her arm and walked AJ to a wall she could lean against and catch her breath. Sliding to sit on the sidewalk, AJ tried to get her breathing under control. Sweat dotted her brow and upper lip.

“Are you okay?” Aurora said. Her voice was suddenly real familiar. Where had AJ...?

“Oh, forget her. She’s just gonna wimp out like always.”

“Now you wait just a gol-darn minute here Rainbow Dash!” AJ snapped. “My brain may be cooking like grease on a griddle, but that don’t mean I can’t whup your tail right here!”

AJ blinked. Once. And she Remembered.

Aurora stared in amazement as AJ’s hair faded from a dusky brunette to a light, sandy blond and the dusting of freckles across her nose became impressively prominent.

Rainbow cocked a smile. “Y’know Twilight, I think I should take over the egghead work. I’m really showing you up here.”
~
In a nearby coffee shop, Applejack accepted the warm cider Twilight had purchased for her. The familiarity of the flavor calmed her down considerably.

“Yeah, you’re gonna be twitchy for a while,” Rainbow said, sipping on a soda. “I thought my head was gonna fly off after I got my colors back.”

“Feels like I just got dragged into the Everfree forest for a close up with every scary-lookin’ critter at once,” Applejack muttered, wiping her brow.

“Doing okay otherwise?” Twilight asked.

Applejack nodded. “Could wish for better company,” she said with a smirk at Rainbow, who smirked back. “But I couldn’t ask for better friends. Thanks for nearly runnin’ me over y’all. Can’t believe I forgot everything.”

“We all did. Twilight’s still kinda clueless.”

“Aurora,” Twilight said.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “See?”

Applejack shook her head and furrowed her brow at Twilight. “Look, sugarcube, I know you’re all about your book smarts and all, but sometimes you gotta trust what you can see with your own two eyes.”

“What did I see?” Twilight retorted stiffly. “Your hat could have hidden most of your hair’s color in its shade.”

“How do you account for my cutie mark poppin’ up outta nowhere?”

“You could have gotten that tattoo ages ago.” After an awkward moment, Twilight added, “And you two didn’t have to show those off in the bathroom. I’d take your word for it.”

Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, the pair sharing the same thought: Typical Twilight.

“Well, at least Rainbow’s on her game.” She slugged from the cider again and sighed. Even though she was on two legs and looked quite different, she was feeling a bit more like herself. “Woo. Makes my head spin though. I can remember the Ponyville farm and bucking, but I remember this farm and picking too. Why d’you think that is?”

Rainbow shrugged, making bubbles in her soda. “That’s Twilight’s-”

“Aurora.”

“Department,” she continued, ignoring the girl’s pinched expression. “All I know is we gotta get back to Equestria as soon as possible.”

“How d’you know that?” Applejack asked, hunkering forward.

Rainbow shrugged. “Gut feeling.”

“So this whole rush you’re on is just a gut feeling?” Twilight said dryly.

“Well, Rainbow works fast,” Applejack butted in before Rainbow could add gas to Twilight’s fire. “Wouldn’t surprise me none though. You’re here, Rainbow’s here, I’m here. Willing to bet the other girls are too. Things get bad and it tends to hit us all at the same time. Besides...” Smiling easily, she leaned back. “Think I got us a line on Fluttershy.”

“You do? That fast?” Rainbow said. “Who?”

Twilight just raised a curious eyebrow.

“The Apple farm I work for has an animal team for our critters. And one of the docs has a girl who’s paying her way through vet school. Real shy one who gets on better with our critters than we do. Sound familiar?” Applejack said with a knowing grin.

“Gimme two minutes with her,” Rainbow said, cracking her knuckles. “If she isn’t our Fluttershy, I don’t know who else she could be.”
~
Two hours later, following a phone call and a bumpy back-roads ride, Aurora was looking on as a pink-haired girl hugged Rainbow Dash closely, sobbing like she’d found her long-lost sister.

“Warms your heart, don’t it?” Applejack said quietly.

“Were they always so close?” Aurora asked.

Applejack looked at Aurora with one eye and turned back to the scene before them. “Reckon it’s more of a first face thing. If I’d been standing in front, I’d be givin’ that filly as much TLC as Rainbow there.”

“Hm,” Aurora said.

“Still not sold after watching a girl’s hair turn bright pink?”

“I don’t know what I saw. I mean, it lends weight to Rainbow’s point and definitely suggests a connection between us all. But...”

“You’re still not hauling the whole wagon, huh?”

Aurora looked up at Applejack. “I don’t know how you made the jump.”

Applejack shrugged. “Well, Rainbow and me go by our gut more than anythin’ else. Fluttershy... Well maybe she just didn’t want to hurt anypony’s feelings. Someone tells Fluttershy she’s their long lost friend, we saw her give it a thought and maybe that’s all she needed. But you? You were slow to warm up to us in the first place, sugarcube. Not surprising you’d be more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”

Aurora watched as the pink-haired girl who now responded to Fluttershy, wiped her nose on her sleeve then laughed softly with Rainbow. They all knew each other, that much was clear. After an afternoon of this, Aurora had gone from one confused patient to three certain people. Three certain people who all knew one another and insisted they knew her.

She agreed they were familiar, comfortable even, but that couldn’t be enough. She had to be certain. From head to hoof- er, toe. She needed to be certain she wasn’t just losing her mind and being dragged into a group delusion that just sounded more welcoming than the lonely life she’d had before.

That was actually something she’d never really considered till she met Rainbow. Rainbow who acted like she knew Aurora. Rainbow who was so comfortable that she’d hold a hand or touch her hair. The whole affair had awoken Aurora to the fact that outside a handful of childhood acquaintances and professional peers, she really did keep mostly to herself. It hadn’t been a problem before, but was it now coming to a head? Was some repressed youthful loneliness threatening to bust out? Had all it taken was the promise of simple friendship to cast her rational mind in doubt?

The implications lead nowhere she liked. Aurora shivered.

Applejack noticed. Coughing, the larger girl said, “Uh, just so you know, Twi...” She rested a hand that covered practically all of Aurora’s shoulder. Her voice then became honest, familiar. “We think you’re worth waiting for.”

“Applejack? Twilight?”

The two girls turned and Aurora regarded Fluttershy. She was clad in a light yellow sweater that seemed so voluminous, it threatened to eat the pink-haired girl up. Aurora almost didn’t notice the ankle-length, cream skirt and Keds shoes the sweater was so bright.

On top of the obscuring clothing, Fluttershy’s body language was incredibly withdrawn and reserved. Yet, the hesitations gave her a very noticeable grace. Aurora would be very surprised if this shy girl hadn’t taken ballet from a family friend and grown up with many imaginary ones. Maybe some of them were from Equestria.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Applejack said, freeing her hand from Twilight.

Fluttershy leaned against Applejack, hugging her tightly, but without the tears she shed with Rainbow Dash. She came up to just under Applejack’s nose, which still put her as taller than Rainbow or Aurora. Rainbow strolled up and Aurora could see the spot on her shoulder where Fluttershy had cried on. It was a surprisingly large stain of tears.

“It’s so good to see you. Even if you’re not yourself. Or I’m not myself.” The girl’s eyebrows, which Aurora noticed were also pink, came together and she raised a delicate hand in thought. Aurora wondered how someone so frail-looking could handle veterinarian work. “Gosh. This is kind of confusing.”

“Tell me about it,” Rainbow groaned. “And the only pony who could tell us anything still thinks we’re nuts. Right, Twi?”

“Confused,” Aurora countered. “Not ‘nuts’ Rainbow. Though I’m feeling confused myself.”

Fluttershy approached Aurora and stood at a respectful, but close distance. “You really don’t remember Equestria? Your library?”

Aurora’s expression fell into apologetic empathy. “Sorry, no.”

“That must be hard on you. Poor thing.” Fluttershy reached out and pulled Aurora close. Aurora went stiff at the hug, but as Fluttershy rubbed her back, she eased and tentatively raised her hands to reciprocate. “We’ll get it figured out. I’m sure this must be very scary for you too.”

“You have no idea,” Aurora muttered.

“Oh, but I do,” she said, breaking the hug to look into Aurora’s face earnestly. Aurora couldn’t help but smile at how willing the slight girl was to sympathize. “It’s so much nicer to know that in addition to my animal friends, I have my closest pony friends now too.”

“You didn’t have friends before?”

“Well... I had people I knew back when I...” Fluttershy’s expression went vacant as memory rushed through her.

“Uh... Fluttershy?” Aurora waved her hand in front of the girl’s face.

“Oh! OH!” She pushed back from Aurora entirely and started hopping excitedly from foot to foot. “I- I- I think I know what happened to Rarity!”

The girls all stared at Fluttershy, jaws agape.

“Alright. I’m callin’ it,” Applejack said breaking the silence. “This all just got downright creepy.”
~
“You okay back there, uh, AJ?” Aurora said.

“I’ll manage,” the larger girl replied, her knees practically in her face.

True, Aurora drove a four-door, but she rarely made use of all the seats and had to throw books and spare research materials into the trunk to make room. Hers was the only vehicle that would fit everypony- everybody. She meant everybody.

After Fluttershy’s revelation about Rarity, the group opted to pile into one car. With Rarity being all the way downtown, it would just cut down on possibly losing anyone. Fluttershy rode a bike, and Applejack’s pick-up was only good for hauling a lot of people on backroads. Rainbow didn’t drive, so she was right out. Aurora was left with the only car that could support multiple people on a trip into the city.

“You know, you’re a very good driver, Twilight. I normally don’t like being in cars, but it’s very soothing with you,” Fluttershy said. Out of the corner of her eye, Aurora could see Fluttershy rested like she was at high tea with a seatbelt.

“Till you distract her,” Rainbow said from the back.

“Not happening this time,” Aurora retorted. “We’re on the highway and I have impeccable highway driving skills.”

Rainbow snorted. “Even if you don’t know it, you’re our Twilight.”

Again, Aurora’s expression cooled at Rainbow’s presumptions.

“Look, can you call me Aurora? Aurora. My name? I mean, I’m all for... AJ and Rainbow and, and Fluttershy here, but my name is Aurora.”

The car became silent.

“Um. Doesn’t, um, Aurora mean Twilight?” Fluttershy said, a little quieter than before.

“What?” Aurora practically twisted out of her seat to lock eyes on the girl.

“Oh, it was just, um, yesterday, I was, you see, reading a baby name book, because we had a calf and she was about to birth twins and I wanted to pick out good names and I liked Aurora because it meant Dawn and pre-dawn and- And Ithoughtthatwasprettyandthat’sall.”

Stunned, Aurora turned her attention back to driving. Well, she turned most of her attention back to driving.

“No way. No freaking way...” she muttered.

“Pre-dawn. Y’know... Twilight,” Rainbow said from behind Fluttershy, smugness oozing from her every word.

Aurora’s jaw clenched and she jerked the wheel. The car veered hard into traffic and the passengers were tossed about in the process. Fluttershy pinned herself in the corner of her seat, eyes wide in perfect terror. AJ grabbed at the handle above her door as Rainbow loosed a “Whoooooooa!”

Crossing three lanes of traffic and earning one blared horn, Aurora slowed and skidded to a halt on the shoulder. In the car, Rainbow had slid around until she was on her back, Applejack had managed to brace herself with her long legs and Fluttershy had locked into an impressive rictus of limbs, ensuring she was going nowhere. Aurora was shaking, hands white knuckled on the wheel.

The girls’ breathing was the only noise. Except for Fluttershy, who seemed to be sufficing on some inner reservoir.

“Twilight?” Applejack ventured.

“My NAME is Aurora. Hetal. Amaryllis! And I would appreciate it if everypony in this car had the decency to refer to me as such!”

Silence descended in the car again, save for Aurora’s heated breathing.

“You said ‘everypony,’” Rainbow pointed out.

“Rrrrrrr!” Aurora roared and kicked the door open.

After attempting to rise while still buckled in, she gasped, then undid the belt. The wind and roar of the cars was near deafening outside, and she went around the back of the car to stumble through the grass. She ignored the ruin she was making of her good shoes, as well as the scrub that tore at her third best pair of pants. That didn’t matter. What did was getting away from the craz- Confused. Confused people.

“Smooth one, Rainbow,” Applejack growled. She unbuckled her belt and waited for a semi to pass before she exited the car and went around its side to follow the driver.

She found Twilight (she’d call her Aurora out loud if she wanted, but this was Twilight, alright) sitting in grass looking at a copse of trees, ignoring the world.

“Hey Sugarcube.”

“Go. Away,” Aurora said flatly.

Applejack looked around, rubbing the back of her neck. “Um, sorry. Can’t. Your car and all.” Settling her hands in her pockets, she tried a half-smile. “Mind if I sit instead?”

Aurora sighed and scowled away from the cowgirl.

“Thanks.”

The two sat in the dirt, Twilight radiating spite and Applejack picking at the grass. She found a long shoot and yanked it free to chew on. Glancing back, she saw that Rainbow had succeeded in talking Fluttershy out of the car and away from the freeway. They stood a good ways back though, obviously waiting on Applejack and Twilight.

Applejack sighed. She couldn’t think of anything that didn’t sound like a repeat of what she told Twilight earlier. To her dismay, Twilight started sniffling, then gave way to crying.

Oh lands. She was really out of her element now.

Just as she tentatively reached out to rub Twilight on the back, Fluttershy just... Appeared and had already encircled the other girl in her slender, fluffy-sweater-covered arms.

Applejack smiled. Fluttershy could be scared from the tip of her mane to the bottom of her hooves and she’d still rush in if she heard a friend in need. Applejack eased back, rose, and gave the pair some space.

“There, there,” Fluttershy whispered. “Let it all out. I know. I know. This is all very scary, isn’t it?”

Aurora hiccuped and nodded, her face buried in the soft, sweater field of Fluttershy’s chest.

“And you look like you’ve never done anything like this before, have you?”

Aurora shook her head against Fluttershy.

“And Rainbow Dash and Applejack aren’t being sensitive to that at all, are they?”

Aurora nodded firmly, rocking the slighter girl back.

“Then how about this- I can’t speak for them, but I’ll call you Aurora, okay? But can you be patient with me? I mean, you’re very much like my friend Twilight. She’s thoughtful and smart and always willing to help a friend, so I’m going to sometimes mix you up, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think you’re you.”

Aurora became quiet, then sniffed. She looked up and Fluttershy smiled benevolently down at her. Though Aurora hardly thought she warranted it with her snot-streamed face and red, puffy eyes.

In a rough, wet voice, she said, “She’s always willing to help a friend? Really?”

Fluttershy nodded sagely. “Oh yes. Twilight Sparkle is very kind. She just has a big mind to go with her big heart and they sometimes get mixed around.”

Aurora leaned against Fluttershy with a soft laugh and soaked in her assuring presence. “I feel really mixed up right now.”

She sniffed, rubbing away some of the phlegm.

“I feel like I’m lost. I haven’t thought about any of this stuff since I was a kid and now... Now I have three people saying they’re ponies and my friends.” She shook her head, then looked to Fluttershy pleadingly. “It goes against everything I understand, everything I knew, everything... Just- Everything!”

She breathed and closed her eyes.

After licking her lips, she said, “Yet, I believe you. I believe all of you. There is no doubt in my mind to what you’re saying. And I have no proof either.” She sighed, her head drooping again. “I just can’t reconcile the two thought processes yet.”

Fluttershy put a finger beneath Aurora’s chin and raised her up so she was grinning comfortingly into the other girl’s eyes.

“Then we’ll just have to take this one step at a time, okay?” the soft-spoken girl said. “And we’ll be here to help if you need us.”

Aurora sighed, not a dismissive noise this time, but a relaxation- a release of her tension. If nothing else, these three people were willing. And this one in particular was so... Kind. Yes. She was quite kind. Aurora told her so.

Fluttershy blushed, helping Aurora to her feet. “Oh, I just like to help where I can. Even if you’re not Twilight, you’re still a friend,” she replied.

“Thank you,” Aurora said and hugged Fluttershy firmly.

“You are most welcome,” Fluttershy responded.
~
Back at the car, Rainbow Dash got a very firm lecture from Fluttershy. Aurora watched in amazement as the brash and outspoken girl was cowed. More amazing was how stern Fluttershy now became. Her eyes, especially, looked like they were drilling through Rainbow’s thick attitude to drive a point home. Handling fiercer animals didn’t seem to be as far fetched, anymore, as Aurora saw the steel beneath all of Fluttershy’s silk.

Applejack simply nodded, accepting the new order of things and Fluttershy beamed once everyone was on the same page.

Aurora got back in the driver’s seat and took everyone to the Carousel Boutique. As she sought out a parking space that wouldn’t charge too much and wouldn’t have them hiking from ten blocks away, Fluttershy explained further how she was certain this was where Rarity was.

“I’d been going to college on a scholarship from my tribe-”

“Your what?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh, I’m Hopi on my mother’s side,” Fluttershy responded.

“Aren’t they in Arizona? Come on!” Aurora said to the car that stole the spot she had signaled.

“Yeah,” Fluttershy said, pulling into herself a bit. “Mom’s not real popular with grandma because she moved so far away.”

“You were going to college...?” Applejack prompted.

“Oh! Yes. And while there, I was friends with a fashion major and she asked if I could model for her from time to time.”

“Sounds like Rarity to me,” Rainbow said. “Hang on Tw-Aurora.” Rainbow got out of the car and jogged over as a car left a spot. Before any other vehicle could claim it, Rainbow spread her legs and propped her hands on her hips, scowling at the world. She beckoned Aurora to the claimed space.

“Could be any fashion gal y’ask me,” Applejack said as Rainbow gave a very rude gesture to a guy in a sleek, black car who honked his horn at the girls.

“Maybe. That’s possible,” Fluttershy answered. “But... Well. After a shoot, she’d take me to the spa in addition to paying for my time. We do it every now and then and I sometimes do local work for her. She says her brand will be going national any day now.”

Before Applejack could say any more, Rainbow thumped on the roof of the car and pointed. Sticking her head out the window, Applejack followed the girl’s direction to the Carousel Boutique and let out a whistle. “I take it back. That’s gotta be Rarity. Or she’s got a close twin sister we never knew about.”

The Carousel Boutique was nestled in the high end quarter of downtown, across from a cafe and next to a stationary store. Large, open windows with mannequins draped in gorgeous dresses that had hints of sequins and jewelry at their hems proclaimed the craftsmanship from down the street and the red and white coloring of the overhead sign and the outer walls made for a festive feel. As Aurora gazed up at it, she felt like she’d been here before, though the only reason she had ever gone downtown was to visit the city library.

“Wow. Even as a human, you are pretty as a picture Fluttershy,” Applejack said admiring a life-sized photo of Fluttershy that had been arranged in amphitheater around one dress. In it, Fluttershy turned demurely to show off the dress’ exquisite low-cut back and the accent embroidery at the hips.

Fluttershy blushed. “Oh. Oh, wow. I haven’t... I didn’t know she’d put that up already.”

“And it still doesn’t do you a lick of justice if you ask me,” came a cultured and refined voice.

The girls all turned to see a young lady with coiffed, jet black hair and a cream skirt-suit, white heels, red purse and large sunglasses with red frames. She removed the frames, revealing her glowing skin and Asian features. She looked radiant and poised. She wasn’t like the natural, quiet grace that Fluttershy possessed, but a powerful presence brought by character. She swept her gaze across all of the girls but mostly she focused on Fluttershy.

“Nova, darling, I love what you’ve done with your hair. I’d never have thought pink was your color, but now that I see it I can’t think of any better suited to you.”

Fluttershy blushed again and dithered.

“Oh come now. Hugs. It’s been so long after all.” The possible Rarity came in to embrace and soothe Fluttershy’s nerves with some well-placed strokes of the hair. Smiling, she leaned back to engage Fluttershy face-to-face. “All better?”

Fluttershy nodded.

“Good. Now, why don’t you introduce me to your friends and we can go inside? This suit is good, but with autumn being so chilly it’s not near enough and I’ve been holding back my new coat until the right date.”

The girls followed in obediently, though Applejack snorted as she brought up the rear. Inside was just as well furnished and inviting as the exterior. The walls were deep indigo, hung with mirrors and sitting was plentifully available. A girl, who may not have had the owner’s poise but made up for it in professionalism, sat at a small desk.

“Good afternoon Miss Yuzuki,” said the young girl, who Aurora was certain couldn’t be more than sixteen.

Miss Yuzuki sighed good-naturedly. “Terry, we are in fashion, darling. And these are friends. Keiko is fine.”

“Of course Miss Yuzuki,” the girl responded.

Keiko smirked at her and said, “Well, fetch some water. It’s the slow part of the day and I don’t have an appointment for another hour. I’d like to catch up and see who Nova’s brought to my doorstep.”

As Terry left, Keiko motioned all the girls to sit on one of the violet, plush sofas near one side of the store. “Lovely girl, an absolute gem, but if she stood any harder on formality she’d break it.”

Such assurances of levity seemed at odds with the woman who sat like a proper lady with her ankles tucked together and her skirt smooth. Leaning back to take stock of the assembled, Keiko smiled to Fluttershy.

“So. What brings you to my doorstep? Normally I have to track you down.”

Tucking a strand of long, pink hair behind an ear, Fluttershy still managed to hide half her face. “It’s... It’s a little, uh, strange.”

Keiko Yuzuki gave a dazzling smile and rested a friendly hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “My dear, I am fashion. I am the cutting edge of strange.”

As Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack identified themselves and explained their story, Keiko listened politely, though her face lost its pleasant understanding by degrees as each girl spoke.

“And you’re... Her therapist?” she said to Aurora, while pointing to Rainbow Dash.

Glancing at Rainbow, Aurora said, “It’d be more accurate to call me her caretaker.”

“Mmm,” Keiko said as Rainbow scowled at Aurora.

“I know this sounds...” Aurora looked at her friends and back to Keiko lamely. “You know, I don’t know how it sounds any more. I’m losing my objectivity. But, did any of what they said mean anything to you?”

Before Keiko could speak, Terry returned, bottles of water on a simple tray. Everyone accepted them with thanks and pleasantries. Keiko took hers last and smiled at her assistant.

“Thank you Terry,” Keiko said warmly. “Now, take a long lunch on me.”

Terry blanched. “You really shouldn’t do that Miss Yuzuki. We’re still-”

“Tut,” Keiko replied with a wink. “We’re fine enough. Go. Enjoy. And put up the ‘Closed’ sign on your way out.”

Terry held and looked at the assembled girls. Keiko’s face remained impassive and pleasant, but some subtle exchange happened between the women and Terry demurred, moving away. Within a few minutes the main light by the door was shut off and the assembled group had privacy. Keiko opened the first bottle.

“Well, I can safely say I had fantasies of ponies, like many girls my age,” Keiko said, her tone more informal than before. Aurora got the sense she’d just taken her hair out of a bun, psychologically speaking. “But I can’t say I thought of anything called... What did you say?”

“Equestria!” Rainbow said in exasperation.

Keiko gave a cool look to the rainbow-haired girl. She warmed it with a smile, but not a sincere one.

“Sorry,” she said. “Not familiar.”

“You’re lyin’,” Applejack said.

Keiko whipped her head around. “I beg your pardon?!”

The farmgirl leaned back, arms crossed, eyes sharp. “I’ve always been good at catchin’ a lie, Ra-ma’am. And I can tell you’re holding back on us.”

“Well I never!” Turning her diamond hard gaze away from Applejack, she cooled her ire and said hotly to Fluttershy, “Nova, I hope you don’t think it too forward of me, but your new friends are quite pushy.”

“Could you- Could you call me Fluttershy? If that’s not too much trouble?” Fluttershy asked, already cringing.

Keiko blinked. “Why?”

“It’s my name. Like I said.”

Keiko blinked again and her head dropped. “I think I must ask that you all leave, please.” Her voice was just above a whisper.

“What?” Rainbow shot.

“Leave! Please!” When her face came up, a burning needle of fury gleamed in her eyes.

“Let’s go, guys,” Aurora said before Applejack or Rainbow could rile the woman further. Filing them out the door, she saw Fluttershy try to put a hand on Keiko’s, who stole it away. Fluttershy flinched as if she’d been slugged.

Quietly, the frail girl rose and Aurora could see the tears in her eyes. “Fluttershy...” Aurora said, but the soft girl shook her head firmly and was out the door before Aurora could say anything else.

Aurora stood holding the door and watched Fluttershy lean into Rainbow with fresh tears, except these weren’t from joy. The tough, Rainbow-haired girl soothed her friend the best she could. Applejack added her hands to the effort and patted Fluttershy’s shoulder and back reassuringly. She glanced up at Aurora.

Licking her lips, Aurora closed the door.

“Miss Yuzuki?”

“Jewele,” the woman replied, staring at a dress.

Aurora was already walking and stopped, confusion on her face. “What?”

“My last name is actually Jewele.” Keiko rose and went to examine a mannequin wearing a stunning blue shift.

Aurora came up nearby so that the woman could see her, but wouldn’t feel threatened by her proximity.

“Try and sell yourself on that name though. Keiko Jewele. Sounds made up, doesn’t it? So pick a new last name, sure. It’s just for show. Just business.” Keiko folded her arms and turned.

Tired eyes looked back at Aurora. Tired eyes, which were set in a face that had been brought to life by willpower and determination. Keiko’s poise and beauty were still apparent, but she had somehow changed their direction with her sudden, naked honesty. “Names are a bit of a sore spot for me. Between ponies and Nova- Fluttershy....” Keiko sighed. “It was a bit much.”

Aurora nodded. “It is a bit much, I know.” She bit her lip, then plunged ahead. “And the worst part is it sounded familiar, right?”

Keiko’s mouth hardened to a firm line and she went perfectly still. Before Aurora could become tense herself, Keiko sagged and nodded, eyes closed.

“I get it,” Aurora said. “You’re in the middle of your life and then these girls show up and talk about this magical land and its all populated by... Ponies of all things. It sounds nice. If it was just a story or something we all saw in our childhood, it’d probably be a breath of fresh air.” Aurora rubbed her arm. “But they’re telling you you’re a part of it and that the stories are real and every part of you is saying, no, no, that’s wrong. That can’t be right. I’m me. I’ve worked hard to be me. I’ve done everything right. Except...”

“That’s not the truth,” Keiko said.

“Yeah,” Aurora said. “I can’t speak for you Miss Jewele, and while I haven’t gone all in...” Aurora looked at the few strands of pink hair that hung in her periphery. “I’m willing to listen. A part of me says it’s true, or at least, true enough. The rest of me just... Needs some more questions answered.”

Keiko went past Aurora and sat on one of the couches, leaning forward. Brow knit she exhaled. “Thank you for your candor...”

“Aurora,” Aurora laughed slightly.

“Aurora,” Keiko replied. “But I don’t know anything of Equestria or what these girls are speaking about. Yes, they all are familiar and I won’t lie that the names are...” She shook her head. “I’ve dreamt of fashion my entire life. Even when I was a little girl, I imagined going to grand balls in resplendent dresses.”

Aurora sat down across from Keiko, smiling. “Who didn’t?”

“You didn’t make yours I take it?”

“No, a friend made it for me in my dreams.”

“There you go then.”

“Of course, the girls all said that dream was real. The Grand Galloping Gala they called it.”

Keiko raised up slightly, intrigue and something else sparking in her eyes.

“And that Rarity, that’s who they said you were, made the dresses. Her own designs, and we were apparently a hit at a local fashion show.”

Keiko’s face slowly softened, her eyes becoming distant.

“They got a bit delayed when her sister-”

“Sweetie Belle,” Keiko said, dreamily.

“Yeah, that’s her name. Apparently she’s good friends with- Wait, what?”

“I was an only child,” Keiko went on, her voice lost. “I dreamed of having a little sister to play with. To dress up. To be... like apple pie...”

Aurora winced at a light that flashed behind Keiko. Then, she watched in open-mouthed amazement as a wave of royal purple cascaded through the other girl’s hair, curling at the edges expertly. Keiko’s eyes lit, turning from a mere forceful blue to a shining sapphire. As the eyes lit up, so did a smile.

“I remember!” Rarity said. “By Celestia’s mane, I Remember!”

Leaving Aurora on the sofa, gaping like a fish, Rarity ran to the door, yanking it open. Outside, Fluttershy was nestled in the crook of Rainbow Dash’s arm, while Applejack leaned on a parking meter.

Rarity spread her arms. “Girls!”

“Rarity?” they said in unison.

“Well it certainly isn’t Sapphire Shores!”

A ripple of laughter and Aurora turned to see four friends, huddle together in newfound discovery.

Comments

[Nolongerposting]

I love the continuation and can't wait to have the next update.

[Sarikano]

Well, if the physics defying Pinkie Pie cannot convince Aurora that she is Twilight, then she will definitely become crazy. Just Pinkie being Pinkie doesn't seem like an explication that she would use

[Ulti Shadow Lord]

Oh, this is going to be awesome.

[Fallflower]

Well pinky isn't going to be hard but i think terry is spike

[Rocket0007]

2356078
I think Terry's a girl, Spike is male

[Pinklestia]

This is going quite fast, is Pinkie pie in a madhouse or something?

[Sozmioi]

These induced color changes ought to have Aurora's physics-wtf-o-meter ringing so hard that the rest ought to seem downright plausible.