//------------------------------// // That time Applejack and Rainbow Dash committed several felonies // Story: Intertwined Reflections: That Time Everypony Swapped Bodies // by ThistleRose //------------------------------// 🏦 Chapter 5 🏦 That time AppleJack and Rainbow Dash committed several felonies  CURRENT STATUS Twilight inhabits Trixie Trixie inhabits Twilight  Rainbow Dash inhabits Rarity Rarity inhabits Rainbow Dash PinkiePie inhabits PinkiePie  Fluttershy shivered. This cellar was freezing cold. She hoped there was some sort of firewood in the room yet unexplored. Entering, she was met with disappointment. It was just a bathroom. It had two sinks, two small stalls, and a mirror. Nothing to be concerned about. She took a quick look around to see if there were any supplies that could be useful. Seeing nothing, she turned to leave, before something caught her eye. Something that she really hadn’t expected to see.  Her Reflection in the mirror. She froze in confusion. She hadn’t seen her reflection for months. She had almost forgotten what she looked like. Being careful not to blink, she tilted her head a little, she opened her mouth wide. Yup. Fangs still there. So what gives? Why was it reflecting her?  She had a small theory. She started thinking an old passage in a book she had read about silvered mirrors, but that thought was interrupted by- CRASH! The wind had blown the trap door upstairs shut. It was loud. So loud that it caused Fluttershy to flinch. And when she flinched whilst looking at her reflection… Fluttershy instinctively closed her eyes.  “Rarity’s going to kill you, ya know.”  AppleJack sat on the mostly abandoned train watching RainbowDash go to town on an entire chocolate cake with an impressive amount of debris surrounding her muzzle, not caring much for being delicate. As she wolfed it down she was grinning, eyes darting up to AppleJack as she went. “She can’t kill me! If she did she’d be ruining her coat!” She said smugly, messily wiping her muzzle with a hoof.  “You’re already doing a fine job of that as it is.” She said, unamused. RainbowDash just laughed in response.  Rolling her eyes, AppleJack turned her gaze out the window, watching the equestrian countryside by. Most of the trains were out of service, with the only consistent one left being the Central Equestria to Manehatten express line. The few other ponies in the train car with them were various anxious family members, and one couple who seemed to have swapped with each other who Rainbow Dash knew were divorced. Rainbow Dash didn’t know how she knew this. Maybe it was an instinctive Rarity trait to know when ponies were divorced. There was no way to know.  “Not long now…” mumbled AppleJack. She could see the lights of Manehatten twinkling in the distance. She looked back at RainbowDash sadly, who had somehow gotten a second cake. Rarity always loved Manehatten. The big apple. She could still remember their big trip there. Their pained efforts to re-establish the community… that’s when she had fully fallen for her. She was perfectly happy with where they were now, sure. But what if there was more? Would that actually make anything better? Or just more complicated. She frowned as she considered it in her mind, pulling her hat down over her eyes. Doing this always helped her think. But was now really the best time to be having these questions? She decided to change the subject in her mind and look back at Rainbow Dash, who was using her newfound magic to levitate large scoops of chocolate cake into her mouth. “Hey Dash. Is it just this whole swappin’ business that’s got you so stressed out, or is there somethin’ else?” AppleJack asked, crossing her hooves as she lay down on the seat facing her.  “Ha! Who says I’m stressed?” Rainbow Dash replied with a mouthful of food. “You eat when you’re stressed.” AJ said boredly, wishing to skip this part of the conversation.  “Nuh uh! Name ONE time.” “That time at my birthday where you thought Spitfire was coming when you still had a huge crush on her and you ate the entirety of the apple strudel steak bake before finding out she couldn’t actually make it and you threw up all over the back of the barn and Big Mac and I had to spend hours cleaning-“ “OKAY!” Rainbow Dash stopped her, groaning as she put down the plate. It clinked down as she placed it on the already finished. She gave out a little groan as she stared at her unfamiliar hooves. “Fine. You win. I’m trying not to think about Fluttershy.” Ah. AppleJack scolded herself. It was so obvious.  “I see…” AppleJack said calmly, looking at her own hooves. “And… do you…” she wasn’t sure how to tackle this one.  “Would you like to talk about it?” She said. She didn’t like putting the pressure back onto her, but it’s all she could think to do right now.  “What is there really to say?” Rainbow Dash replied, looking up at her. “My girlfriends on the other side of Equestria freaking out because her girlfriend isn’t really her girlfriend anymore and I’m freaking out because I’m not really her girlfriend anymore.” She said, immediately putting more of the cake in her mouth.  AppleJack nodded in understanding. “Ah see… I understand how you’re feeling…” “No you dont.” She said shortly. “You just don’t.” Crossing her hooves, she looked out the window, watching the clouds go by.  “She’s the only thing that gets me up in the morning. The only pony I don’t feel like I have to put on a show for. The only pony that I don't have to prove anything too. She doesn’t care if I’m slow one day or not feeling awesome the next; she’s always just there, helping me keep going, even before when we were dating. And when I AM at my full awesome best, she’s my biggest cheerleader. What more could you ask for?” She looked at AppleJack. “And in return, I get to help the prettiest mare in Equestria come out of her shell and show the world how lucky I am to have somepony as sweet and caring as her looking out for me.” She said, her ears flattened down as she looked out the window forlornly again. “Somepony I promised I’d never leave.”  AppleJack’s heart dropped as she spoke. She always knew that Rainbow had self esteem issues and they drove her to be the best in a provable way. She didn’t realise how dependent on Fluttershy she had become, almost to the same degree that Fluttershy was dependent on her.  RainbowDash seemed to realise how much she had just given away, so quickly scrambled to put her usual demeanour back on. “Plus! She’s a good kisser, even if she does smell a bit like the woods!” AppleJack laughed supportively. “Ain’t that the truth!” She responded in an endearing way. She wasn’t about to spill about how she thought about Rarity; there was no sense muddying the water any more. “Main thing to remember is, We and the others are going to sort out this whole mess. Plus, we get the easy bit; all we gotta do is withdraw a rock from a bank.”  “Pfft… yeah…” Replied the Temporary unicorn, who was getting annoyed at said horn as it meant she couldn’t lean against the window like she usually did. “I’ve never even been to a bank before, but it doesn’t seem too difficult. I mean, how hard can it be?” Rainbow Dash could barely hear herself think as her and AppleJack entered the bank; it was swarming with desperate ponies, all muttering to each other as they queued all the way back to the doors. There had to be at least 600 ponies in the room. The queue seemed to be shifting at a good rate, but nopony seemed to be actually withdrawing anything.  “No way I’m waiting in that! Come on.” Said Rainbow Dash as she put on what could only be described as a smug expression and started marching past the queue. AppleJack’s ears shot up as she quickly ran in front of her and blocked her path. “what the hell are you doing!?” She hissed quietly, as other ponies in the room started noticing them. “Don’t worry! I’ve seen Rarity do this hundreds of times!”  “You ain’t Rarity though.”  “Oh, am I not, darling? Hmmm???” She said in an alluring voice,  batting her eyelids. AppleJack hated that it kind of sounded like her. “But we can’t just lie! It’s so dishonest! Please, let’s just-“ she started, before glancing around her. EVERYPONY was staring at them. AppleJack could hear the whispers from the crowd.  “Is that AppleJack and Rarity?” “The elements of harmony?” “Surely they’ll know what’s going on!”  “Maybe they’ll get us all of our things! We’re saved!” Rainbow Dash winked softly. “I think we have the room, my dear.”  AppleJack shuddered a little.  Rainbow Dash proceeded to trot up to the counter, with AppleJack following behind, hat covering her eyes from embarrassment. As Rainbow Dash approached the counter, the pegasus who was getting served backed away, leaving the young and nervous looking colt stranded alone with the full force of Rainbow Dash’s Rarity impression.  “Well hello there, Daaaaarling! I was just wondering if you could be ever so kind and guide me to my vault? There’s something rather important I need to take out?”  “U-Uhm… I…” the colt looked terrified. AppleJack’s eyes narrowed, looking at the name tag. ‘Buck Teller - Trainee’ Poor lad… probably one of the few remaining staff who’s in the right body.  “Oh! And if you do it quickly, I’ll throw in a free hat for you! Perfectly tailored by the best seamstress in Equestria!” “I-I’m sorry, M-Miss Rarity, but-“ he started, but Rainbow Dash cut her off.  “Aha! So you know who I am! Even better!”  AppleJack rolled her eyes. She would be having words with her later.  “Y-Yes, but uhm… I c-can’t. N-Nopony can take anything out of the vaults.”  “What!?” Rainbow Dash broke character a bit. “I-I-I mean!!! Why ever not? Darling? My Dear? My little sugar plumb fairy? My… why? Not?”  “W-We’ve been told by upper management not to l-let anypony withdraw anything under any circumstance u-until this whole swapping crisis is over.”  Rainbow Dash was at a loss for words. She blinked a few times, before deciding to try another angle. “Listen here, Bucky.” She said in a low voice. “This is to save Equestria! Do you know who I am!? I’m Rarity Belle! You know? Saved Equestria hundreds of times? I think you can make an exception.” AppleJack groaned. Rainbow Dash clearly hadn’t spent enough time with Rarity to know that she would never, ever invoke her name to try and get something.  “U-Uhm, we… w-we can’t prove it’s you. Y-You could be pretending.” He said nervously.  “I am NOT pretending! HAHAHAHAH!” She said, laughing nervously. “Come on AppleJack! Tell them it’s me! Rarity!” She said, sticking out her bottom lip at her. AppleJack was caught between a hoof and a barn. It would be so easy to lie. It might even save Equestria… but Rainbow Dash’s little display had irked her enough that even the threat of annihilation wouldn’t shake her from her morales. She let a big deep sigh. “Come on, Rainbow Dash. We’re just gonna have to find a gem like that somewhere else.”  Rainbow Dash spluttered about for a moment, before growling. She angrily pushed over a pot of pens at the poor trainee’s desk before storming away, horn sparking a little.  AppleJack looked around at the crowd who were now all staring at her specifically. She tipped her hat nervously before quickly heading out after Rainbow Dash. They crossed the street to the park, where Rainbow turned to AJ, furious. “What the HELL was that for!?” She growled, horn sparking some more.  “I told you! I don’t do lying! And if nopony can withdraw anything, then we can’t see ourselves above anypony else!” She snapped back. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Mrs High and Mighty Moral Maze, but I’m in the wrong FUCKING body, and I’d quite like to fix that as soon as I can, so I can get BACK to my AWESOME GIRLFRIEND!” She snarled back at her. Despite being about 2 thirds of AppleJack’s height, seeing Rainbow Dash snarling (as Rarity) was still an intimidating sight, especially since AppleJack knew that if a fight started she would be unable to lay a hoof on Rarity’s body, no matter who inhabited it.  “That’s true and I understand why you’re feelin’ like that, Dash, but you were still treating that poor clerk like dirt!”  “What has HE got to do with any of it!? I had him right on the sole of my hoof and you just-“ she clapped her front hooves together. “SQUASHED it!” AppleJack could feel her frustration bubbling up. “Oh Please, Rainbow Dash, don’t give me that! Don’t turn this on me! Your dreadful impression would have made Rarity sick! She’d never act like that!” “OooHhh, and SUDDENLY you’re a Rarity expert! What, you fancy her or something!?” She said, spitting a bit as she got right up in her face, their muzzles inches away from each other .  AppleJack felt like she had just been flashbanged.  “I- Uhm-“ said AppleJack, eyes widening. She stumbled over her words and couldn’t get anything out.  Rainbow Dash continued to snarl before realising what AppleJack’s blush and lack of a real response meant. Her eyes widened too and she backed off, sitting down.  AppleJack did the same, and the pair sat awkwardly for a few moments. Eventually, Rainbow piped up.  “Uhm… S-Sorry, AJ, I didn’t-“ Rainbow started. “No, no. It’s fine. I know you’re stressed. It’s not your fault.” AppleJack replied awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.  “Doesn’t mean I had an excuse to shout at you like that.” Rainbow Dash said sadly. Her realisation of AppleJacks feelings about the body she was inhabiting reealllyy put a bad taste in the air, especially with how much she had been shouting at her.  “… how in the hay are we meant to get a gemstone like that…” mumbled AppleJack, trying to change the subject.  “You could always rob the bank.” came a monotone voice.  Both mares screamed as they found a filly with scissors for a cutie mark staring up at them with inexpressive eyes, sitting patiently beside them.  It was Babs Seed!  “GUAHH! Babs! What are you doin’ here! How long have you b-been… how much did you hear?“ AppleJack was blushing a little, and held her hat to her fuzzy chest. “I heard that she is Rainbow Dash and you are in love with Rarity. And I’m not Babs Seed. I’m Maud Pie. I know how to make a bomb.” She replied in the same monotone voice.! AppleJack and Rainbow Dash looked at eachother, then back at Maud. That had to be one of the most loaded statements of all time.  “Maud? How did you get… here” AppleJack said in slight disbelief.  “I walked.” She replied. “Ok, yep. Thaaats Maud.” Said Rainbow Dash. “Now, moving back to what you were saying earlier…” “We can break into the bank and steal the gem you wanted. I heard you talk about it at the bank and then here. I don’t like being this short. Even though I am closer to the rocks on the floor, I am too short to go rock climbing.” She said, holding up her badly grazed leg. AJ and Rainbow both winced.  “Maud, we can’t just break into a bank! That’s wrong! And Illegal!” Complained AppleJack. “There has to be another 7 carat Ruby from the dragonlands SOMEWHERE in Manehatten-“  “there isn’t.” Maud quickly interjected.  “And how do YOU know?” Asked Rainbow Dash.  “I know a lot about rocks.”  Rainbow Dash went to go in with a counter argument, but failed to gather words, and backed down. Maud was right. She did know a lot about rocks.  “Okay then. Well, let’s do it then! Let’s rob a bank!” Rainbow Dash declared. “How do we get in?” “RAINBOW DASH! NO!” AJ put her hoof down. “We are NOT robbing a bank! I REFUSE!”  “Oh come on, AppleJack! You’ve always wanted to be a criminal!” Teased Rainbow Dash. “What!? Since When!?” “Applejack.” Maud said shortly. AppleJack looked down at her. “If we don’t, Rarity will be RainbowDash forever.” Said Maud, staring directly at AppleJack as if she was reading her very soul. AppleJack was once again flashbanged. “I…” she started, wincing a little, before groaning, putting a head in her hoof.  There was no other way to get one of these gems, right? And there is no way they’d be getting into this vault through the proper channels… right? “… Fine.” “WAHOO! HELL YEAH!” Celebrated Rainbow Dash. “I’ve ALWAYS wanted to rob a bank!” “yay.” “BUT!!!” She stopped them. “No Bomb.” “That's sad.”  “And NO hurting anypony.”  “Fine…” “That’s ok. I don’t like hurting others. Unless it's emotionally.” “Okay! Okay. Let’s-“ She only registered what Maud had said a few seconds after she said it, and stared at her. She stared back, emotionless as ever, wearing the face of Babs Seed.  Houyggh.  “L-Let’s make a plan.” She said, and looked down at the dusty floor to start drawing a little map.  “I know the best way in.” Maud mentioned, casually.  AppleJack looked at Maud. “How? You’re a rock farmer. How in Equestria do you know how to rob a bank!?” “I learned.” “I… Ok. Checks out.”  Couldn’t argue with that. “Rosemary!!! Daaarrrlliiinnnggggg!!! How aaarrreeeeee youuuuu!”  Rainbow Dash, in her spiritual Rarity cosplay, happily walked into the flower shop next to the bank, where the flower covered mare behind the counter squealed in delight. AppleJack and Babs followed in after them. AJ knew Rosemary vaguely as one of Rarity’s Manehattan contacts, but Rainbow Dash had apparently had to sit through an entire cafe dinner with them, wanting no more than to fly into a window and get stunned like a bird.  “Raaarityy!!!! How are you!” Rosemary exclaimed, moving in for a hug. Rarity stopped her. ‘Huuubupbupbup!! I’m on a strictly no touch policy! My mane must be PERFECT as I am going on tour with AppleJack here! We are going to tour the land and cheer everypony up! Which reminds me, can we borrow your cellar for a bit? I need to stay out of sunlight for an hour to perfect my contour.” Rosemary nodded happily. “Anything for you, Rarity belle!” She said, and showed them to the basement.  “Thhhannkkk you Dddaaarrling!!!!”  The three would be bank robbers descended down into the cellar, the trap door above them closing. “… how the fuck did that work!?”  Rainbow Dash let out a little laugh of disbelief.  “It’s Rairity’s pretty privilege.” Said AppleJack, smirking a little as she went up to the wall. She was only half joking. “WHAT! Are you saying I’M not pretty usually?” Rainbow Dash complained, but she was smiling. She wasn't taking it badly. “you are, but you never shower.”  Maud could be brutal sometimes. “… Point taken.” “… Dash, are you sure that the rest of this plan is gonna work?” Asked Applejack, as she turned her hind legs to the wall. “Pfft, of course?” “And you’re not just saying that because we’re already here?” “When have I ever sent anypony astrayyyyyokay don’t answer that.”  AppleJack shook her head. “If Granny Smith ever finds out about this… I’ll be apple pie.” She said, and turning around, struck the wall with a powerful kick. The wall crumbled almost immediately, leaving even AppleJack somewhat surprised. Either the wall was very old, or AppleJack was far stronger than she even realised. “WHAT IN EQUESTRIA!?” Rosemary had opened the hatch and was staring down at the three.  “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”  “we’re robbing a bank.” Said Maud.  “MAUD!” Groaned Rainbow Dash. “Don’t worry about it, Rosey! It’s to save the world!”  She hopped through the new hole, Maud following behind quickly. AppleJack was left there standing on her own, looking up at a flabbergasted Rosemary.  “Uhm… Ma’am.” She said, gently tipping her cowboy hat and heading through the hole with the others.  The basement vault level of the bank seemed deserted.  “Okay… we just gotta find Rarity’s vault!” Rainbow Dash declared. “Number 637! Looks like it’s… this way! Come my daaarllinngggs!” AppleJack couldn’t quite believe that she was doing this. Robbing a bank with a Rainbow Dash who looked like Rarity, and a Maud that looked like her little cousin.  By Celestia, this was confusing.  Eventually, after a lot of searching, they came to the right bank vault. It had a huge almost comically large brass door, and had the signature of one Rarity Belle on the plaque beside it. “FINALLY!” said Rainbow Dash, and went to turn the safe handles. Nothing happened. “Huh. That's weird. Why’s it not moving?” “You need to put the code in by turning the little spinner.” Said AppleJack, who seemed to be starting to get a little twitchy. It had been about 6 minutes since they had busted down that wall, and she kept on thinking she could hear distant hoofsteps. “Oh! Awesome! What is the code?” Rainbow Dash asked. AppleJack turned to look at Rainbow Dash. She could feel her eye twitch a little. “Did you not get the code from Rarity!?”  “I thought the guy at the bank would have the code!” “THEN HOW-” She stopped herself from shouting anymore. “Sorry. Ok. Do we have a backup plan.” “I do.” said Maud, pulling out what looked like a pipe bomb from her small bag. “MAUD!” said AppleJack with fear, putting her hooves up. “W-When did you have time-” “I’ve been carrying one around for a few days now, ever since I became short and southern. I thought it could come in useful.” “I said no bomb!” AppleJack said firmly. “It could take this whole building down!” “Fine.” Maud put it away. Rainbow Dash looked disappointed. “I wanted to see the bomb…” AppleJack looked at the safe, and approached it. She shut her eyes tight. Think, AppleJack… Think… What could the code possibly be? It was one that Rarity had set, so…  She put her hoof on the wheel, and turned it to 4. Then, she turned it to 7. Her birthday; July 4th. What other numbers were significant to Rarity? … Silently, she turned the dial to 54. The number Rarity had got when they had gone bowling together.  Then… she turned it to 123. The number she had got. She took a deep breath, and turned the handle. It didn’t budge.  Disappointment flowed through her as she sat back down, hat over eyes. Rainbow Dash tilted her head.  AJ scolded herself. She was a fool to think Rarity really cared about her like that. Why would she remember just a dumb little bowling game they had shared? It’s not that it actually meant anything to her. Why would she set her bank code to something like that!? Rarity had far more important things to worry about. Rainbow Dash looked at her, noticing the frustrated  little blush on AppleJack’s cheeks.  “Uhh… don’t suppose you know what I should do in this situation?” She whispered to Maud. Maud looked at her dead in the eyes.  “if you are coming to me for emotional advice…” she turned back to look at AppleJack. “We truly are fucked.” AppleJack looked up. There was Rarity… and yet it wasn’t her. And that hurt so much.  “Now is not the time…” she growled to herself, but quite audibly. “Why is this hurtin’ so much all of a sudden!?” She said, seemingly asking Rainbow Dash pleadingly. “I was fine before! Everything was fine! But now she ain’t her, she’s you- why does it sting like nettles on the muzzle!?” “I… uhhhhh….” She said, glancing to Maud (who was busy looking at a snail on the floor. Effervescent). Great.  “Uhm… well I… I know that it’s… it’s not easy being in the wrong body. And I’m really sorry that I’m in THIS body and it’s causing so much problems for you. So… I’m going to do what I think Rarity would do right now to try and make you feel better.” She said, and took a deep breath, and walked up to her.  … SMACK. “HAY-“ “AppleJack! SNAP! Out of it! You can admire and fawn over Rarity later, now go and get that bank vault open! I don’t care if you have to destroy the whole BUILDING!…”  The pair were right up in eachothers faces now again, AppleJack blushing crimson.  Rainbow was getting better at this.  Without even thinking, AppleJack stood up and with a single powerful kick of both hind legs completely bashed in the vault door.  Alarms started blaring, red light filling the corridors as the distant sound of hooves could be heard echoing down the hallways.  AppleJack blinked. She didn’t know she had the power to do that.  “Looks like you being down bad for Rarity really makes you strong.” Maud commented, casually walking past the others and into the vault.  “Gosh darn, she doesn’t let up.” murmured Rainbow, rushing in after her. Applejack was, once again, left flashbanged.  “HEY! HOOVES UP!”  AppleJack flinched as the magic beam crossed over her head. The guards were here; a few unicorns, two Pegasi one real burly looking earth pony were Charing towards them, all wearing dark glasses and ear pieces.  “Shoot.” She grumbled, leaping on into the vault. The constant droning of the alarm was making her mind start to go a bit fuzzy. She turned to face the hole in the wall, ready to defend herself. It didn’t count as hurting other ponies if it was self defense.  Even though they kind of did instigate this by breaking the bank's property.  “Where is it… AHA! Found it! Look, AJ! I found the gem! It's right here! Next to… a…”  “Next to a what?” AJ asked, but it sharpened into a pinpoint focus when she turned to check what Rainbow Dash was looking at. Nexto the gemstone was a small cardboard crate labeled 'For future use'. A dazzling, gem encrusted hat that shimmered as the red light's rotating beams passed over it. It was exactly AppleJack's size, and had two small love hearts embroidered on each size. One yellow, like her hair. One purple, like Rarity's hair. Love hearts. It was in her vault. To be used for future use. What. “AJ! BEHIND YOU!” AppleJack didn’t even flinch as she kicked behind her, sending the huge earth pony flying.  “DARN! U-UH! SORRY, SIR!” She cried out as the Pegasus flew at her. Her general unsteadiness and the Pegasus’s training caused her to lose her footing, leaving her on the floor trying to swat the pegasus away.  Maud had attached herself to a pegasi like a gremlin, causing much confusion and delay. Rainbow Dash was left facing off against a pegasus. She grinned, and spread her wings out wide, forgetting she didn’t have wings anymore. She blinked as the pegasus charged. She let out a squeak and managed to duck, the pegasus managing to stop themself hitting a wall.  What would Rarity do? Rainbow Dash focused hard on her horn, channelling all the latent magic there. “Magic super rainbow death laserrrrrrr…. ACTIVATE!” Her horn sparked weakly. “I said ACTIVATE!” She said frustratedly, shaking her horn around like somepony trying to use a lighter.  “YAH NEED TO…” AppleJack was struggling to get her hoofing again. “E-EMOTION! HAVE STRONG EMOTION!” “I'M TRYING MY BEST!” She snarled at her in frustration and as she did the beam of energy shot out, clocking the Pegasus in the wing and causing them to spin out and get knocked out by hitting their head off a the vault’s wall. “Oh wow-“ she said, glancing over at AppleJack who had successfully thrown the Pegasus into one of the unicorns.  “Alright!! Just four l-“ Applejack had started speaking, but was stopped by the form of the filly currently inhabited by Maud tying up the final unicorn with rope and looking up at her.  “How did- how in Equestria did you do that!?” AppleJack asked. “I used rope.”  “Why did I think I’d get a response. Come on!” She said, scooping up Rainbow and Maud onto her back and started galloping down the hallway. Eventually, they reached the hole they had entered, but upon looking inside, there were at least 20 Manehatten Guard ponies waiting there to attack. So that wasn’t an option.  The gang kept on running, and with hoof steps echoing around the maze like hallways of the lower vaults, they eventually found some stairs headed upwards. Unfortunately, it was stairs into another section of the vaults. However, as AppleJack strained, she could hear the very faint noises of ponies and taxis up above. “We’re under a street. I can tell by the moisture and decay on the rocks here.” Maud pointed out. “Okay… so we just need to get up above, right?” Said AppleJack, frowning. Even with her incredible strength. She couldn’t just bust through five feet of bedrock.  “How are we meant to do that!? We’d need a stupid amount of power! I don’t know how to use this horn yet, nothing less than a BOMB would get us-“ The two ponies eyes met, then slowly turned to Maud. Maud was already holding the device. “Oh. So now you want a bomb.”  It had already been a strange day in Manehattan.  But the street outside the bank violently exploding and two elements of harmony along with a child bursting out and escaping into the distance really took the cake.  The ensuing chase had left a fair amount of destruction in their wake, with a couple of smashed windows and broken street lamps as the large majority of the Manehatten guard was seemingly after them. Thankfully, from some clever pathfinding from Rainbow dash and the brick wall destroying powers of AppleJack, the pair had managed to escape to an abandoned house by the harbour, where they now sat, exhausted. The pair looked at each other as they lay down, grins wide on their faces. Applejack’s was an unbelievable one of ‘Did we just do that?’ whereas Rainbow Dash’s was one of ‘HOLY SHIT WE JUST DID THAT!’. “I need to leave now.” Maud declared suddenly and started walking out.  “W-Wait!” Cried Rainbow Dash. “You can’t just leave!?”  “I can. I am able to move my legs…” she shook each leg. “And when I move all four of them in unison.. I am able to walk to the door.” She displayed this by walking to the door. “Where are you going to go?” Asked AppleJack, the big horse rolling onto her front. “Please, Maud. You’re in my little cousin’s body. I just want to make sure that you’re going to be safe.“ “I’m going back to Babs’s parents house. they will want to protect their daughter from the horse guard. I look like their daughter. They will understand.’ she looked out the door, and back at them. “I am very happy to call you two my friends. Good luck with saving Equestria.”  And with that, she unceremoniously walked out.  Rainbow Dash chuckled.  “She sure is something…” she said, before moving onto more important matters. “So… what’s the plan?” “Well… I reckon we lay low until about midnight. Then… we’ll have to…” she shut her eyes. “B-Borrow a boat.”  “Borrow?” “Ok, fine, steal. B-But we’re bringing it back when this is all over!”  Rainbow Dash laughed at her, but AJ could tell it wasn’t one of cruelty. “Honest Apple, eh?” AppleJack rolled her eyes, before getting out the small Crystal they had ‘withdrawn’ from the bank.  “All of that chaos for this Little Rock…” she said, turning it in her hoof.  It was shiny. Very shiny. AppleJack didn’t realise how shiny until it was too late. She saw herself reflected in the gemstone. What she did next was accidental. It didn’t even register that it’s something that she shouldn’t do.  AppleJack Blinked. Without warning, AppleJack was on the floor, making a horrible mangled crying noise. Of course, it was no longer AppleJack.  As fate would cruelly twist it, this moment coincided exactly with when Fluttershy had been startled all the way at the peaks of the Crystal mountains. Two reflections, connected by a curse.  AppleJack and Fluttershy had swapped.  Fluttershy, now in AppleJack’s body,  was left coughing and spluttering, in a completely different room than she had been in before. Everything felt wrong. She could hear a voice trying to speak to her, but her head was swimming.  Her body felt so much bigger than it had before. As she coughed, she felt the weird way her tongue felt in her mouth, and her lack of fangs as she ran her tongue along her teeth.  She knew what had to have happened.  She had swapped with somepony. She let out a guttural cry of disorientation and shut her eyes tight, and tried to curl up into a tiny ball. Her huge frame didn’t allow this, however, and it was only as she felt a hoof on her shoulder that she really tuned into what was being said to her.  “A-AppleJack? Are you ok? Wait. Shit. You’re not…” Rarity!? But the real rarity was with her! Which means this had to be… Did she call her… Oh no. Very slowly, she opened her eyes, and was greeted with the worn leather of a sunworn hat.  She knew immediately who she was. The thought was making her more nauseous by the moment. “Uhm…” she managed to get out, the voice coming out being far lower and louder than her usual squeak. This made her stomach churn as it confirmed her fear. She was AppleJack. She felt the hat get tilted up, and she saw the body of Rarity looking down at her.  “Hi! Uhm, I’m Rainbow Dash. Now tell me who you are or I’ll- uhm- I’ll… use magic!” She blinked. Rarity. No. Not Rarity. Rainbow… RAINBOWDASH! “F… fl….” She stuttered out in a mix of shock, happiness and severe emotional breakdown. Rainbow narrowed her eyes. “Fl? Go on! Spit it out!” “I-I’m… Flu… fl-“ she managed to get out before suddenly she felt Rarity’s forelegs suddenly surround her.  RainbowDash knew. Immediately. There is nopony else who spoke in that tone… “You’re… you’re here… I’m… oh, Fluts… I-I-I’ve missed you… I’m so sorry…” she said, opening sobbing. This in turn made the floodgates for Fluttershy burst wide open too, and the pair were left in each other’s embrace, into each other's necks… Fluttershy was inconsolable. She had failed. The one thing she had told Twilight she could be useful for. She had failed. She now knew why she could see her reflection. Centuries ago, mirrors were lined with silver to help them reflect. Silver was a vampire's weakness, and she had read somewhere that vampires could see their reflection in them. Vampires… Her tongue ran along her flat teeth. She didn’t feel the empty feeling of blood. If she didn’t… Then who did. Fluttershy suddenly screamed, skidding upwards and slamming against a wall, the whole foundations of the building shaking with her unknown strength. Rainbow Dash tried to reassure her. “Hey! Hey! S-Stay calm! F-Fluts! Please! We can do this! We can-“ “N-NO! Y-YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” She wailed, smashing her hoof into the floorboard, cracking it in two.  “A-AppleJack is m-me now! And… she… she doesn’t know…” She froze still, staring at the floor. She had realised something terrible. “A-AppleJack will find out I-I’m a vampire!”  There was a horrible long pause. Fluttershy slowly looked up at Rainbow Dash who looked back with a terrified, perplexed expression. Fluttershy didn't mean to say that.  Eventually, Rainbow Dash managed to sputter out: “You’re a WHAT!?”