Equestria Girls: Reimagined

by Candle Light

Chapter Five

Twilight quickly learned that this Applejack, just like her Equestrian counterpart, also lived on a farm on the outskirts of town. The converted barn looked nearly identical on from the outside, although Twilight was facinated by how all the furniture on the inside seemed bigger than what she was used to, so as to accomidate for the taller human bodies.

She had not been mistaken about Granny Smith being the lunch lady, and she welcomed Twilight with a big, friendly hug. Apple Bloom launched into all sorts of questions: where she was from, what she thought of her first day at school, how long she would be staying. Dinnertime was lively, if nothing else. And delicious.

Applejack’s room was bright and cozy, if messy. “Let me just get the spare mattress,” she said, and began rummaging through the closet. Spike was already asleep on Applejack’s bed. “Here we go. So Twi—can I call you Twi?”

“Sure.”

“So Twi, have you given some thought as to how you’re gonna take on Sunset Shimmer?”

“Uh, not a whole lot,” she admitted. “B-but I’ve talked to the head of the music club, and he says he’ll help me.”

“That doesn’t surprise me; good ol’ Flash’ll help just about anybody who isn't a downright criminal. Though I suppose this time it’s a lot more personal, Sunset being his ex and all.”

“I’ll have to talk to Rainbow Dash first thing tomorrow,” Twilight said. Applejack scoffed, and Twilight decided to just go for it. “I'm guess something must have happened between the two, huh.”

“Nah, she just gets on my nerve, is all. You know how it is, sometimes some people just aren’t meant to be friends.” The words felt like literal stabs in her heart. “But if you can find a way to get her on our side, Ah promise Ah won't make a fuss. If there’s one thing we can both agree on, it’s that Sunset Shimmer needs to be be put down a peg or three.”

Applejack retrieved some sheets and blanket from the closet, and was making the bed. “I could help you with that, if you—”

“Psh, nonsense, you’re a guest here tonight. Say, why don’t you go take a shower; it’s to the right, just past Apple Bloom’s room. Or maybe you’re the shower-in-the-morning type.”

“A shower does sound nice,” Twilight said thankfully.

“Take your time.”

A trip down the corridor later, she found the right room. Pulling her clothes off—some garments requiring more effort than others—she spent some minutes studying her hairless body in in the mirror. The exposed human skin was softer than a pony’s, and from the feel of it, their muscles not as well-toned. Also, it was prone to cold. She turned on the shower and stepped inside. Without the thin layer of pony fur, the drops had more of an impact, but she soon grew to enjoy the sensation.

A moment of peace. A moment to think. Showers were the same in any world. And right now, her friends occupied most of her thoughts; or more specifically, the other-world versions, who weren’t technically her friends yet. She had to keep reminding herself that these weren’t actually the same people. And as strange as it seemed, they might not even have anything to do with the Elements of Harmony. Just because this was a Mirror World, it didn’t mean that it reflected Equestria one-to-one.

That being said, everybody else seemed to have the same overall personalities, so she didn’t buy the idea that Applejack and Rainbow Dash ‘weren’t meant to be friends.’ There was a very real possibility that an external source of trouble had come between them. Somebody who relished in planting seeds of distrust.

Wasn’t there an article Twilight had once read on inverted magic properties? She had done some major research on the subject after Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony, had wreaked havoc on Equestria. There was this theory, the principle of magic reversal, that stated that magic put through dense magic fields could change its fundamental nature… and this world right here was definitely a ‘dense magic field’.

Maybe—though she couldn’t prove any of it just yet—those five were connected to the Elements of Harmony after all. And in order to harness that power for her own ends, Sunset Shimmer had created a rift between them. That’s why she needed Twilight’s crown which, if the principle of magic reversal was correct, would have turned into a vessel for disharmony when brought through the portal. That was the only explanation that made sense. Heck, that was probably the reason she had messed with the school’s social structure to begin with. She wanted to use Twilight’s own Element against her, give her the ultimate humiliation, and then…

Then… what, exactly? Conquer Equestria? That couldn’t be it; Sunset wouldn’t risk breaking the portal. She herself had pointed out the dangers of overusing it.

She wanted this world, Twilight realized. She wasn’t content being a figure of power and wealth. She wanted to rule it all. Create a nation of her own, to rival Celestia’s. Well. Twilight wasn’t about to abandon the people of this world so easily. Tomorrow, the battle would begin in earnest.

Between Applejack’s snoring and the constant pressure of what was about to come, Twilight didn’t fall asleep until after 2AM, despite how tired she had been the day before. This left her with five hours of sleep before Applejack’s alarm clock went off.

“Wha, wha? What’s the fire?” Spike said, jumping around on the bed in a half-awake state.

“It’s not a fire, Spike,” Twilight yawned, “it’s just…” But then she remembered herself, and clasped her hands to her mouth. Spike’s eyes widened, understanding what he’d done, and did the same.

They waited in bated breath as Applejack stirred. Her hair looked as though it had been hit by a hurricane, and would probably make Rarity faint. “Hey,” she said, “does your dog talk, by any chance?”

“W-what? No, that’s silly.”

Applejack yawned. “Ah know, must’ve been dreaming. Well, time to face another day. You can go ahead and get some breakfast while Ah take a shower.”

Twilight happily obliged, leaving the room, both of them letting out a sigh of relief. Downstairs, Granny Smith was in full blast making breakfast.

“Hello, dear,” she greeted. “Had a nice sleep?”

“Nice enough,” she replied, though truth be told, her head was still all foggy. With a soft smile, she added, “Must be hard work, cooking dinner to your family, and then go straight to school to do more cooking.”

“It’s what Ah live for,” Granny Smith replied. “Apple Pie?”

“Oh yes, please.”

Applejack came along before she had time to finish it, fully clothed. Was it the same clothes from yesterday, or an identical set? And for that matter, what Twilight was wearing seemed to be her only set. Wearing them two days in a row was probably fine, but eventually she would have to find a way to wash them.

Speaking of things she needed to take care of. “Say Applejack, where can I buy a phone around here? Preferably one that’s not too expensive…”

It made her eyebrows raise. “You don’t have a phone?”

“Nope…”

“Now that might be a problem if you’re gonna try and get people on yer side; they’d wanna be able to get it touch with ya.” Her face suddenly lit up. “Hold on just a moment!” With that, she ran up the stairs. She really did only have to wait a moment before she came back again, holding a small red object. “You can just plain have this one. I was my very first phone; a bit old now, but it should get the job done. Got some money left on the card, too.”

“Your first? Are you sure?”

“Well Ah am counting on y’all to get rid of Sunset Shimmer for us; Ah’m just tryna help in any way Ah can. Go on, take it.”

“Thank you.” She gave it a careful look-over. “How do I turn it on?”

“There’s a button in the side, see?” And so Applejack spent a couple of minutes showing her how to navigate the phone and entering numbers; it even had things like dictionaries and calculators. Apparently, some people even read whole books on these things!

Done eating breakfast, Applejack went upstairs to wake up Apple Bloom, and before too long, they were riding the bus towards the school. These local train-like transport on wheels still fascinated her, but they were incredibly noisy. In the very back, she spotted Fluttershy, and a few rows ahead, she saw a multicolored hairdo that could only belong to Rainbow Dash. I’ll get to talk to her soon, she told herself. But not here. This is worse than the cafeteria!

The bus stopped, and she was back on the school grounds of Canterlot High. She and Applejack were moving with the crowd towards the campus, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Best of luck to you, Twilight Sparkle. Looking forward to a fair competition.”

Sunset’s Shimmer’s greeting caught the eyes of many. Some averted their eyes, others looked on curiously, but why were so many of them snickering?”

“Don’t we all,” Applejack replied for her. “Now if you’ll excuse us.” She all but dragged Twilight off. She saw Sunset crack a grin, before too many students blocked her view.

“Here’s what Ah’d do if Ah were you,” Applejack began, arriving at a wall of lockers. “Skip a class or two, and head straight for the northwest wing; that’s where the fashionistas do their fancy fru-fru thing. Rarity should be there now; her classes won’t start until eight-thirty. She’s a safer bet than Rainbow Dash, and right now, we need to get people on your side stat. Ah did not like the look on that smug face.”

“Neither did I,” Twilight agreed. It worked out perfectly; she was going to have to ‘skip’ class anyway. “Alright, thanks for everything, Applejack.”

“See ya later, sugar cube,” she replied. “Give me a call when ya need me.”

“Hey look, it’s her.”

“Got used to the city yet, pumpkin?”

“Good luck at the Fall Formal!”

These were only some of the passing comments Twilight had received on her way to the northwest wing. Was being from out of town really so exotic and amusing that they needed to laugh at her for it? Maybe there were more bullies at this school than she’d thought.

“This should be the door,” Twilight said, because of the sign that said ‘Fashion Club’. Spike was running around her legs, his tail waggling at full speed from the excitement of finally getting to meet Rarity. She opened the door.

“Hello?” she called. It was a cozy little room, the wallpapers bright and decorative, some sewing machines on a table by a corner, and a a few sofas in the middle of the room. A green-haired female student that wasn’t Rarity looked up at her, and for some reason, gave her a chuckle. Undeterred, Twilight asked, “I’m looking for Rarity, whom I’ve been told would be here.”

“I’ll bet,” the student said with a laugh. “She should be in the side room over there.”

“Did I hear someone was looking for me?” Rarity said, who appeared through said side room just a second later. She didn’t have her horn, obviously, but otherwise, this was Rarity. She wore a light-blue shirt, and deep purple dress with a picture of her cutie mark on it. Her eyes met with Twilight’s, and she startled. “Oh! Well, I’ve certainly been expecting you; right this way.”

“Excuse me? I mean, you have?”

“You’re not the first, dear; fixing up disguises has become a bit of a side business.”

“She’s the best!” the student vouched. “You think this is my real hair?”

“Now hold on!” Twilight said, but Rarity had already ushered her into the small room and closed the door. “Why do I need a disguise?”

“Your build seem to be around the average,” she muttered, clearly having entered ‘the zone’. “The hair might pose a problem, but with a hair net, you could pull off something like what Summer Breeze has, if you don’t mind big and bushy.”

Already she was taking measurements. Spike was looking at her with a dreamy expression, but Rarity only had eyes for her work. “Please, could you explain why—”

“That dress you’re wearing is exquisite! It’s too bad we’ll have to chuck it out; too recognizable.”

“Stop it!” Twilight lashed out. This finally got Rarity’s attention, though she looked almost hurt. “I’m sorry, but could you please just tell me what's going on? People are laughing at me in the corridors, and now you’re telling me I need a disguise?”

Hurt switched over to horror. “Oh dear… you haven’t see it yet?”

“Seen what?”

“She hasn’t seen it yet,” she said, mostly to herself. Then she took a deep breath, and pulled out her phone. “Alright, sweetheart, I’ll show you, but uh… prepare yourself for a bit of a shock.”

Though Twilight didn’t know what, she had a fair idea of who. “I can take anything Sunset Shimmer can dish out.”

“Good.” She pressed the screen, and a video started playing.

“Students of CHS,” Sunsets voice, as silky as it was insincere, played over a picture of the high school, “as you all know, the Fall Formal is just around the corner, and this year, we have a treat for you: a new challenger. Very new; young Twilight Sparkle,” the video cut to Twilight walking through the corridor, taken from around a corner, “has only just transfered to our school. But instead of letting the new school life sink in, and enjoy everything we at CHS has to offer, Twilight thought she would jumps straight into thick of it, and challenge yours truly for the title of Princess of the Fall Formal. And of course, I couldn’t be more delighted.”

The video changed, now showing Twilight in the library, talking to Miss Cheerilee. It was during the time when she had shown Twilight what a phone was. “But I see a few, uhm, complications. It appears our Twilight Sparkle is so new, her brain seems a little, how should I put this, underdeveloped.”

Sunset’s voice gave way for sound recorded from the camera people’s hiding place. “…but this one is small enough to keep in your pocket,” Cheerilee was saying. “It can do all sorts of things as well; take pictures, record video, look up things on the internet… which is like a sort of information hub.”

Then it cut to Twilight sitting by the computer, the librarian explaining what a mouse pointer was. The image froze on a very unflattering image of Twilight, who looked as though she was a cave pony—human—discovering a rock for the first time. “I mean, maybe I’m being unfair, but I think our school deserves better than this. Best of luck to her next year, but for now, learn how to work that refrigerator, honey.”

It showed the school again. “The Fall Formal will happen in just two days. You know who to vote for.”

Twilight only stared, even as the video ended. “You see now,” Rarity said, pocketing the phone and picking the measurement tools back up. “If you’re to have a slimmer of a chance to beat her now, you can’t associate yourself with this Twilight on in the video.”

“This is ridiculous!” Twilight exclaimed. “It’s slander! People around here can’t be stupid enough to buy into that!”

“Oh, I don’t think they are,” Rarity assured. “Most of us understand you’re not an imbecile. The only problem is, this is how Sunset wants us to see you, and it’s much easier to simply play along, have some fun while you’re at it, than to stand up to it and risk getting caught in a backlash.”

“This is so much worse than I thought...” Twilight groaned.

“Yes, well, like you’ve just witnessed, this is life under Sunset’s Shimmer’s reign. So how about red? Or would that mesh poorly with your purple skin?”

“Rarity, I’m not getting a disguise,” Twilight told her firmly. “Nor am I backing away from this. I’ll show them all that I won’t let myself be pushed around, and that neither should they.”

“Easier said than done! If we stand by you and you lose, Sunset is going to wreck havoc on this school. Ohh, it might not even end at school; I heard one story of a boy who gave Sunset a hard time, and his mail box was filled with stink bombs when he got home! That sort of thing will only be the beginning… and honestly, even if you do win, she might get even worse!”

“That’s all the more reason we can’t let her win,” Twilight urged. “I understand what’s happening: Sunset Shimmer is a threat to your well being, so nobody wants to step up. But that’s why we all need to do it, because if we as the people of the school become a wall she can’t breach, it won’t be a simple matter of getting petty revenge.”

“I don’t know, Twilight,” Rarity said, still uncomfortable. “Sunset will graduate in only two years; many would say waiting it out would be a much safer option.”

“And let that crook do whatever she wants? So the school will be safe, but what happens after that? She will think she can get away with, and start grasping for power elsewhere. She might become mayor of the city, and then what? What if she rises to be the ruler of the whole country!”

“That’s…” Her eyes were darting back and forth. “I understand what you’re saying, but we’re risking our futures here.”

“No, Rarity, if we don’t do something, then we’ll be risking our futures. All of our futures, not just this school. But help me now, and you will have helped rid the world of a future tyrant.”

“I… oh, you and your gilded tongue! I’m in, gosh darn it!” She grabbed her hand and shook it with a smile. “I must admit, I’ve been wanting an excuse to get back at Shimmer for a long time now. Thank you for giving me the courage. I’ll see what I can do to convince the rest of my clique.”

“I appreciate your support.” Spike put his paws on Rarity’s legs, his tail still waggling furiously. Twilight snickered. “Spike says thanks too. I think he wants a rub behind the ears.”

“Oh, what a cute little darling,” Rarity cooed, squatting down to giving him a scratch. “With you on our side, Sunset won’t stand a chance, no she won’t.” She looked up at Twilight again. “In all seriousness, I do hope you have some sort of plan.”

“Kinda,” she said. “I’ve already got the music club on my side, and Applejack… oh, and Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie too, I think.”

“Not the strongest lineup, unfortunately,” Rarity said. “Just as long as Pinkie and Fluttershy doesn’t have to interact too much; those two are impossible. What we need is a boost in your reputation. And as much as I hate to admit it, the sports team captain is your best bet. If you can convince Rainbow Dash you’re ‘cool’, that should win over her admirers as well, of which I understand there are quite a few.” Rarity gave a wide grin. “Ohh, this is so exciting! It’s almost like a revolution, isn’t it.”

“I know, right?” Twilight, though she knew full well what was at stake, was starting to enjoy herself. She was usually so organized, the type who planned everything ahead to a tee, but there was something exhilarating about playing it by ear, taking each challenge as they presented themselves. It was, after all, a skill she would need to master if she were ever to become good at this whole Princess business. “Where can I find Rainbow Dash right now?”

“I’d imagine she’s in class, but if you wait until nine, she should be at the track behind the school.”