The six girls sat on the bleachers, split off into three groups. Both the Rainbows were down in front, the two Applejacks were on the far right, and Sunset and Pinkie both were sitting in a just right spot between the two a few seats back, listening in to each conversation to keep the peace.
In the Rainbow Corner, the two were discussing the Equestrian counterpart’s attire.
“So, you were trying to be professional?” The soccer player asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, kinda wanted to make up for acting like a complete jerk the first time I came over, so I was psyching myself up the same way I do when I gotta talk with General Spitfire.”
“Wait, ‘General’ Spitfire?” Rainbow asked with a dropped jaw, at which her counterpart smirked and nodded. “Like holy crap, I know she’s tough on the soccer team as the leader, but dang, that’s a whole new level.”
“She’s pretty hard on new recruits, but that’s just cause she wants to make sure the best of the best are getting in.” The high flier rubbed the back of her head, a trace of modesty bleeding into the action with her smirk. The sheer amounts of ego drowned it out, unfortunately “I mean, technically I’m part of Equestria’s defense forces, but we mostly do aerial shows since we haven’t been at war in like, a thousand years.”
The prismatic soccer star leaned back a bit. “Well that explains the flight suit, I guess.” She rubbed her chin in thought, smiling. “For a second, I thought you stole one of my mom’s.”
“Mom has a bunch of flight suits? As in, our mom? Your mom? How does that work?” The Equestrian Rainbow asked as curiosity danced in her eyes.
“Yep. Mom’s a stealth jet pilot for the Air Force. It’s why Dad’s the only one home other than me right now. He doesn’t have any soccer matches until Winter’s over.”
“It’s Winter!?” Rainbow looked around the soccer field, noting the mud puddles scattered around the edges where the grass was less kept. “Where’s all the snow?”
“Snow started melting a few days ago.” Dash shrugged a bit. “We didn’t have much of a cold front this year, so it didn’t last very long. I’m just glad it lasted winter break. Christmas would have sucked if it didn’t.”
The equestrian looked uncomfortable at the thought but turned away from the mud to look at her counterpart. “Well, weird weather aside, we cool?”
Smirking, Dash held out a fist to her other. “We’re cool, as long as you can show me how to kick like you did.”
Meeting the bump, Rainbow smirked a bit herself and nodded. “Deal.”
Meanwhile, in the Applejack Corner, a similar conversation was occurring.
“Well, tan my hide.” The farmgirl chuckled as she rested her arms on her knees. “Y’all have over five hundred acres?”
Nodding with a proud smirk, Applejack adjusted her hat. “And that doesn’t even include the land from the Everfree we technically own.”
AJ smirked a bit and looked up in thought. “Shoot, we barely got two hundred. Ah wonder if our farm’s gonna get that big eventually.”
“Ah wouldn’t doubt it. Ours was about half the size it is now when I was a filly.” Applejack turned towards her counterpart; leg crossed over her knee. “Ah mean, with Granny and Mac helping ya. There ain’t no way that farm’s not taking off.”
The blonde girl winced a bit and waved a hand. “Now don’t go tempting fate on me. With all these magical shenanigans and Applebloom running around with her friends, anything could happen.”
A laugh was shared between the two. “Ya got a point there.” She paused for a moment as a thought struck her. “Say, ever heard of a Zap Apple?”
Leaning forward a bit, Applejack perked up at the thought of a new kind of apple. “Now ya got my attention.”
“Special apple that only Sweet Apple Acres can harvest once a year. The trees they grow from are found only in the Everfree Forest. They’re really tricky ta harvest cause of all the magic that goes on with ‘em, but once we got a good amount brought in, we make some of the best apple butter and jam you’ll ever taste.”
“Sounds mighty fine! When ya get some more, I expect to have some sent my way.”
The two shook hands and smiled. “Deal.”
Watching over it all from their spot, Sunset and Pinkie smiled themselves. “Well, this seems to be going smoothly.” The fiery-haired girl quipped as she looked through the journal for a moment.
Pinkie nodded, hair bouncing violently. “Yepperoni! I’m just glad that nobody decided to tempt fate or something. That’d be our luck, wouldn’t it?”
Taking a deep breath through her teeth, Sunset looked back to the two sets of two. “It sure would.”
The bouncing pink girl paused mid-jump and landed gently as she hummed. “Hey, Sunset, I just noticed something.”
“Yeah?”
“Applejack’s taller than Applejack. Same with Rainbow.”
“Huh?” Sunset turned to look at her friends and their counterparts, and sure enough, Pinkie was right. Both of the Equestrians who had jumped through were just shy of being half an inch taller than their high school counterparts. “Strange. Maybe I can ask Twilight about this later.”
“Hey, AJ!” The conversation took a turn away when all of them looked towards the Rainbows. “Me and Me were talking, and we just realized something.” Sunset held herself back from correcting Rainbow’s horrible grammar, even as it turned out to be a universal constant.
Applejack tilted her hat back and scratched the back of her head while looking at her Equestrian counterpart doing the same. “What is it, Rainbow?”
Leaning back, the Equestrian Rainbow smirked. “Neither of you have told us how your fight went.”
Both Applejacks went stock still and shared a look once more, before looking in separate directions that were anywhere but the eyes locked on them. “Ah have no idea what yer talkin’ ‘bout.”
“Are you kidding?” Rainbow stood up with her arms crossed; the soccer star was tapping her foot impatiently. “Every time I asked, you conveniently had somewhere to be.”
“And every time I asked, you had some chore to do.”
Sunset walked over to the four of them, Pinkie not far behind her. “You know, out of morbid curiosity, I kinda want to know too. I mean, Scootaloo and I only saw the aftermath. It had to have been a pretty big fight.”
Applejack started to sweat a bit as her two friends and started looming in, their sinister curiosity evident on their faces. “U-Uh, well ya see, we didn’t, uh--”
AJ put a hand on her shoulder, and the young farmer looked at her, noticing the blush on her face. “Well, we might as well share the story. Not like these three timberwolves are gonna let us go until we do.”
Rainbow, Sunset, and Rainbow all sat down in front of the two Applejacks. Joining the other three, Pinkie landed on the bench holding a bag of popcorn. “Dis gon be gud.”
“Was that even English?” Sunset looked to the party planner with a raised eyebrow.
“No Stalling! On with the story!” The Rainbow Duo cheered.
“Alright, alright.” The Equestrian Applejack waved her hands with a sigh. “Now where to start?”
“Mind if Ah start?” Applejack asked with a smirk.
“Well you can set the scene better than I can, so go right ahead.”
Applejack and Applebloom both sat at one of the tables on the far side of the library. Strewn about were books and papers alike, and both sisters looked somewhat perturbed. “Always did hate this weird new math.” The older sister sighed as she scratched the back of her head. “Why do they gotta make it all so complicated? There ain’t no reason to try and make two plus two equal five.”
Applebloom deadpanned for a moment and facepalmed. “AJ, this is algebra. Ah ain’t trying to make a four into a five, Ah’m trying to solve for X.” She slumped onto the table and groaned with a pout. “Don’t help none that Ah got twice as much thanks to my stupid ideas.”
The older apple sibling sighed and patted her sister on the back. “Now Bloom, you and Ah know that Ah’ll be the first to let you know you did a dumb. And I mean you really did a dumb last week, but that didn’t mean how you felt was a stupid way to feel.”
“How Ah handled with it was.” Applebloom sat up and rubbed her face. “Seriously, why did ah even think that was a good idea, to begin with!?”
“Well, can’t say you’re wrong there.” Applejack huffed a bit. Before either of them could say anything, the doors to the library opened up with enough force to get their attention. “What in tarnation?”
Standing in the doorway, rubbing her wrists, was a second Applejack. She was dressed in full rodeo gear that looked tough enough to stand up against a bull’s horn multiple times, and a rope was hanging from her hip. “Dagnabbit! What’s with all these doors being so light and making such a ruckus? The heck are they made of, paper mache?”
“Uh, Applejack, is that you?” Applebloom leaned over towards her sister, worry dancing across her face.
The second Applejack was the one who answered when she noticed the other two sitting and started marching over, looking just a bit angrier than they would have liked. “Bout time I found you, ya dirty snake.”
The highschooler felt the hairs on her neck bristle as she stood up and marched towards her counterpart. “Who are you callin’ a snake? What makes ya think you can just come on in here like this?”
The equestrian walked closer. “Well, sugar cube, Ah think ah have plenty a’ right to talk with my family, even if it’s on another dimension.” The extra-dimensional farmhand scowled as they met each other eye to eye in the middle of the hall.
A right hook to the face was her answer, and the high schooler glared at her counterpart as she had to take a step back. “Ah don’t care. Nobody calls my sister a snake.” Before she could move from her spot, an overbearing sense of dread washed over her.
With widening eyes, she watched as her counterpart straightened up, adjusted her hat, and popped her jaw. “Ah wasn’t talking ‘bout Applebloom. She done goofed,” the glare sent her way solidified the dread in a way Applejack couldn’t describe, “but she didn’t leave her friend behind. You did, and that ain’t the Apple family way.”
At the mentioning of the Apple Family way, a small collection of traditions that all seem to bleed into each other so much that it became a makeshift code of honor, Applejack remembered one that specifically pertained to her current situation.
Rule #82: “If your in an argument with kin and they throw the first punch, the gloves are off.”
“Oh, crap--!” Applejack barely dodged out of the way of her counterpart’s boot, the force from the kick almost knocking her hat off of her head as she leaned back. She stumbled a few steps before regaining her footing and staring down her counterpart.
Boot met ground once more as the Equestrian cracked her neck and readied herself for a fight. “Y’all know how this is gonna go.”
Applejack shook her arms as she took a breath. “Ya could‘ve picked a better time an’ place.” With her fists raised and ready to brawl, she glanced over at Applebloom. “Whatever ya do, don’t jump in.”
“R-right.” Applebloom gave a quick nod, before ducking back towards the shelves and finding a hiding spot.
The two ran forward, and the fight began in earnest.
Applejack ducked under a swinging kick, before throwing an uppercut of her own that grazed her counterpart's chin. The Equestrian weaved between the following punches, only to catch a few to the face before launching a knee forward and catching Applejack in the gut.
Winded, the farm girl didn’t notice her counterpart whip around until she grabbed her in a headlock. “Yer pretty good there.”
“Ain’t bad yourself.” Struggling against the grip of the Equestrian, Applejack looked over and saw Applebloom still watching. “BLOOM! Remember how I said not to jump in?” The younger apple nodded while Applejack felt the hold tighten against her struggle. “Forget that! Ah need ya ta jump in! Like right now!”
Jumping in surprise, Applebloom looked around frantically before grabbing the nearest things she could, a bunch of books. She ran forward, ready to chuck her makeshift weapons before she paused and realized a problem with this plan. “Ya both look the same! Which one to ah hit!?”
Applejack looked at her sister incredulously. “Hit the one who’s winning Bloom!” A book beaned against her head instead of her counterpart’s. “THE OTHER ME!”
Wincing, Applebloom grabbed a few more books from the shelf and started chucking them at the two. “Sorry!”
A smaller book beaned against her sister’s head again, catching her between the eyes. “Seriously Applebloom, we don’t even look the same! How’d ya hit me again!?”
Pausing her throwing for a moment, Applebloom crossed her arms. “What do ya mean ya don’t look the same!? You’re literally the same person!” A paperback gently whapped against her sister's counterpart's face, making her blink for a moment, but not lose her hold on Applejack.
Applejack felt her eye twitch. “Do ah look ready to jump into a rodeo to you!?”
Applebloom clenched her fists, waving one of the thicker books in the air threateningly “Yer always ready to jump into a rodeo!”
The equestrian Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle at the two as they were bickering. “Yep, that’s Applebloom alright--” She coughed when an elbow found her gut and a book slammed into her head. Dazed, she let go of her chokehold and backed into the bookshelves, knocking them over in a domino effect that took half the library.
Meanwhile, the high schooler booked it to her sister, grabbed her by the wrist, and headed towards the stairs leading up to the second floor. “Thanks for the distraction sis!” As she ran upstairs, her phone started to ring. It was pure muscle memory that found her phone in her hand, and showing that Sunset was calling. “Oh for Pete’s sake! This ain’t the time Sunset!”
Downstairs, the equestrian pushed herself out of the pile of books and looked up at the two retreating. “Ah really should have seen that coming.” Watching the two sisters run upstairs, and down the aisles, she hummed. “Going up the stairs would take too long...” Eyeing the tables, she smiled wickedly. “Perfect.”
The two siblings hid amongst the shelves, panting as they glanced from behind them. “Alright Applebloom, if we run to the banisters by the front, It’ll take her too long to go for the stairs for her to catch up. Then, we just gotta jump down and book it for Sunset or the others.”
Applebloom paled. “Jump!? We’ll break our legs!”
“Don’t worry, Ah’ll go first and catch ya when ya jump after.” The sound of running caught her attention, and she peeked out from her hiding spot. “What was--!?”
Equestrian Applejack ran full speed at one of the computer tables on the other side of the library and jumped onto one end with enough force to knock the other tables nearby over, and making the whole thing tilt up into the air. She then started running down its length and lunging off the end. She landed on some of the bookshelves, causing them to tilt and fall as she ran down the rows before one last jump gave her purchase on the banister, and she flipped herself over, pulling out her lasso.
Right where Applejack and Applebloom were planning on jumping down. “Goin’ somewhere?”
“Crap!--” Applejack and Applebloom dodged out of the way of the oncoming rope and watched it snag the book Applebloom dropped out of the air. The two ran for the far side of the aisle, dodging the makeshift flail as it slammed into the shelves and knocked books down onto them.
Sprinting through the library, Applebloom looked to her sister that wasn’t attacking them. “What do we do now!?”
Spotting the stairs to their right, Applejack gulped and made for a sharp turn, pulling her sister along with her. “Book it!”
“Oh no, ya don’t!” The Equestrian flicked her rope, sending the previously held book forward, where it soared overhead and caught Applejack’s feet as she started down the aisle, tripping the girl and sending the two siblings tumbling.
Applejack hastily brought herself and Applebloom out of their pile of limbs and started down the row again. As they got close to the end, her counterpart’s rope snapped down over her wrist and pulled her back.
What happened next would have amazed anyone if they were there to see it.
A flick and the rope snagged around Applejack’s other arm, drawing it tight with the other. Another, and it tripped up her feet while remaining loosely wrapped around one. A third and Applebloom had both her wrists caught as well, making her stumble back from her running and into her sister.
Getting their footing again, the two stared in horror as the Equestrian charged towards them, knocking them into the air over the edge of the banister. With one final rope trick, the two apples found their legs bound as well and came to rest about five feet off the ground. Finally, after all the hell that happened, the most insulting and damaging part of the fight occurred.
Applejack’s stetson fell off her head.
Face red; the high schooler glared at her counterpart as she flipped down from the second floor and landed perfectly. “What the heck do ya think you’re doin’!? This is horseapples! Let me out of these ropes right now or ah’ll--!” A bare of lye soap found itself shoved into her mouth, and Applejack gagged at the taste.
“Didn’t our mama teach ya not to talk like that!?” Applejack glared at herself, and vice versa, before a second bar was shoved into Applebloom’s mouth. “And yer’s is for jumping into the fight.” Applebloom rolled her eyes, though Applejack felt some sympathy for her sister.
After all, Rule #83; If ya help one side of the fight and lose, ya share the punishment ta match.
The Equestrian took a step back and crossed her arms, even as the doors to the library were opened behind her. “Now the both Y'all think long and hard about what ya did while yer up there.”
“And that’s about when Sunset showed up.” The Equestrian finished alongside her high school self. The two were as red as the apples they sold, which considering their standards for quality, was a shade of red to rival tomatoes.
Both of the Rainbows’ jaws were dropped as they looked at the two bashful farmers before the Equestrian of the two stood up. “No! No, I refuse to believe Applejack had a more awesome fight than I did! My fight only took one hit!”
Pinkie leaned in with a look of casual contemplation on her face. “Well yeah, that’s why her’s was cooler. One kick takes out all the fun and excitement.”
"But I!... oh darn it, you're right." Rainbow slumped in defeat and sighed. "Stupid Applejack, having stupid awesome fights."
Sunset, instead, had a look of shocked horror on her face at first, but shook her head and blinked in surprise. “Okay... now I’m questioning your family’s traditions, Applejack.”
The two raised their hands, but it was the high school Applejack that spoke. “Hey, they were made over the course of several generations. Ah didn’t exactly have much say in ‘em. Heck, it was Granny Smith who helped make the two that happened in that fight. Amongst others.”
“My questions have only grown in number.” Sunset turned to the two groups and held out her journal. “So, ready to head back?”
Standing up, the group all shared some nods. “Yeah, I kinda do have some weather to take care of. Thunderlane’s okay and all, but he keeps getting the rain clouds in the wrong spots.”
“Not the only thing he gets in the wrong spots,” Rainbow muttered as she remembered the one time they all had trusted him to clean the gym.
An eyebrow raised on Applejack’s face as she and her counterpart smirked. “Is there a story to tell there?”
Rainbow’s eyes shot open, and she turned beet red, before quickly glaring at Applejack. “Not like that! He’s just a slob when it comes to cleaning!”
The Equestrian farmer hummed in thought as she started for the portal. “Ah don’t know... Ah’ve caught our Rainbow here takin a peek at him every now and again.”
“Like hay! Why would I look at that mare-hunting idiot!?” The Equestrian flier charged after Applejack, the farmer laughing the entire time they got closer to the portal.
The high school pair weren’t much better, as Rainbow was busy punching Applejack in the arm in response to her chuckling. “Not funny.”
“Nah, it’s hilarious.” A second punch hit her arm, and Applejack laughed through the pain. “Not so fun when the tables are turned, is it?”
"Shut up."
Sunset just chuckled at the two, finishing up her message to Twilight to let her know that the meeting went okay on her side, before heading over to the two bickering Equestrians. “Alright, Twilight should know that you’re headed back. It was nice to meet you two.” She smiled uneasily and rubbed her head. “Especially in a less stressful way.”
Both Rainbow and Applejack had a small embarrassed chuckle at that. “Right, right. Well, we better get going. Twilight’s probably gonna freak out if we don’t jump through soon.”
“Yer Right. See ya, Sunset--” Applejack paused mid-stride to the portal when something caught her eye.
Sunset frowned and tilted her head a bit. “What is it?”
The farmer moved around the side of the statue and picked up a trio of backpacks. One blue, one white, and one a light green. “Did any of ya leave yer bags over here?”
Sunset and the group walked over and joined her before Applejack’s eyes widened at the sight of the last bag. “What the--!? That’s Applebloom’s bag!”
“And that one’s Scoots!” Rainbow’s eyes narrowed as she took the blue bag.
"That last one must be Sweetie's then," Sunset added, before noticing something sticking out of it. Eyebrow raised, she started going through it. “But what’s it doing here, and why does she have a bunch of apples in here?” She pulled out a flier and frowned. "And what's with this missing person poster for Starlight?"
"What?" Rainbow's counterpart grabbed the poster and looked it over with a frown. "Yeah, that's Starlight alright. But why does the day she went missing look familiar?"
Sunset and the girls all started to look at the portal, then at each other, then the portal again. The dots connected quite quickly as to the location of the two young crusaders in question. Clearing her throat, Sunset got their attention and held up her journal. “So... should I let you girls tell Twilight, or should I?”