//------------------------------// // Chapter 19 // Story: A Mirrored Reunion // by currentlemon //------------------------------// “And that’s how Ah got mah Cutie Mark!” Apple Bloom yelled at the top of her lungs. She had just finished telling her mother the story of how she earned her Cutie Mark, and how she used her talent to help other children find their destinies. Pear Butter listened closely as she and her daughters trotted down the Apple farm. Though he found the topic of Cutie Marks interesting, she couldn’t help but find the term somewhat silly. Yet despite that, she couldn’t help but feel proud of Apple Bloom. “Gosh, Bloom, I never thought that a filly yer age helps inspire other kids to find their purpose. I never expected such maturity.” Pear took a minute to stop and muzzled Apple Bloom. “I’m so proud of you, sweetie.” Apple Bloom smiled. “Thanks, Ma.” “But I gotta be honest with you two, the term ‘Cutie Mark’ seems rather childish to me. The part about havin’ these magical tattoos on your flanks put me off a bit. Don’t really see the point of havin’ these things when I first saw them.” “Why? They don’t have Cutie Marks where yer from, Ma?” “Goodness, no! No one would dare get a tattoo on their behind. It’d be awkward. Besides, even if we had these marks, no one would see them. We wear clothes to cover our bodies.” “Why’s that?” asked Apple Bloom. Pear flinched. “Err, well…. let’s jus’ say we don’t want our privates showin’ in front of everyone around us.” “Huh? What’d ya mean by that?” Apple Bloom glanced over to her sister. “Applejack, do ya know what Ma’s talkin’ ‘bout?” “Uh, let’s not pry Ma with any more questions like that, okay. We’re kinda getting’ off topic here,” said Applejack, which earned a sigh of relief from Pear Butter and a displeasing one from Apple Bloom. “So, ‘bout Cutie Marks,” she continued. “They’re really special with it comes ta ponies. Not only does it tell us that we found our special talent, but it tells us we found our purpose. “Purpose? So, what yer tellin’ me is that all ponies in Equestria rely on these marks? And they jus’ simply follow what their marks tell them to do?” Applejack nodded. “I see. But what if another pony wants to do something other than what those marks tell them? Can they branch out or is that not allowed?” “‘Course ponies can try out other things. Havin’ a special talent in one thing don’t mean ponies can’t have other hobbies. Speakin’ of which, I’ve been wantin’ to ask ya ‘bout yer Cutie Mark, Ma. How did ya manage to get one?” “Oh, this?” Pear asked as she pointed to the Cutie Mark on her flank. “I honestly have no idea. This jus’ appeared on my flank when I got here.” Applejack raised a brow. “Huh. Guess that’s one thing Ah have ta ask Twilight about later.” “Anyway, enough about these Cutie Marks. There’s something I want to ask your sister,” Pear said, which immediately got Apple Bloom’s attention. “Bloom? Can you tell me how the Princess convinced you and everyone else that I was real?”     “Oh, well, Princess Twilight ‘an Starlight took everypony ta a room that had some sorta weird crystal mirror inside,” explained Apple Bloom. “They told us ‘bout the mirror ‘an explained what it does.”     “Yup, I know that mirror well,” Pear replied. “It’s a portal to my world. It leads straight to Canterlot High School.”     “Yeah, Ah remember Twilight tellin’ us the mirror is supposed ta be a magic portal. None of us believed it at first, but then Twilight actually stepped inside the mirror.”     “She went to my world?” Pear said in surprise, to which Apple Bloom merely nodded back.     “Huh, well, I’m not in any way surprised she did that. I mean, how else was Twilight goin’ ta prove yer real, Ma?” asked Applejack.     Pear sighed. “Well, I guess that makes sense. But how long did the Princess stay in my world?”     “Not very long,” answered Apple Bloom. “She came back only a few minutes later. But what surprised us is that another pony showed up along with her.     “What?” “Yeah. It was a unicorn. She had an orange coat with red ‘an yellow hair. She kinda surprised us when she came out the mirror with Twilight. And Ah remember Mrs. Cake faintin’ too when it happened.” “Wait, why’d Mrs. Cake faint?” asked Applejack. That’s yer question, sugarcube? Pear thought as she rolled her eyes. “Did that unicorn ever introduce herself, Bloom?” “Yeah, she did,” Apple Bloom replied, nodding. “She said her name is Sunset Shimmer.” “Wait, I remember her!” said Applejack. “She’s that one pony Twilight made friends with a long time ago!” “You know that girl, Applejack?” Pear asked in surprise. “Only bits ‘an pieces. All Ah know is that she used ta be Princess Celestia’s student back before Twilight came along. Then something happened ‘an she wound up leavin’ Equestria. Guessin’ she somehow got ta yer world and stayed there.” Pear’s jaw dropped. The news shocked her. A unicorn pony from Equestria somehow managed to come to her world! When did this happen? How did that pony gain access to such an important object? Did her Applejack know any of this? And if she did, how much did she know? “What happened after Twilight ‘an Sunset came out of the portal, Apple Bloom?” asked Applejack. “I don’t know,” admitted Apple Bloom. “After she came back, Ah left the castle ‘an went straight home.” “So, ya went ‘an jus’ left?” Applejack tipped her Stetson back and stared at her sister. “Couldn’t ya jus’ waited a bit longer? Pretty sure Twilight would’ve teleported y’all back ta the farm. That way ya didn’t have ta run all the way back.” “Ah didn’t want ta wait! Ah wanted ta see Ma!” Apple Bloom whined. “Okay, girls, that’s enough. What’s done is done. There’s no point in arguin’,” Pear said as she calmed her kids down. “We are almost home. I’m pretty sure we’ll get some answers once we get back ta the house.” They continued their way down Sweet Apple Acres, resuming their conversation about Cutie Marks. Applejack told Pear her story, how she left Sweet Apple Acres and moved into a big city with big dreams. But thanks to a friend, she came back days later after realizing her heat belongs to the farm.     Pear paid close attention to Applejack’s story. Her tale itself left her surprised. It amazed her that Applejack was so connected to her friends’ years before they met. But as touching as the story is, it left her with a lot of questions. Was it by mere luck did Applejack see that rainbow? What would’ve happened if she didn’t see it? Would she have stayed in that big Manehattan city she talked about? Pear shook her head. Ugh, I really shouldn’t be thinking about this. There’s already so much going on right now. Let’s jus’ say it’s because of magic and be done with it. Eventually, Pear and her children all made it out of Apple farm, with the Apple family house within sight and just a few short distances away. As they all trotted toward the house, Pear spotted a group of ponies standing right outside their home.     “Hey! It’s Princess Twilight! She’s here!” shouted Apple Bloom. Pear smiled. Good. I can finally talk to my friends and family with no issues. “Do you see anyone else there besides her, Bloom?” Apple Bloom squinted her eyes. “Ah see Big Mac, Burnt Oak, Miss. Cheerilee, and Mrs. Cake with the Princess. But Ah don’t see that unicorn that was with Twilight earlier. She’s not here. “Wait, she’s not?” asked Applejack, which her sister nodded her reply. “Huh. I figured that she’d be here with Twilight. Why isn’t she here?” “Well, we can just ask the Princess when we meet her,” Pear replied. “Come on, let’s not keep them waitin’ any longer. Bloom, climb off my back for now ‘an stay close. I’m going to have ta talk to the princess first.” Apple Bloom nodded and climbed off her mother’s back. As they made their way toward the house, Pear called out to the ponies waiting outside. Her voice immediately got their attention as all of them turned around to see her. Princess Twilight was the first pony to react. She spread her wings and flew gracefully toward Pear and greeted her as she landed. “Hello, Mrs. Butter!” greeted Twilight. “How was your afternoon with Applejack?” “Oh, it was wonderful!” replied Pear Butter. “We had a few hiccups, but all in all, it was a great experience. It was a sight to see Sweet Apple Acres. Especially since the farm itself is this big! I never would’ve had dreamed of owning farmland this large.” “Wait, what hiccups?” Twilight tilted her head. “Just what do you mean by that?” “Well, things got a bit complicated on our tour. Ran into some issues with my daddy and we ended up visitin’ my counterpart’s grave,” Pear explained, casually. “Oh, and AJ asked me if I could stay here in Equestria too.” “What?!” shouted Twilight. She looked at Applejack in disbelief, only for the cowpony to tilt her Stetson down and look away in shame. “Don’t be too hard on her dear. She jus’ got a little emotional because she misses me,” said Pear. “Besides, I talked her through it. She understands that I can’t stay.” Twilight sighed in relief. “That’s good, thank you. But I should still talk to AJ though. She should know better than that.” “Do it on your own time yer highness. I still need to ask you something before I go ‘an greet the rest of my family ‘an friends.” “What is it?” “I want ta talk ‘bout the portal ta my world,” Pear immediately answered. “I need ta know what’s goin’ ta happen to it once I go back.” “That’s all? Well, you don’t really need to worry about a thing, Mrs. Apple. I’ve got some good news for you.” “Oh?” Pear raised a brow. “Mind tellin’ me what it is?” Twilight smiled. “You are free to come and go to Equestria as you please. The portal is available for you to use at any time.” Pear blinked. “Wait, that’s it? So, I can come in ‘an out of the portal anytime I want?” Twilight nodded, much to the joy of both Apple siblings. Though for some reason, Pear remained quiet. “Hey, Ma, you okay? What’s with the long face? Aren’t ya happy with Twilight’s announcement?” asked Applejack. Pear sighed. “It’s not that, Applejack. Yes, I’m glad that I’m allowed to come back, but I some concerns. Mainly regarding the portal.” “What about it?” “Well fer starters, that portal is way too easy to access on my side. Fer cryin’ out loud, it uses the school’s monument as the entrance. Believe me, that thing ain’t exactly well hidden.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Relax, Mrs. Apple. You don’t have to worry about it. Sunset and I are taking care of the whole thing.” Pear scowled at the Princess, much to the shock of her daughters and Twilight. “I wished you would take this a bit more seriously your highness. Someone will eventually stumble into it. Heck, I only managed ta get here by accident. By accident! In fact, I never would have discovered the portal in the first place if it wasn’t for my parent-principal conference I had this morning.” Applejack tilted her head. “Uh, parent-principal conference?” “I’ll explain later, AJ. But seriously, yer highness, people are gettin’ mighty suspicious over at Canterlot High. Rumors are floatin’ ‘bout ‘an I’m worried things might escalate soon. The last thing I want is for the school board or government officials to close off the portal.” Twilight sighed. “Mrs. Apple, I understand your concerns. Believe me, Sunset and I have thought about this. We are working on a solution, trust me. “Yeah? Well, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Pear rebuked. “By the way, where is that Sunset pony anyway. Bloom told me ya brought her over here. Why didn’t she come with you.” “We agreed it’d be best if she stayed at the castle for now,” answered Twilight. “This entire gathering is for you, your family, and your friends. Neither I nor Sunset will get in your way.” “Thank you, yer highness.” Pear turned to two daughters. “Girls, I need some time talkin’ with everyone over there. Ya mind stayin’ here with the Princess till I get done.” Her two daughters agreed and allowed Pear Butter to trot her way to the group of ponies. As she got close, she noticed that they were all looking at her and their emotions varied. The first pony she looked at was Big Mac. The stallion caught sight of her and smiled back, but Pear noticed something odd. His entire body was shaking, and it appeared that he was hiding back some tears. Though he didn’t really do a good job at it. Pear smiled. Seeing a big grown stallion smile and cry like that was kind of cute. Much so that she decided that Big Mac was the one who’d she greet first. She made her way toward her son and returned a smile. “Hello, dear,” Pear greeted as she reached her son. “Ma. Ah…. Ah can’t believe it’s you.” Unable to hold back his tears, Big Mac lowered his head and bawled his eyes out. “Ah can’t tell ya how much we missed ya, Ma. It was hard so losin’ ya, Ah jus’—” “Shh, it’s alright dear. Ya can’t cry. Cheer up! There ain’t no point fer you to act this way.” Big Mac nodded back as he wiped the tears from his eye. “S…. sorry. Couldn’t really help myself.” “Oh, that’s fine,” Pear replied. “Ta be honest, I’ve seen jus’ ‘bout enough of all this cryin’. Today is supposed ta be a happy day. So, chin up, Mac. Yer a grown stallion! Act like one!” “Eyupp. Will do, Ma,” said Bright Mac with a beaming smile. “But…. there’s jus’ one that I need ta ask real quick. Something important.” Pear leaned closer and looked at her son in the eye. “Big Mac. Are you datin’ right now?” Big Mac’s eyes widened and he immediately swung back. He found himself caught in an uncomfortable position as his mother’s eyes gazed at him for some answers. “Ah…. Uh. Ah can explain!” he blurted out. “Ya see, there’s this mare, Sugar Belle. We’ve been datin’ fer quite a while now ‘an—” “How long?” Pear asked. “H-hold on, Ma! Please! Ah promise, Ah’ll explain everything, Ah swear!” “Yes, Big Mac. Go ahead ‘an explain everything.” Pear’s ears perked as she heard a familiar voice not too far away. She tilted her head to see Cheerilee looking straight at Big Mac, wearing an odd-looking smile on her face. “Well, aren’t you going to tell her?” asked the school teacher. “Come now, don’t be nervous. I’m sure your mother will give you and Sugar Belle a chance.” “What? Cheerilee, what’re ya doin’?” asked Big Mac, whose cheeks began to flush bright red. “Is she in town, today?” teased Cheerilee. “If she is, I’m sure we’ll have time to bring her over. I bet she’ll love to meet your mom.” “Gah! Please stop it, Cheerilee.” Cheerilee giggled. “Oh, relax, Big Mac. I’m just playing. Come on, you’re a big stallion that found your special somepony. I’m sure she’ll understand. Speaking of which, when are you going to tie that knot? From what I heard, you and Sugar Belle are getting quite along aren’t you?” Big Mac’s jaw fell agape. His cheeks burned redder as Cheerilee continued to toy with him. He looked at his mother for support, hoping that she would get Cheerilee to cut it out. But his hopes were dashed as soon as he saw Pear Butter glaring at him with a stink eye. He gulped. “Aw, horseapples.” Pear sighed. “Big Mac, calm down. Quit your belly-aching ‘an look at me in the eye. You do not need ta be ashamed of anything! Got it? Ain’t nothin’ wrong with you findin’ a girlfriend. That’s perfectly fine.” “Really? You’re okay with me datin’?” “Of course!” Pear replied. “Honey, you are a full-grown stallion! Course you can date other ponies. Jus’ promise me you’ll introduce me to that Sugar Belle pony the next time she’s here. I’d love to meet her.” “You…. you will?” asked Big Mac, to which Pear immediately replied with a nod. A smile formed on him as he reached out and hugged his mother. “Thanks, Ma. Ah swear, Ah’ll introduce her to ya the next time she’s here. You’ll love her!” “I’ll be the judge of that, dear,” said Pear Butter. “As long as she’s a hard workin’ pony like yerself, I’m fine with that.” Big Mac nodded and the two embraced yet again. After a moment, Pear muzzled her son on the cheek one last time before telling him to meet up with his sisters. He obliged and trotted away, allowing Pear to greet her pony friends. The first was Cheerilee. “Hello, Mrs. Apple,” greeted Cheerilee with a smile. “I hope you’ll forgive me about that little fuss I had with your son. I didn’t mean any harm, it was just playful teasing.” “Cheerilee,” Pear grumbled in response. “Why did you to tease my son like that?” Cheerilee giggled. “Oh, come on, Mrs. Apple, there’s no need for you to be upset. I didn’t mean any harm. They were only playful jokes, that’s all.” “Well, if that’s the case, then surely ya don’t mind if I tell my son that you had a crush on him as a child. You wouldn’t want something like that comin’ out, don’t you?” Pear said as she moved closer to Cheerilee. Cheerilee’s eyes went wide. The playful expression she had on her face turned into a look of panic. “P-please don’t do anything rash, Mrs. Apple. I don’t want things to get awkward between Big Mac and Sugar Belle. We already had a bit of a complicated issue a while back and I don’t want to bring up unpleasant memories.” “Unpleasant memories?” Pear asked. “I’ll tell you some other time, okay! Let’s just move on and get this whole meeting done with!” Pear rolled her eyes. “Fine, but you owe me an explanation, Cheerilee. Don’t think I’ll let ya jus’ walk away after you teased my son like that.” Cheerilee simply nodded in agreement, followed by a brief pause. Neither mare spoke a word after that, which gave Cheerilee the impression that there was nothing left to be said. She proceeded to trot away and join the Princess but was stopped by Pear Butter. “Wait, before you go, there’s something that I want ta address first,” Pear said. “You said back at the school that you ‘an Applejack grew up together, correct? “Yes. We knew each other when we were fillies,” Cheerilee answered before raising her brow at Pear Butter. “Why are you asking me this? I thought I explained this clearly at the school.” “Well, Cheerilee, its jus’ that things are different in my world. You, well yer counterpart I mean, grew up with me ‘an Chiffon. The three of us met when we were kids, and we’ve been best friends since.” Cheerilee’s eyes widened in shock, as well as everypony else in the area. “Hold on a second. Are you saying that the other me grew up with you and Mrs. Cake?” Pear Butter nodded. “Yup. We spent our free days horsin’ around at my family’s farm. We attended the same schools and graduated together too. When we left Canterlot High, we all promised we’d keep in touch. And we did. Chiffon works at Sugarcube Corner while you work at our high school.” Cheerilee’s jaw dropped. “Wait, so if what you’re saying is true, then the other me is much older. H-how is that possible?” “Beats me. The only thing I can think of is parallel universes or somethin’.” Pear chuckled. “But I tell ya what, if my friend knew that you were younger than her, she’d be mighty jealous.” That made Cheerilee snicker. “Well if that’s the case, let’s jus’ hope we’ll never meet.” The two ponies laughed together and embraced. “It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Apple,” said Cheerilee. “Despite our rough start, I had a wonderful time getting to know you. Tell me, do you plan on coming back here to Ponyville? I bet your family and friends here would really love that.” “Don’t worry. I already promised my daughters I’ll visit every so often,” Pear answered. “Not all the time though. My other family has to take priority first.” “So, you’ll visit every other week?” asked Cheerilee. Pear shrugged. “Likely, but we’ll see.” The two embraced one more time before Pear allowed her friend to move toward Applejack and the others. With that settled, she could now continue toward Chiffon and Burnt Oak. But before she made her move, Pear was taken by surprise as she found herself being squeezed in the neck by her best friend. “Pear!” Chiffon shouted as she tightened her hold on Pear’s body. The farm pony to choke. “It’s you! I can’t believe it’s you!” “Y-yes, Chiffon, it’s me,” said Pear as she struggled to squeeze out of her friend’s grip. “P-please, can you calm down and let go of me? Yer kinda makin’ it hard to breathe.” “Oh gosh! I’m so sorry!” Immediately, Chiffon let go of Pear Butter and gave the mare some space. “Sorry about that, dear. I…. I didn’t mean to hurt you like that.” “It’s fine, Chiffon. Don’t worry ‘bout it,” replied Pear Butter. As she finally caught her breath, Pear looked at her friend and noticed a stream of tears flowing down her cheeks. Her lips were quivering too. Pear rolled her eyes. “Chiffon, come on. There ain’t no need to cry. Please, I don’t want any more of my friends ‘an family cryin’ today. We’ve all done enough of that already.” “Oh, I’m sorry.” Chiffon rubbed her face with her hooves and wiped the tears off her face. “It’s just that, you really gave me the surprise earlier today. Never in my life would ever thought I’d see you again.” “Oh, that’s right! Cheerilee told ya ta go ‘an report me over to the Princess ‘round the second time me met. I completely forgot about that!” Pear looked back over to her friend. “Don’t think I forgot about that time ya lied to me, Cheerilee! Next time ya fool me like that, I swear I’m gonna bop ya over the head with these hooves!” From a distance, Cheerilee gulped. “Oh, go easy on her, Pear. She was just trying to do the right thing,” said Chiffon. “We all thought the worst, but we never expected that you came from another world! I still find it hard to believe it. Even with Twilight’s explanation!” “Well, it’s the truth, Chiffon,” Pear stated. “In another world, I have another family. Bright Mac, my children, my mother-in-law. They’re all waitin’ fer me ta come home. And we jus’ had a big harvest too, so I need ta go back.” “Really now? How is that big old stallion doin’?” Pear and Chiffon turned their heads to see Burnt Oak heading right toward them. “Howdy, Pear,” he greeted. “Oak!” Pear trotted to the middle-aged stallion and, much to his surprise, hugged him tight around his neck. “Whoa there! P-Pear, yer huggin’ a bit too tight. C-can ya please settle down? This old body of mine jus’ ain’t what it used ta be.” “Oh, whoops.” Pear immediately let go of Burnt Oak, giving the stallion some room to breathe. “Sorry ‘bout that, Oak. Didn’t mean ta squeeze ya so hard. Are you alright?” “I’ll be fine, Mrs. Apple,” replied Burnt Oak as he straightened himself out. “Geez, even after all of these years, you still are one tough mare.” Pear blushed. “Aw, thanks Oak. That’s mighty sweet of ya ta say.” Burnt Oak tipped his hat forward. “Pleasures all mine, Mrs. Apple. But back to my original question. How’s Bright Mac doin? Is he alright?” “Oh, he’s fine. He’s still up ‘an about, working on the farm all day. With Granny gettin’ old, he ‘an I had to take up most of the work. In fact, we jus’ finished sellin’ some of our apples ta one of our local buyers. Sold quite a lot too.” “I see. It’s good to know he’s doin’ alright.” Burnt Oak smiled. “So, what the Princess explained earlier is true. It’s kind of hard ta imagine that my old buddy of mine is still ‘round somewhere. But with you bein’ here ‘an all, it’s all the proof I need to know he’s okay.” He sighed. “Tell me Pear, the Princess said you have ta return home soon, right?” “Then can ya promise me this one thing for me? The next time you stop by Ponyville again, do ya mind if ya bring Bright Mac over here? It’s been so long since I last seen him and I’d really appreciate it if he comes along next time.” “Oh, you don’t need ta worry ‘bout that, Oak. I’ll definitely bring him along next time,” replied Pear Butter. “ May have to drag him along, but I’m sure everything will be fine.” Burnt Oak’s smile grew wider. “Mighty kind of ya, Pear. And I’m sorry that I accused you earlier today.” “Don’t mention it.” The two of them embraced for one more time before Burnt Oak trotted away. Pear and Chiffon did the same as well, and the two of them rejoined everypony else. “Well, it looks like everyone’s accounted for. So, what’s next yer highness? Are we headin’ back ta the castle?” Pear asked. “Wait! But what about Granny ‘an Grand Pear Pear?” asked Apple Bloom. Pear’s ears perked. “Oh, that’s right. I completely forgot ‘bout Granny. Apple Bloom, do ya know if she’s still in the house? Last time I was here, she fainted when she saw me.” “Uh, what ‘bout Grandpa, Ma? Don’t ya want ta see him too?” asked Big Mac. “Oh, right. Him too.” Pear sighed. Guess I got no choice but to face Daddy now. “Big Mac, can you ‘an Bloom please check on yer grandparents? I want you two ta bring them outside. But don’t force them if they can’t, okay? You know how frail they are.” “Uh, okay?” Big Mac raised a brow and stared at his mom. He looked at Applejack for some answers, but his sister simply shook her head. “Jus’ do what Ma tells ya, Big Mac,” said Applejack. “Trust me, when I say this. Don’t get in Ma’s way when she ‘an Grand Pear talk. It’s personal.” Big Mac stared at Applejack for a while, unsure of what to make of her and Pear’s seemingly blunt responses. Nevertheless, he made his way toward the house. Before he could reach it though, the front door suddenly flung open. That got everypony’s attention. Immediately, everypony looked to the house, waiting quietly to see if anyone would come out. But nothing happened. The front door remained open with no pony stepping outside. Pear blinked. “Hmm, it looks like they’re not comin’ out. Why is that? Applejack, go to yer grandparents ‘an see if they’re alright. Figure out why they’re not—” Before Pear could finish her sentence, everypony spotted Granny Smith stepping outside the house. She moved slowly, but nonetheless managed to leave her home. “Granny!” Applejack rushed toward her grandmother, followed by her siblings. They all clamored to her to see if she was alright. “Whoa, nelly! Would ya kids please settle down?!” shouted Granny. “Ah can take good care of mahself jus’ fine! Give this old mare some space!” “Oh, uh, oops. Sorry ‘bout that Granny, said Applejack as she and her siblings gave their grandmother some room. “That’s better. So, AJ, ya mind tellin’ me how yer day was? Did ya end up sellin’ a lot of apples in town with yer brother?” Applejack blinked. “Uh, yes?” “Good. Ah was hopin’ that you’d say that. After that big sale ya had yesterday, Ah figured that today would be the same.” Granny then looked to Apple Bloom. “What ‘bout you Bloom. Did ya manage ta impress yer classmates with that science project of yers?” Apple Bloom tilted her head. “Um, yes? Well…. not really. The science project me ‘an my friends all built blew up on our faces. We got rainbow gunk all over our coats.” Granny laughed. “So that silly project of yers blew up on your face? Why, that is the most hilarious thing Ah’ve heard in a long time! Ah can almost picture all that gunk blowin’ up in the classroom. Wouldn’t want ta be that pony ta clean that mess up! Eh, no offense sugar plum.” The three siblings exchanged looks. “Uh, Granny, not ta burst yer bubble, but there’s something big happenin’ right now,” said Applejack. “Ya see, Ma’s—” “Oh, don’t you worry ‘bout a thing, Applejack,” said Granny as she cut her granddaughter off. “Ah know exactly what’s goin’ on.” “Wait, ya do?” asked Applejack. Granny nodded. “Course Ah do! So, are you three gonna stand there all day or what? Where’s mah daughter-in-law?”  “I’m over here, Granny!” Pear had already made her move and decided that it’d be best if she approached her mother-in-law while she was with the kids. Though she feared for the old mare’s reaction should she see her, she was relieved to see Granny remain firm.    “Pear! So, my eyes weren’t deceivin’ me after all.” Granny smiled. “Stay right there will ya? Let me jus’ move this old body of mine.” “Granny, you don’t have to force yourself ta move,” said Pear Butter. “Nonsense!” shouted Granny. “Ah may be old, but that don’t mean Ah can’t walk! Now do me a favor ‘an stay right there!” Pear rolled her eyes. Looks like this Granny is just as stubborn. Makes me wonder how exactly did Bright Mac avoid being like her and Applejack? Did it skip a generation? Everypony watched as Granny Smith slowly made her way toward Pear Butter. When she did, the old mare reached over to her daughter-in-law and hugged her. “Pear, it’s so wonderful ta see ya again,” said Granny as tears gathered in her eyes. “You don’t know how happy Ah am ta see that wonderful face of yers.” Pear smiled. “Of course, Granny. It’s good ta know that yer alright. To be honest, I’m surprised your takin’ this well. The last time ya saw me, you fainted right on the couch.” “Well, what’d ya expect? Yer supposedly dead daughter-in-law suddenly shows up on yer doorstep! Any mare would faint like that, no matter what age! Which begs the question, Pear? How in the hay did ya get here?” “Well, Granny, it’s kinda complicated,” said Pear Butter. “Does it have anything ta do with magic?” asked Granny. Pear blinked. “Uh…. yes?” “Well, ya don’t have ta explain it any further. Equestria’s full of magic. So, if something supernatural happens, we all know who ta blame.” Granny laughed, and so did Pear Butter. Pretty soon, everypony in the Apple family joined in the laughter. As the hysteria died down, they all smiled and embraced each other. But before they all let go, Apple Bloom popped a question. “Hey, where’s Grand Pear Pear?” she asked. “Ah don’t see him anywhere at all. Is he still in the house, Granny?” “What?! He’s not out here?!” shouted Granny. “Ah thought Ah told him that the next time we see Pear we’d both step out! Confound it. Don’t tell me he’s hidin’ inside the house.” “Hold yer horses, everypony. Ah’ll go get him,” said Applejack as she volunteered to retrieve her grandfather. She dashed her way toward the house and went inside. Everypony stood back, waiting for Applejack to appear again with Grand Pear. Pear gulped and began to repeatedly tap her hooves on the ground. Oh dear. I’m going to see daddy again. W-what should I do? “Pear, yer tappin’ yer hooves like crazy over there. Something wrong?” asked Granny. “Oh, I’m sorry, Granny. It’s that…. I haven’t seen daddy in such a long time. I jus’ don’t know what ta do. Our last meetin’ didn’t really go very well ‘an I’m worried that—” “Quit yer yappin’, dear. Now’s not the time ta be all nervous,” said Granny. “Ah know it’s hard ta believe, but this ain’t the same Grand Pear ya knew. He’s old, like me. ‘An when ya get old like me, yer gonna have plenty of regrets. So, give him a chance. Fer yerself and yer kids.” Pear nodded. “I will try, Granny. I will try.” Everypony waited patiently for Applejack to comeback, as most expected she’d come back quickly. However, nothing happened. There was no sign of her, nor was there any noise coming from the house. It’s quiet. A bit too quiet. Pear thought to herself. Did something happen inside? Why is Applejack taking so long? “Uh, it looks like AJ ‘an Grand Pear ain’t comin’ out anytime soon. Should I go inside ‘an check on them?” asked Big Mac. “Nonsense. There ain’t no point,” replied Granny. “Give Applejack more time. Ah reckon the reason why she ain’t comin’ out is because of old Grand Pear. Old kook is probably nervous ‘bout meetin’ his daughter again.” Pear sighed. I wouldn’t blame him. Our last meeting didn’t exactly end well. I mean, I did run away from him. Even though he did apologize to me. A groan escaped from Pear’s breath. AJ and Granny are right. What I did back then was bad, and I really shouldn’t be holding grudges against him. He’s a frail old pony who’s looking for forgiveness. Though he ain’t my Daddy, I should at least give him some comfort. A few more minutes pass. Everypony still waited for Applejack to come back out. But still, nothing. Eventually, Princess Twilight decided to make her move. She flapped her wings and flew toward the Apple family. “Applejack is taking a lot longer than I thought,” she said. “A bit too long I’m afraid.” “Oh, that ain’t no big deal, yer highness. Jus’ sit back ‘an give mah granddaughter more time. She’ll be out in a minute.” said Granny. Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, Granny, but we’ve waited too long. We’re in a tight schedule right now and we can’t delay any further. Let me jus’ go inside the house and see what’s going on. If Applejack won’t come out her grandfather, then we’ll just—” “Wait! I think I see mah sister comin’ out!” shouted Apple Bloom. That got everypony’s attention. They all looked back at the house and, sure enough, Applejack had stepped outside the house. She wasn’t alone either. Joining behind her was her grandfather, who had followed her out, albeit slowly. Daddy. Apple Bloom whimpered. She tried to object but looks from both Granny and Pear Butter told her no. Reluctantly, the filly trotted back toward Big Mac and allowed her mother to move forward. Before she could talk to her father though, Applejack approached Pear first. “Ma. Are ya ready this time?” she asked. Pear nodded. “Yes, I am. Ya don’t have ta worry ‘bout me anymore, Applejack. I’m ready. Jus’ go ta yer siblings ‘an wait with them, alright. I’ll talk ta Daddy alone.” Applejack nodded. Respecting her mother’s wish, she trotted away and joined her siblings. With her gone, Pear finally turned her attention to Grand Pear, determined to set things right. Though to her surprise, the old stallion didn’t seem eager to talk. He simply frowned and looked away. He’s still shaking. And from the looks of it, he’s not willing to talk. Pear thought as she closely examined her dad. Can’t say that I blame him. Our last meeting didn’t exactly end in good terms. She sighed. Making the first move, Pear trotted closer to Grand Pear and called to him. “Daddy? Daddy, it’s me. I…. I want ta talk this time. Please, don’t get all quiet on me, okay? I promise I’ll hear you out this time.” Pear waited patiently for a reply, but no response came from her dad. Grand Pear was still silent. His head still turned away. It’s almost as if he wasn’t even paying attention to her. She called to him again, yet the situation didn’t change. The old stallion kept quiet. This made Pear bit her lip. Signs of frustration began building up inside her. But all of that went away when Grand Pear finally spoke up. “Pear?” Pear Butter’s ears perked. “D-daddy?” “Hello, dear,” Grand Pear greeted with a meek smile. Pear blinked. She stared at her dad in a long, uncomfortable silence. “What? No hugs?” asked Grand Pear, sarcastically. “I saw you give Granny a hug earlier when she came out. Why not me?” Pear grimaced. “Don’t push yer luck jus’ yet, Daddy. I…. I still need time adjustin’ ta all this. So, forgive me if I seem a bit untrustworthy.” Grand Pear sighed. “I know. I understand perfectly dear. Believe me, I never expected I’d ever see ya again. And even so, I didn’t think you’d be willin’ ta accept me. Not after what happened last time.” “Eeyup. AJ told me exactly what ya did,” said Pear Butter. “Ya went ‘an jus’ straight up left her didn’t you? On her weddin’ day no less! All because ya couldn’t let go of the family feud.” Grand Pear sighed again. His face began to scrunch. “Yes, that was my mistake. I should’ve stayed here with my family ‘an not let some silly feud get in the way. But my pride got in the way, and because of that, I never got ta see my little girl again.” Pear raised a brow. “Um, Daddy? I’m standin’ right here.” “Don’t you go beatin’ ‘round the bush, Pear,” said Grand Pear. “Applejack told me everything there is ta know ‘bout you.” “She did?” Pear asked, to which Grand Pear nodded his head. “Yes, she explained ta me that you ain’t the same girl I raised all those years ago,” he answered. “That Pear is long gone. You are supposed ta be her counterpart of some sort. Came from a completely parallel world.” “Well, that’s one way ta put it, but yes, AJ is right. I’m not the same girl you knew.” Grand Pear sighed. “Perhaps…. perhaps that’s for the best. I don’t think my Pear Butter would ever accept me. Not after what I did.” “N-no, don’t say that!” Pear exclaimed. “The other me would be more than happy ta welcome you back, Daddy!” Grand Pear froze. “You…. you really think so?” “Of course!” Wow, I really can’t believe I’m saying this. “I mean, you did eventually come back ‘an made peace with Granny. And yer gettin’ along fine with the kids too! A bit late, yes, but better late than never.” “Gosh, I’m surprised, Pear. I’d never expected you’d be happy fer me,” said Grand Pear. Pear chuckled. “Well, ta be fair, a part of me is still mad at you. But not you in any sort of way. I mean…. I’m not talkin’ ‘bout you, but the other you entirely.”     Grand Pear blinked. “Huh? Pear, what is it that yer tryin’ ta say?” “I’m still mad at my dad!” shouted Pear Butter. “He still hasn’t talked ta me after all these years! He hasn’t replied to my letters, my calls, nothing! All he ever does is jus’ spite me. And it’s all ‘cause I married an Apple!” Grand Pear’s eyes went wide. “I see. So, my counterpart hasn’t made any effort ta atone, hasn’t he?” “No. No he hasn’t. He won’t talk ta me, Bright Mac, or anyone else in the Apple family.” Pear groaned as she slowly slumped down to the ground; yet despite that, she could feel her anger and frustration slipping away. “That man is as stubborn as a mule. After all these years, the family feud is still stuck in his head. Makes me wonder if all that crankiness affected his health in any way. Wouldn’t surprise me if it did.” “I see. A real shame that he’s still actin’ that way. Bet he’s missed out on a lot of things,” said Grand Pear. “He did,” Pear said bitterly. “But fer you, daddy, it’s different.” “What do ya mean by that?” “Unlike my daddy, you came back. Ya made at effort ta let go of yer grudge. You apologized ta Granny ‘an yer getting’ ta know the kids. They love ‘an care fer you, and because of that, I can forgive you.” “Pear!” Grand Pear stood still, completely surprised by his daughter’s response. “Pear, thank you. What ya jus’ said meant so much to me. But, I jus’ wish that my revelation didn’t come at such a high cost. It took the death of my own child fer me ta finally let go of my grudge.” “It’s sad, I know, but I think she’d be happy knowin’ that ya found some peace. And I’m happy too. It’s good ta know I have at least one daddy that is willin’ ta spend time with his family instead of holding grudge fer so many years.” “Give him time, Pear,” said Grand Pear. “He…. I can be a very stubborn at times. But sooner or later, he will come to his senses.” Pear Butter smiled. So, did Grand Pear. And for the first time in years, the two of them could see eye to eye. It wasn’t the same person Pear knew growing up that is true, but for her, it was enough. Then, out of the blue, Pear ran up to her dad and hugged him. Her action took the old stallion by surprise, and so did everypony else. But he didn’t mind. All that mattered is that they were together again. “Daddy, thank you,” said Pear Butter as tears fell down her cheeks. “I know you aren’t the same dad I grew up with ‘an all, but it’s good ta have ya back.” “Same here sweet pea,” replied Grand Pear as he held his daughter as tightly as he could. “Same here.” The two of them would hold each other close for some time. Pear wouldn’t stop crying, and neither could Grand Pear. And much to their pleasure, nopony else interrupted their time together. It was just Pear and her father, nothing else. A couple of minutes pass. Eventually, Pear and Grand Pear let go of one another. Each of them wiped the tears off their eyes. Then, Grand Pear asked a question. “So, what’s gonna happen now?” he asked. “I need ta go back home,” Pear quickly replied. “There’s a mirror portal back at the Princess’s castle that’ll lead me back. Can’t stay here too long. I still need ta take care of my other family.” “I see. Are the kids okay with it?” “Yeah. They know full well what needs ta be done,” Pear answered. “It’s sad, but it needs ta happen. We can’t do a thing ‘bout it. But on the other hand, I know they’ll be okay. The kids here are perfectly capable of takin’ care of themselves ‘an each other.” “I understand. Come on, sweet pea. Let’s not keep everypony waitin’ any longer.” Pear nodded and the two of them trotted back toward their families, together. As soon as they got close, they were immediately approached by Princess Twilight ‘an Applejack. “Are you finished?” asked Twilight, to which Pear nodded in reply. “That’s great!” said Applejack. “Good ta know you ‘an Pa finally made things right.” “And it’s all thanks to you, sugarcube,” replied Pear Butter. “Thank you fer givin’ me this chance.” Applejack beamed. “Aw shucks, it was nothin’. Real happy ta know things went out alright.” Pear smiled back. “Yes, of course. But times are wastin’, AJ. I need ta go back ta my world, pronto.” “She’s right, Applejack,” said Twilight. “The sooner we send her back, the better.” “Yeah…. Yeah, I know.” Applejack’s smile faded away. “Jus’ wish ya could’ve stayed a lot longer. Ah still haven’t shown ya the entire farm yet, let alone Ponyville.” “Maybe next time, Applejack,” said Grand Pear. “Though I wish there was something we can do ta commemorate the moment. Perhaps a photo or some sort?” “No, our camera ain’t workin’. It needs fixin’, but we never really had the time ta do it.” “There’s a camera at my castle. You can use it at the castle when we get there, Applejack,” Twilight offered. “Though I don’t think it’ll be possible to develop the photo before your mom leaves. Stuff like that takes time.” “Wait, I have a better solution,” said Pear Butter. “Princess, you said you’ve been ta my world, correct?” Princess Twilight nodded. “Then you must be familiar with my world’s technology. Instead of usin’ yer camera, we can jus’ use my phone here in my bag.” Twilight gasped. “Oh, that’s right! I completely forgot that you had that! With that device, we can take a photo right here at Sweet Apple Acres!” “Uh, Twilight, Ma? What’re ya two talkin’ ‘bout?” asked a completely confused Applejack. “We’re takin’ a photo usin’ a device I brought over from my world,” explained Pear Butter. “That way, I can get a photo with everyone here and y’all can get a photo over at the castle.” Dropping her bag to the ground, Pear unzipped her bag and dug her head inside. She soon popped out with her phone clenched between her teeth and allowed Twilight take hold of it with her magic. “What is that thing?” asked Applejack. “It’s called a cell phone, sugarcube,” answered Pear Butter. “We’ll use this ta take the photo.” “That small thing can take photos?” asked Grand Pear with a raised brow. Pear nodded. “Yes, it is. It can do more stuff too, but I won’t bother with the details. Too difficult ta explain. Jus’ go ahead ‘an round up everybody you two. Let me remind the Princess how this here phone works ‘an then we’ll take the photo. Applejack shrugged. “Well, if ya say so. Come on, Grand Pear. Let’s get ‘round up everypony.”   Following her mother’s instructions, Applejack and her grandfather began gathering everypony up for a group picture. Though some questioned how they’re gonna do it without a camera, Applejack persisted they follow Pear’s instructions. Meanwhile, Pear Butter stood by Princess Twilight, giving the mare instructions on how to use the device. “Jus’ ta be clear, ya know how ta work this thing, correct? How the camera works ‘an how ta focus the photo?” “Mrs. Apple, don’t worry! I can assure you that I’ve worked on devices like these before,” said Twilight. “I have to say, these things are so fascinating. To think such a small device can do such wonders!” “Save yer excitement fer later, yer highness,” Pear said as she rolled her eyes. “We still got ta take a photo here.” “Of course. Well then, why don’t you go on ahead and meet up with everypony. It looks like they’re all ready for the picture.” Pear nodded. She would rejoin her family and friends, who were already grouped up in front of the house. Apple Bloom, who was standing next to her sister, called out to her mom immediately. “Mama? Applejack said we’re gonna be takin’ a photo here right now. Is that true?” “Yes, dear,” Pear answered as she stood between her two daughters. “An item I brought with me allows me ta take photos. We’ll be takin’ one here right now." She looked back at the Princess. “Yer highness, are ya ready?” Twilight nodded. “Yup. Alright, everypony. On the count to three, smile.” She lifted the phone with her magic, positioning it right at the center of the group. “One…. two… three!” A bright flash emanated from Pear’s phone, then a second. The photo was taken, though it seemed as if the Princess took at least two. As Twilight lowered the device, Pear and everypony else trotted toward her. “How was it, yer highness?” “Perfect! I took two photos, but they’re in good condition. Here, look.” Twilight showed Pear her phone. In it was a crisp clear photo of her, her family, and her friends. All grouped together, smiling. “Wow, that’s so cool!” said Apple Bloom. “I’ll say!” said Applejack. “That is one clear photo ya got here.” “It’s really is something,” said Cheerilee. “And the photo seems to be in really good quality too. Not even our cameras can make something like that.” “Fine device ya got there, sweet pea,” said Grand Pear. “Do ya think we can build something like that?” Pear shrugged. “Well, ta be honest, I don’t think you ponies are capable of makin’ thing yet. It may be a long time before y’all can build somethin’ this powerful. But anyway, now that we got the photo, it’s time we head out ta the castle.” Apple Bloom frowned. “So, yer headin’ on back home now?” “Yes, sweetie, I have ta go back. I got my other family waitin’ on me,” said Pear Butter. “Aww.” “We’ve been over this, Bloom. I know it’s hard, but we both know that I can’t stay here long. I need ta go back sometime.” Pear Butter reached out and hugged her little filly. “We’ll make the most of it on the way back. I did promise that you’ll have a fun afternoon, right?” Apple Bloom nodded. “Then go ahead ‘an climb on my back, sugarcube. I’ll tell ya all sorts of stories on the way back. And they’ll be fun ones, I promise.” “Yay!” cheered Apple Bloom as she jumped on her mother’s back once more. With her daughter settled, Pear looked around to see her friends and family gathered around her. “Alright, yer highness, we’re ready now.” “Excellect! Now that everything’s settled, I’m going to go ahead teleport everyone back to my castle,” explained Twilight. “Now, Mrs. Apple, I’m aware that you haven’t experienced teleportation magic before. I can assure you that—” “Now hold jus’ a second, yer highness. I don’t mean ta be rude but can ya please hold off on that whole magical teleport thing,” said Pear Butter. “Huh? Why?” “Ain’t it obvious?” Pear stated as she gestured toward her friends and family. “Oh, I see. Hmm, well I don’t see any harm in it. Alright, I’ll respect your decision, Mrs. Apple. But let’s make it quick. We can’t afford to lose any more time.” Pear sighed in relief. She looked back at Apple Bloom one last time. The filly had a bright smile on her face as she muzzled her cheeks on her mother’s coat. Seeing this, Pear smiled and muzzled her daughter back. “Thank ya kindly, Princess. I really appreciate it.”