Apple Bloom had never been as excited to get to school as she was this Monday morning. She could barely sit still long enough to eat her breakfast. Applejack whickered happily to see his new little sister in such good spirits. “You have a good time at school, now, haystack. Don’t get so excited ‘bout boys that you stop paying attention to your studies, mind.”
“Of course not!” Apple Bloom insisted, a cheerful grin on her face. “It ain’t just Gold Watch I’m excited about. School has just been really good to me here. I’ll see you this afternoon!” She pressed her neck against Applejack’s, and then scooped up her saddlebags and dashed out the door.
Gold Watch was waiting for Apple Bloom at the bridge near Quills and Sofas. She gave him a warm, confident smile and passed him an apple from her saddlebags. “Morning, Goldie!” she greeted him. “How are you doing?”
The pink colt eyed the apple hungrily. “Really good! My leg’s nearly better, but it’s still a bit tender. Still, it got me out of dressage practice on Sunday morning, so that’s some good from it!”
Apple Bloom laughed out loud, almost choking on her own apple. “You do dressage?” she asked, looking at Gold Watch incredulously. “Prancing around to music with ridiculous gaits that nopony uses in real life?”
Gold Watch blushed, busying himself with nibbling on his apple for a moment. “Mother says it teaches good coordination and deportment,” he mumbled defensively. “And it’s no more ridiculous than rodeo.”
The two children started to argue on their way to school, but quickly realised how silly they were being and laughed together instead. Gold Watch nuzzled Apple Bloom’s neck companionably, then tilted his face up to place a kiss on her cheek. “Listen, Apple Bloom,” he asked her, “am I... you know...”
The young filly blushed, scraping her hoof against the ground. “My special somepony? If that’s okay, then... yeah, I reckon you are.” She started walking towards the school again. “So who all do you think knows?”
Gold Watch brushed his head against Apple Bloom’s neck as they walked. “Well, Spice, obviously. Blue Chip came around for lunch yesterday, so he knows. I guess they’ve probably told a few of the ponies at school by now, but I doubt we’re exactly...”
As Apple Bloom and Gold Watch rounded the last bend before the schoolyard, a colt shouted, “There they are!” What seemed like the entire school population clustered around the gate, talking excitedly among themselves and waiting for the new couple to arrive.
Gold Watch chewed his lip awkwardly. “I... see. Perhaps I should have warned you that this was a possibility. It’s part of the price of popularity, I’m afraid. Do you think you’ll be able to manage?”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Apple Bloom said, waving a hoof airily. “It’s kind of nice having ponies talk about me for a change, you know?”
“Okay,” Gold Watch replied, and nudged his head against hers. “Time to face our public.”
As soon as Apple Bloom stepped into the schoolyard, a herd of fillies stampeded down upon her and dragged her away to the lunch area, ensconcing her on one of the tables. On the other side of the yard, she could see Gold Watch cornered on the polo field bleachers by the school’s colts, answering questions with an expression of resigned amusement.
“Oh my gosh, Apple Bloom!” shrieked Sugar, who seemed to be the designated spokesfilly for the crowd. “Spice says you had a date with Gold Watch! Did you really? What was it like?”
Apple Bloom looked around at the herd full of faces paying rapt attention to her, and felt the way she had felt when performing with her loop-de-hoop cutie mark – except that this time, it was all real, she had nothing to hide and everything to be proud of, and there was no Diamond Tiara to turn the school against her.
“Oh, it was great!” she answered, smiling at her audience. “He has this really neat carriage, with great suspension – it feels like you’re not touching the ground at all! And the restaurant we went to was just amazing. I never knew hay fries could taste that good!”
“Tell me more! Tell me more!” Sugar bounced up and down on her seat as she begged Apple Bloom for more details. “Was it love at first sight?”
Apple Bloom did her best to satisfy her classmates’ hunger for gossip and tales of romance, going into fine detail on some questions and remaining tactfully evasive on others. Eventually she had recounted the whole date three times, and the conversation had moved on to other topics, and yet, everypony was still paying attention to her. Some of the fillies from farming families wanted her opinion on upcoming harvests and Grandpa Smith’s earth magic lore, while others urged her to join in an impromptu game of polo or hoofball.
This is it, then, she thought to herself. I really am the most popular filly in school now. And not just because I’m dating the most popular colt either, although that sure helps. Ever since I got away from Diamond Tiara, ponies have been paying more and more attention to me, and they like me. Maybe I could have been this popular at home if she hadn’t always ruined everything for me.
Apple Bloom looked across the schoolyard and noticed one pegasus colt who wasn’t clustered around Gold Watch with the others. “Sorry, girls,” she told her admirers. “I have to go see to a good friend of mine. We’ll catch up at lunch!”
She trotted out to the side of the schoolhouse, where Scooteroll was bouncing a soccer ball against the wall dejectedly. “Hey there, Scoots,” she greeted him, hoping that he wasn’t still angry at her.
Scooteroll didn’t turn around, but kept kicking the ball. “Hey, Apple Bloom. What’s up?”
Apple Bloom slowly crept into Scooteroll’s field of vision. “You still mad at me, Scooteroll? I was hoping we could hang out for a bit.”
The young pegasus caught the ball and tucked it under one wing, turning to face Apple Bloom. “I’m not mad, just... lonely, I guess. Everypony is talking about you and Gold Watch now. Even Sweepy is over there, pestering Gold Watch for gossip about your date, and Sugar’s right in the middle of it all with the fillies. Where does that leave me?”
Apple Bloom cautiously stepped forward and nudged her head against Scooteroll’s. “You ain’t jealous, are you?”
“No,” he grumbled. “Well, yeah, I am, but not like that. It always used to be the three of us against the world, you know? Me, Sweepy and Applebuck, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I know you’re not Applebuck, but you’re just like him, no matter what I said last week. I really miss Applebuck, and it just feels like Gold Watch is ruining everything for us, like he always does.”
“I miss my Hoofington friends too,” Apple Bloom sighed, leaning against Scooteroll. “I know a filly there who’s just like you. I still want us to hang out. I know there’s been a lot of trouble between you and Gold Watch, and the same with him and Applebuck, but are you sure you can’t just put it in the past and get along with him now?”
Scooteroll scuffed his hoof against the ground thoughtfully for a few moments, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, Apple Bloom, but I just don’t trust him. I know he’s nice to you, but I still think he’s planning something nasty for me and Sweepy. I’ll leave him alone, for your sake, but I don’t think we can be friends.”
Apple Bloom sighed and nodded. “I get it. We’re still friends, though, right?”
Scooteroll grinned and hugged Apple Bloom. “Of course we are! And... y’know... I am happy for you and Gold Watch, no matter what I think of him.”
Apple Bloom hugged her friend back. “Thanks, Scoots.”
Apple Bloom’s popularity, and corresponding good mood, continued throughout the week. Everypony wanted to be her friend and spend time with her, to the point where she hardly had any time to herself. She was able to find the time to spend with her new coltfriend, though, and even managed to drag him out to Sweet Apple Acres to teach him about earth pony magic, as promised. She tried her hardest not to laugh at the refined, finicky colt poking awkwardly at the grape trellises, and then relaxed with him after an afternoon of solid work, over a plate of Grandpa Smith’s apple pie.
Friday brought a new surprise for Apple Bloom after school, in the form of a pair of gold earrings set with tiny emeralds. “Oh, Gold Watch!” beamed Apple Bloom, giving her coltfriend a kiss on the cheek. “These are gorgeous! You shouldn’t have!”
Gold Watch blushed and shuffled his hooves. “Yeah, um, technically I didn’t. Blue Chip was doing some shopping at Amethyst Comet’s jewellery shop, and he just happened to stumble across these, and thought they’d look nice.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet!” Apple Bloom gave Blue Chip a warm hug. “That’s real generous of you, Blue Chip.”
Blue Chip returned the hug, then glared at Gold Watch. “Yes, well, somepony should buy you nice things, and since Gold Watch can’t anymore, I have to pick up his slack.”
“It’s okay, nopony has to buy me things... wait, what do you mean, Gold Watch can’t?”
The pink colt looked even more embarrassed, staring at the ground. “I kind of... spent all of my allowance for the next month on our date last Saturday.”
“Precisely,” said Blue Chip, giving Gold Watch another withering glare. “I had to give him a thorough lecture on financial responsibility.”
“You held me out of the top floor window of Sugarcube Corner by my tail!”
“It was for your own good! My father would have disowned me if I’d pulled a stunt like that! Besides, Berry Bubble would have got a twitchy tail if you were going to fall.”
“I just wanted our date to be special,” Gold Watch grumbled. “Apple Bloom’s a really great filly.”
“I don’t care if you were on a date with Princess Bluebell! It was irresponsible.” Blue Chip snorted, then butted his head against Gold Watch’s. “It’s alright, Goldie, just be more careful next time, okay?”
Apple Bloom had been watching the argument with amusement, recalling some of Scootaloo’s fights with Sweetie Belle. “Y’all done now?” she asked. The two colts were nuzzling contentedly now, so all seemed to be forgiven. “Did you really spend your next month’s allowance on our date? You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know I didn’t, but I think it was worth it to make the night extra special. Of course, any dinner with you would be special, Apple Bloom.”
“Oh, stop it,” murmured Apple Bloom bashfully, blushing and batting at Gold Watch with one hoof. “It was really special, and so are you, Goldie. Say, Blue Chip, what were you doing at Amethyst Comet’s anyway? You don’t wear much jewellery yourself.”
Now it was Blue Chip’s turn to look embarrassed. “Looking for a horn ornament for Spice. I found something I really like, but I don’t know how to give it to her.”
Gold Watch gave an exasperated sigh, while Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “This again? You two are just hopeless, you know that?” She reared up on her hind legs and called out to where Sugar and Spice were playing. “Spice! Get over here!”
The tall unicorn filly came racing over to meet her, with Sugar hot at her hooves. “Yes, Apple Bloom? What’s up?”
Gold Watch gave Blue Chip a shove, making him come face to face with Spice. “Hi, Spice!” the grey colt managed. “It’s a nice mane today, isn’t it? Um... look, shiny!” He drew a silver chain out of his saddlebags and offered it to Spice, with the added benefit of preventing him from saying anything further.
“Oh, wow, for me?” asked Spice. When Blue Chip nodded, she enveloped the chain in a soft green glow and levitated it up to fasten around her horn. The silver chain nestled against her yellow coat, holding a small ruby in place on her forehead. “It’s really pretty! Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome! I thought it would go well with your coat. So, um...”
“Hey, do you want to go to dinner tonight?” asked Spice, surprising everypony present. Apple Bloom grinned quietly to herself, glad that her friend had finally taken the initiative.
“Um... sure! I’ll pick you up at seven?”
“Okay!” Spice squealed and hugged Sugar, then ran off to show her new horn ornament to the other fillies.
Blue Chip stared at the retreating unicorn in mild shock. “Did Spice just ask me out?”
“Mmhm,” grinned Apple Bloom. “I told you she likes you!”
“Where am I going to take her, though? I can’t get a reservation at Cordon Bleu’s in four hours!”
“I can,” said Gold Watch smugly. “I’ll worry about that, you just worry about looking nice for your date.”
“You’d do that for me? You’re the best friend ever, have I told you that?”
“Hey, what are friends for?” Gold Watch put his front hooves out to meet Blue Chip’s. “Bump! Bump! Sugar lump! Rump!” they chanted, smiling all the while as they performed their friendship ritual.
Apple Bloom felt a chill grip her body, and her hooves shuffled a few paces back from the two colts. “W-w-what was that?” she stammered, staring at them with wide eyes.
“Oh, that’s just our little secret hoofshake,” explained Gold Watch, seemingly oblivious to Apple Bloom’s distress. “I don’t even remember how we came up with it.”
“Uh... okay. Look, I’d better go home and get onto my chores. Good luck with tonight, guys.” She gave Gold Watch a nervous smile, then headed off towards Sweet Apple Acres at a rapid canter.
Gold Watch can’t be Diamond Tiara. He just can’t be.
It simply didn’t make any sense. How could Gold Watch and Blue Chip have the same secret hoofshake as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?
For one thing, her wish had been to go to a place with no Diamond Tiara. The shooting star had carried her all the way to another world – surely it could have taken her somewhere without the filly who was making her life wretched?
And they weren’t anything alike. Diamond Tiara was a spiteful, stuck-up little snob who liked nothing more than to make Apple Bloom miserable. Gold Watch was a kind, generous gentlecolt, who had helped Apple Bloom make friends on her first day of school in this world. She couldn’t imagine two ponies being more different.
Outside of their personalities, though, she had to admit that the two were similar. She couldn’t match their faces to each other, but they had the same soft pink coat. They wore their manes in completely different styles, but they were both the same shade of purple, with a white streak. Greasy Lucre must be the mare version of Filthy Rich, which made a certain sense. Now that she thought about it, the signs were all there. They still acted completely differently, though. She hadn’t seen anything that linked the two ponies’ behaviours.
He called Scooteroll a blank flank, came the treacherous thought. And Scooteroll hates him. Why would he, if Gold Watch were as nice as I thought he was? On the other hoof, though, Scooteroll wasn’t exactly the nicest colt in school either. After what Scooteroll had called Gold Watch, it was easy to imagine that the conflict between the two colts wasn’t as black and white as it was in her world.
How could she find out the truth? Not by asking anypony at school, that was for sure. Blue Chip would stand by his friend no matter what, and Scooteroll would never say anything good about him. The rest of the school liked Gold Watch, but Diamond Tiara was also inexplicably popular at home, so that didn’t indicate anything. In fact, Apple Bloom had never been able to convince any adult that Diamond Tiara was a bully either, so she probably didn’t have anypony on her side here.
The one pony she could trust, she thought as she trotted into the farmhouse, was herself. If Gold Watch had tormented Applebuck the same way Diamond Tiara had tormented her, then there must be some evidence of it amongst Applebuck’s things. There was the muddy suit that Applejack had found by the pond, but that could have happened any number of ways. What else, though?
Apple Bloom went straight to her bedroom, and took her new earrings out of her saddlebags. No matter how Gold Watch turned out to be, they were still a lovely gift, and she should cherish them. She pulled open the drawer where she kept her treasures, then hesitated. Was it right to go through Applebuck’s things, looking for clues?
They were the same pony, right? And besides, he was probably doing the same with her things, and... no, that didn’t really bother her. There was hardly going to be anything in her own room that he hadn’t already seen.
She placed the box containing her earrings carefully in the drawer, then nosed through the rest of its contents. The letter from Gold Watch inviting her to dinner was already here, of course. There was her medal for Best Comedy Act in the school talent show. Another medal denoted her – or rather Applebuck – the Junior Rodeo Champion of Ponyville, and a third was for him and Applejack winning something called the “Brohoof Bash” the year before last. In one corner of the drawer, she found what she was looking for – a folded piece of paper that resembled her love letter from Pipsqueak.
Apple Bloom cautiously drew the paper out of the drawer with her teeth, then unfolded it against the surface of her dresser.
“Dear Applebuck,
Meet me behind the gym at six o’clock tonight. Wear something nice.
Love,
Half Pint.”
This was it, then. Somepony had written this note to lure Applebuck out after school and humiliate him in front of the other colts. If that somepony turned out to be Gold Watch, then the situation was just as bad as she feared. Part of her wanted to forget about this revelation and pretend that everything was alright, but that wasn’t the way that Applejack had raised her.
Apple Bloom took her letter from Gold Watch and scanned it carefully. She found the sentence she needed and laid the words next to those in the other letter.
“I do not know how long we can expect your company in Ponyville, but while you are here, you should be able to wear something nice.”
Every loop and stroke was identical. The refined mouthwriting, comparable in quality to a unicorn’s magical script, was unmistakable.
Gold Watch was Diamond Tiara, and had treated Applebuck exactly the same way that Diamond Tiara treated her.
Her very special somepony was the meanest, most spiteful bully in Ponyville.
Apple Bloom shrieked in rage and bucked the dresser, denting the drawers badly. She took her dinner invitation and shredded it with her teeth, scattering it all over the floor before throwing herself into bed and sobbing.
Applejack allowed Apple Bloom to sleep late the next morning. He had found his new sister consumed with rage and misery, cursing Gold Watch’s name. Red Gala had sat with her over a platter of ice cream and hot apple pie, letting her cry into the older mare’s mane until she was spent. In the morning, a little of the emptiness in her heart had been replaced by the warmth and comfort of her family’s love, but she still had a score to settle with the colt who had lied to her so badly.
“Are you sure you wanna do that, haystack?” Applejack asked her over their late breakfast, when she announced her plan to confront Gold Watch. “Maybe you’d be better off just tryin’ to get an apology, instead of chargin’ in there and snarlin’ at him.”
“An apology? After everything he did to Applebuck? I can’t just let that go! He’s a mean colt, Applejack, and I gotta make him pay for what he’s done!”
Applejack exchanged a worried glance with Red Gala. “Listen, sweetheart,” Applejack said slowly. “I know you feel you’ve got a right bone to pick with that Gold lad – and I’m on your side, I promise – but if there’s one thing that hanging around with Dusk Shine and the others has taught me, it’s that you don’t get anywhere in friendship by keeping score. Why, if I counted up all the times Rainbow Blitz has been a right stinker to me, I’d start wondering why I was friends with him at all. And you know what? I bet he could say the same thing about me. If you really want to be friends with somepony, you learn how to put these things in the past.”
“But I don’t want to be friends with him!” insisted Apple Bloom, stomping her hooves on the kitchen floor. “I want him to get what’s coming for the way he’s treated Applebuck, and for the way Diamond Tiara treated me!”
“Take it easy, now, lassie,” warned Grandpa Smith. “No sense getting your dander up over a bit of schoolyard to-and-fro. We all know where that sort of temper leads you.”
“Besides, do you really wanna be kicking a boy for something another girl did to you?” added Red Gala. “Does that really seem fair to you?”
Apple Bloom looked at each of her family members and sighed. “I know y’all want to help, and want me to do what’s right,” she said. “But I just gotta do this. I can’t let him – or her – keep making a foal out of me like this. It ain’t fair. I have to stand up to them, or it’ll just happen again and again. Y’all are probably right and I’m gonna regret this one day, but I gotta do it now.”
Blue Chip was relaxing at his table in Sugarcube Corner, indulging in a mid-morning pastry and milkshake. Gold Watch was begging him for titbits about his date with Spice, but Blue Chip simply insisted that “a gentlecolt never tells”, and continued to enjoy his brunch in smug silence. Berry Bubble puttered around the bakery, cleaning tables and trying not to look like he was listening.
“Come on, Blue, you gotta tell me something!” Gold Watch pleaded. “At least tell me that the food was good!”
“Oh, all right, Goldie. Yes, dinner was fantastic. Oh, and Spice actually got a chance to talk with Cordon Bleu, and they’re discussing the possibility of an apprenticeship! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. You know how much Spice loves cooking.”
“I do,” agreed Gold Watch, sniffing the air. “Hey... is that a cinnamon cologne you’re wearing this morning?”
Blue Chip whistled innocently and turned back to his milkshake, but then looked up, startled, when Apple Bloom galloped into the bakery, snorting angrily.
“Apple Bloom!” exclaimed Gold Watch, smiling up at the filly. “How are you... hey, what’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” shrieked Apple Bloom. “What’s wrong? You’re the worst colt in Ponyville and I want you out of my life, that’s what’s wrong!” She stormed over to Gold Watch and lashed out with her hooves, shoving him out of his chair. “I can’t believe I ever trusted you!”
Blue Chip and Berry Bubble exchanged a bewildered glance, while Gold Watch scrambled back from Apple Bloom’s wrath. “What did I do?” he asked, looking hurt. “I don’t understand.”
Apple Bloom pulled a piece of paper out of her saddlebags and spat it at Gold Watch. “You don’t remember this, then?”
Gold Watch scooped up the paper and read it, shaking. “ ‘Dear Applebuck, meet me behind the...’ Oh. That.” He set the letter aside and looked up at Apple Bloom, his face lined with guilt. “Look, Apple Bloom, I can explain about that.”
Apple Bloom stomped a hoof down inches from Gold Watch’s face. “Explain what? That you’re a bully? That Scooteroll was right about you all along? That you set Applebuck up to be humiliated by you and your cronies, just like at your cuteceañera, just like on Family Appreciation Day? You’ve been making him miserable ever since he started school!”
“You don’t understand!” shouted Gold Watch, tears streaming down his face as he struggled to stand up. “He’s trying to ruin my life!”
“No he ain’t!” cried Apple Bloom. “He just wants you to leave him alone! He never did anything to you!”
“It’s not like that! How do you know so much about what Applebuck wants and what Applebuck does, anyway?”
“Because I am Applebuck!”
Apple Bloom and Gold Watch stared at each other in silence for a few moments, then Apple Bloom muttered, “Dusk is gonna kill me,” and cantered hastily out of the bakery.
Blue Chip looked at his friend in bewilderment. “What in Equestria was all that about? What does she mean, she’s Applebuck?”
Gold Watch shook away his tears and started for the door. “I don’t know, but I need to talk to her. I’ll see you later, Blue! Apple Bloom, wait for me!”
Blue Chip looked back to Berry Bubble, who had abandoned all pretence of cleaning tables. “Berry? Do you know what’s going on?”
The pink stallion looked uncomfortable. “I do, but Dusk made me promise not to tell anypony. I think you should get to the library, though. Apple Bloom is going to need her friends with her.”
“Okay.” Blue Chip started packing up his saddlebags. “Say, Berry, you know where Scooteroll lives, right?”
Apple Bloom burst through the door of the library, skidding to a halt in the middle of the main book room. “Dusk!” she panted, looking up at the librarian in desperation. “I need to talk to you!”
Dusk Shine set aside the text he was studying and quickly trotted over to Apple Bloom’s side. “Of course, darling. What’s wrong?”
“Gold Watch is what’s wrong,” Apple Bloom said, leaning against Dusk’s front legs. “I thought he was a really nice colt, but now I know he’s just the colt version of the filly who made my life miserable in my world. I’m only here because I wished to go somewhere with no Diamond Tiara, but she’s here anyway, and... and I thought he really liked me!”
“Doesn’t he?” Dusk asked. “Has he ever actually done anything bad to you?”
Apple Bloom chewed her lip. “Well... no,” she admitted. “He’s always been really sweet to me. But everything Diamond Tiara did to me, Gold Watch did to Applebuck, right? And now I’ve got proof of some of it. And Scooteroll and Sweepy Bell said that Gold Watch was a bully, and now I feel so stupid ‘cause I didn’t listen to them! Oh, and... I kinda told Gold Watch that I’m Applebuck.”
Dusk gently nuzzled Apple Bloom’s mane. “I’m so sorry, Apple Bloom. I thought things were going really well for you here. I’d hate to see everything fall apart like this.” He turned away and walked over to the mirror next to his lectern. “Prince Solaris says that I can use my discretion in telling ponies about your world. Do you want me to explain it to Gold Watch?”
“I don’t want anything to do with him anymore,” complained Apple Bloom. “I just want to go home. I thought this world was better, but it’s just the same, with all the same ponies. Can I go home yet?”
Dusk faced the mirror and concentrated, his horn glowing purple. The mirror shimmered, then cleared to show the same library as was behind them, but with Twilight Sparkle and Applebuck standing together instead. Apple Bloom reached out a hoof toward Applebuck, and their hooves met at the surface of the mirror, but all she could feel was smooth glass. “I’m sorry, sweetie,” Dusk sighed. “I can communicate with your world, but I can’t get you there. Twilight Sparkle and I are doing everything we can, but something or somepony is holding our power back.”
As Apple Bloom stared into the mirror, the library door in the reflection opened, and Diamond Tiara stumbled into the image, panting heavily. Apple Bloom whirled around to see Gold Watch standing into the doorway. “Apple Bloom!” he gasped. “What’s going on? Please, just talk to me!”
“I don’t want to talk to you!” Apple Bloom cried. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”
“Because you’re my friend, and more than that, and I don’t want you to hate me, and I don’t understand what’s going on. What’s with that mirror?” he asked, slipping past Dusk to stare at the image of Diamond Tiara. “Is that... is that me?”
Dusk Shine glanced at Apple Bloom, who shrugged. “It is you, in a way,” the unicorn stallion explained. “Apple Bloom isn’t actually from Hoofington. She’s from Ponyville, but not this Ponyville. The one on the other side of that mirror, in an Equestria ruled by Princess Celestia.”
Gold Watch peered at the mirror, then at Dusk Shine and the image of Twilight Sparkle. “Another Ponyville? Another world? With fillies instead of colts?” Dusk nodded. “So that really is me,” he mused, touching the glass, his filly counterpart mirroring his actions.
“That’s Diamond Tiara,” Dusk explained. “She is you, more or less. Everything that has happened in our world has happened in that one, too, roughly speaking.”
“And Apple Bloom really is Applebuck,” Gold Watch continued, looking at the two yellow earth pony children. “And everything that’s happened between me and Applebuck has happened between Diamond Tiara and you?”
“That’s right! I had no idea you were just like her!”
“And I never thought you were like Applebuck. So... can you explain just one thing to me?”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine. What?”
“Why are you so mean to Diamond Tiara?”
Apple Bloom opened her mouth to shout at Gold Watch again, but stopped when she noticed the honesty and pain in his face. He really thinks that I’m a bully, and he’s the victim, she thought. He honestly believes that. And he wasn’t lying all this time I’ve known him, either. He wasn’t pretending to like me, or be nice to me. That was genuine.
She looked up at Dusk Shine silently, thinking about everything that he had told her, and what Applejack and Red Gala had told her. She could either keep hating Gold Watch, or she could try to be friends with him, like Applejack and Elusive were now.
It would be so hard, though. She thought she could never trust Diamond Tiara, because she was just an awful pony who wanted to make her life terrible. Opening her heart to Gold Watch again was just asking for it to be broken once more.
Suddenly, she heard the whirring of wings outside, and Scooteroll trundled through the door on his scooter. Seated in the trailer were Sweepy Bell and Blue Chip, both wearing helmets. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed their identities – her fellow Crusaders and Silver Spoon.
The three colts rushed over to Apple Bloom, sweeping her up in a hug. “Apple Bloom!” cried Scooteroll. “Blue Chip said you’d gone crazy or something. Is everything okay?”
Apple Bloom returned the hug gratefully. “It’s better now that y’all are here. You three came here together?”
Blue Chip nodded. “We figured you needed all of us.” He placed a hoof on Scooteroll’s shoulder, and the pegasus colt flinched but didn’t pull away. “Being your friend is more important than being each others’ enemies.”
Apple Bloom stared at her friends, touched. “You’re right, it is.” She turned back to face Gold Watch, taking a deep breath. “Goldie? I think we should talk about what’s happened between me and Diamond Tiara, and you and Applebuck. Really talk, not just snarling at each other.” Behind her, Dusk Shine started talking with the other colts, pointing to the mirror and explaining who Apple Bloom really was.
Gold Watch took a step towards Apple Bloom and held out his front left hoof. “Alright. Well... I’m sorry about setting Applebuck up with that fake letter from Half Pint. It was an immature prank and I’m not proud of it. I only did it because Applebuck set me up to humiliate myself when he brought Grandpa Smith in for Family Appreciation Day.”
“But I...” Apple Bloom started to snap, then forced her temper down and brought her right hoof forward to meet Gold Watch’s left. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. I thought Granny Smith was going to embarrass me, not Diamond Tiara. I’m sorry that everypony laughed at her when her dad made her wear the bunny suit like everypony else.”
“Alright,” said Gold Watch, nodding. “I understand, and I accept your apology. I guess I shouldn’t have tried to get him to come in and embarrass you either. What about when you had your fake cutie mark, though? Why did you do all of that?”
Apple Bloom cast her gaze to the floor. “I just wanted my cutie mark so badly,” she mumbled. “I didn’t really think about what I was doing, or who I was hurting. I shouldn’t have made fun of you for being clumsy.”
“And I shouldn’t have called you out on your marks being fake. Even if they were, that wasn’t nice of me.” Gold Watch sighed and looked at Apple Bloom apologetically. “How did we end up like this?”
“I think... I think it all started at your cuteceañera,” said Apple Bloom. “I thought you only invited me so you could make fun of me for being a blank flank. But you didn’t even want me there at all. Why not?”
“Well, because...” Gold Watch looked at the floor, shuffling his hooves nervously. “Because everypony likes Applebuck better than me.”
“What?” asked Apple Bloom, surprised. “No way! Ponies talk about you all the time! Everypony wants to be your friend!”
“Only because I’ve got my cutie mark. Without that, nopony would pay attention to me.”
“Sure they would! You’re a really nice colt! And your father was the Mayor, and the most important pony in Ponyville! And your mother is a great business pony, and her grandmother was part of the founding, and...”
“I know, but that only gets ponies to respect me! There’s a difference between being respected and being popular. Look at Applebuck. He’s a junior rodeo champion, and he got Zircon to come to town when nopony else would talk to him. And look at his family! His grandfather founded Ponyville, and his brother saved the world! Twice!” He waved his front legs wildly. “How can I compete with that?”
“So that’s why you got everypony to make fun of me at the party? Because you thought everypony would pay attention to me instead of you?”
Gold Watch nodded guiltily. “Yeah. And then it happened anyway, and suddenly you had the Crusaders, and you were more popular than ever, and I just felt so... cheated, and so angry. It was supposed to be my special day.”
“I just wanted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to leave me alone. That’s all. I didn’t mean to ruin your party. I thought you were just a mean filly who liked making me miserable.”
“And I thought you were a selfish colt who wanted everypony to love him and ignore me. That’s why...” He sighed and hung his head. “I guess that’s why I keep trying to get other ponies to make fun of him, because if I don’t, he’ll be the popular colt and I’ll be... I won’t be anypony at all, and then I’ll never be like Father.”
Apple Bloom walked forward slowly and laid her head against Gold Watch’s. “Why can’t we be popular together, Goldie? We’re both from really important families. We could do all sorts of great things together. Everypony would listen to us.”
Gold Watch looked surprised, then guilty. “You’re right, we could do that. I suppose I simply never considered that you would want to. I’ve thought the worst of you all this time, and I’ve treated you so badly.”
“It’s not just you, Goldie. I never thought you were worth trying to make friends with, and I was really wrong.”
The two young ponies put their front hooves together, while their counterparts in the mirror did the same, and spoke together.
“I forgive you for everything, and I want to be your friend.”
Behind them, the mirror shimmered and rippled.
“The portal!” exclaimed Dusk Shine, whirling around and pointing his horn at the mirror. “It’s open!”
“It is?” asked Apple Bloom excitedly, running to the mirror. “I can go home?”
“I think so,” said Dusk. “Whatever force was opposing my magic is gone now. You should be able to walk straight through it.”
“But... but I only just got things sorted out here. Do I have to go already?” She turned back to look at her friends, her heart feeling heavy again.
“If I can open the portal again later, then you can visit again. And if I can’t, then you’d better go now. Besides, don’t you want to get home to your old family and friends?”
Apple Bloom looked into the mirror, seeing the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon and Twilight Sparkle all looking at Applebuck expectantly. “I guess I do. Oh, you guys... I’m going to miss you so much.”
Sweepy Bell and Scooteroll ran forward and hugged Apple Bloom. “We’ll never forget you, Apple Bloom,” Scooteroll assured her. “You’ve been so awesome to have around.” Sweepy nodded eagerly in agreement.
“You too, guys,” said Apple Bloom, hugging them both back. “Everything was so different and weird here until you guys found me. I’ll make sure I tell Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle all about you! Oh, and Scooteroll? I’m sorry I thought you were a violent jerk.”
Scooteroll scuffed the floor with his hoof. “Maybe I am, a bit. I’ll try to do better.” The Crusaders stepped back and allowed Gold Watch and Blue Chip to approach Apple Bloom. “I have to thank you guys, too,” she told them. “You made friends with me when you had no idea who I was, and I didn’t know anypony at school. Hanging out with you two was really fun, and I got to find out what being popular is like. You’ve been really good to me.”
Blue Chip leaned forward and nuzzled Apple Bloom happily. “It’s been really great to be with you too. You convinced me to ask Spice out... well, she asked me out, actually, but it wouldn’t have happened without you. And, well...” He tilted his head towards Gold Watch. “You’ve made my best friend really happy, too. That means a lot to me.” He smiled and stepped back, giving her some space with Gold Watch.
The two earth ponies smiled awkwardly at each other for a few moments. “I’m really going to miss you,” Apple Bloom said. “You’ve been... just...”
“I know. So are you, Apple Bloom. I hope I get to see you again. I’ll miss you too.”
Apple Bloom leaned forward to put her front legs around Gold Watch’s shoulders, and pressed a gentle kiss against his lips. “Thank you for being you,” she whispered to him, before pulling away.
Dusk leaned down to nudge Apple Bloom with his head. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Apple Bloom. Will you give my best regard to Princess Celestia, and to Zecora?”
Apple Bloom laughed and hugged Dusk’s neck. “Of course I will, Dusk. You’ve taken really good care of me while I’ve been here. Tell the Apples that I love them and that I’m sorry I didn’t have time to say goodbye?” Dusk nodded solemnly.
“Alright, y’all,” said Apple Bloom as she approached the mirror. “This is it. I’ll miss all of you a whole lot! Hope I get to see you again soon!”
Apple Bloom faced Applebuck in the mirror, and stepped forward.
Passing through the mirror wasn’t disorienting in the same way that swimming in the pond had been. Apple Bloom felt dizzy, though, and managed to tangle up her legs and fall to the floor as she emerged from the portal. Immediately, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were at her side, helping her up.
“Apple Bloom!” they exclaimed, hugging her tightly. “You’re back!”
“I am!” Apple Bloom said, crying tears of relief. “It’s so good to see you girls again!”
“You too!” said Sweetie Belle. “I mean, Applebuck was nice, but we missed you so much.”
“I missed you too!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders nuzzled and chatted briefly, then stepped back as Apple Bloom turned to look at Diamond Tiara. Everypony else in the room seemed to be holding her breath, even Twilight Sparkle.
The two fillies took a few steps towards each other, then rushed together and hugged each other tightly, their eyes filling with tears.
“I’m so sorry!” cried Apple Bloom.
“So am I!” replied Diamond Tiara. “We could have been friends all this time!”
“We could have! But instead we just wanted to hurt each other and ruin each other’s lives!”
“Applebuck made me so happy. If hurting you means hurting him, then I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”
“I never realised what a nice pony you are, Diamond Tiara. Everypony else knew, but I just didn’t want to know.”
“Ugh, are you two finished?” groaned Scootaloo. “You’re sorry, everypony’s sorry, we get the idea!”
Apple Bloom poked her tongue out at Scootaloo, then moved over to give Silver Spoon a hug. Meanwhile, Scootaloo approached Diamond Tiara.
“Hey, look,” she began, casting a sidelong glance at Apple Bloom. “I’m sorry I, you know, broke your leg and called you lame.”
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I don’t blame you. I’m sorry I broke your nose and stuff. Are we good?”
Scootaloo shrugged. “If you and Apple Bloom are really friends now, then I guess so.”
The five new friends milled about the library for a while, trading stories of what they had all gotten up to in their time apart, and their plans for the future. “So what are we going to do now?” asked Apple Bloom.
Diamond Tiara grinned. “Well, Silver Spoon and I are the most popular fillies in Ponyville, and you three are the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sounds to me like we can do whatever we want! What say we grab Snips and Snails and go sailing?”
“Great idea!” exclaimed Scootaloo. “And I bet they’ll be happy to know that we’re friends now. Let’s go!”
Twilight Sparkle watched as the fillies laughed and rushed outside. “I’m so happy for you, Apple Bloom. I’ll get started on trying to open this portal on demand. Perhaps we could visit this other world together next time!”
Apple Bloom grinned. “So you can meet Zircon, right?”
Twilight blushed. “Well, he just sounds so wise, and... never you mind. I bet Princess Celestia would love to hear all about what you’ve learned.”
“You’re right!” Apple Bloom leaned out of the door to call to her friends. “You guys go on ahead, I gotta write to the Princess. Spines, take a letter!”
Spike wandered down from the bedroom, carrying his quill and a scroll. “Uh, it’s Spike. You know, big tough dragon guy?”
“Right, right. Take a letter, please?”
“You got it!”
“Dear Princess Celestia,
These last few weeks, I have been on an amazing journey, to another world. At first it seemed very different from our world, but eventually I figured out that it’s just like ours, but I was seeing it from a different perspective. Places look different when you’re looking at them from a new angle, and so do a lot of ponies.
When you only ever see one side of a pony, it’s easy to get the wrong idea about them. A pony might seem like the perfect friend, or the worst possible enemy. Ponies aren’t like that, though. Nopony is perfect, or a monster. They’re just ponies. Before you judge a pony for what you see, it’s worth thinking about whether there’s another side you’re not seeing.
When you come into conflict with a pony, that pony probably seems like the worst pony in the world. But that’s just the side you see when you’re fighting with them. And you know what? They probably see you the same way. You can just carry on fighting, but that won’t solve anything. You can say things like, “But she started it!” or, “But what she does is worse than what I do.” And you might even be right about that.
But being in the right doesn’t stop a fight. The only way to make the fighting end is to make peace, and that means imagining that maybe, the other pony doesn’t want to fight either. Even if you can’t see the other side, you have to believe that it exists. If you can find that other side, then you might just make a new friend, one who was there all along, if only you’d seen it sooner.
Your loyal subject,
Apple Bloom
P.S. Thanks for letting Applebuck visit your world, and I’m really grateful to Prince Solaris for letting me go to his. It was amazing.”
Princess Celestia chuckled to herself as she read the letter. “Young Apple Bloom is learning a great deal,” she commented to her sister as they relaxed in their dining hall. “I think she’s thanking the wrong Princess for this lesson, though.”
Princess Luna, for her part, was engrossed in a rather lengthy poem on another scroll. “’The brilliant stars that fill the skies / Shine in my Dark Lady’s eyes’... oh, he’s not going to give up, is he? Still, young Pipsqueak does have quite the talent.” She set the scroll aside and took the letter from Celestia, reading it swiftly.
“You’re right, sister. She has learned this lesson very well, if she has grown to love the pony she once hated.” Luna stood and walked to the window, peering out at the morning sky. “I didn’t think that my old tradition of wishing upon stars had lasted into these modern nights. It has been most wonderful to connect with our little ponies in that way again.”
“And a valuable lesson it has been, too,” agreed Celestia. A moment passed in silence, then Celestia trotted up beside her sister. “Luna... you know I never hated you, don’t you? No matter what you did?”
Luna turned and pressed her head against her sister’s. “I know, Celestia. Even when I hated you, I knew you still loved me. It must have been so difficult, to love a pony who caused you such grief.”
Celestia smiled, holding up the letter again. “Not as difficult as all that, if a child can do it.”