//------------------------------// // The endless frustration of Twilight Sparkle // Story: In the wake of Anon-A-Miss // by General Alduin //------------------------------// Applejack stood in front of the Wondercolt statue, staring at its marble surface with trepidation. She had no idea what to expect, Sunset and Twilight never told her what it was like going into the portal and Applejack barely had any information on what Equestria was like. She mentally kicked herself for not asking more about Equestria from Sunset, now seemed too early to start asking the girl questions on what her home was like when they had just reconnected. Regardless, she had been stalling for too long. Twilight said she was barely able to fit Applejack in, so that probably meant there wasn’t a lot of time. Applejack took a step forward, pushing her hand through and walked her body through the marble. Applejack yelled in fright as she found herself in an endless void of insanely bright rainbow, her whole body feeling like it was being stretched and morphed as she got further and further down the vortex.  Soon she felt her entire being disappear atom by atom, changed into formless nothing while paradoxically feeling herself being crushed by unseen rollers. Next, she saw her body reform. First the skeleton, then the muscles, then the skin and fur, where she finally realized she had been transformed into an orange horse. There was a blinding flash and Applejack was hurled forward, her world spinning before she crashed to the ground. She groaned and lifted her head, her eyes fluttering open. ‘Sunset was right… Ah should’ve closed my eyes.’ Her ears perked up as she heard someone trotting towards her. Applejack turned her head and looked up into the face of Twilight Sparkle. Or at least, she assumed it was Twilight. What stood before her was a purple unicorn with Twilight's exact hair style. Looking further, she found wings attached to Twilight's side, much like the ones she had when she ponied up. ‘This must’ve been how she felt meeting all of us.’ Applejack mused. “Twilight!” Applejack stood up shakily on her hind legs. “It’s so good to see- woah!”  Applejack lost her balance and tumbled to the floor, eliciting a giggle from Twilight. “Four feet AJ. I thought you dealt with horses for a living.” Applejack blushed and let out an embarrassed chuckle, standing up shakily on four feet. “Sorry, old habits die hard.” “You seem a bit queasy.” Twilight noted. “You didn’t close your eyes, did you?” “Yeah, even though Sunset warned me. Of all the things Ah was expecting, that definitely wasn’t it.” Applejack moved her face closer to Twilights. “Much like you.” “What?” Twilight asked in confusion.  “Yer eyes. They’re huge for a horse, and what’s up with our legs?” Applejack lifted her front leg to inspect it. “Where’s the pastern? The fetlock? The coronet? Ah can’t even see my hooves, but I can hear them when they hit the ground!” Applejack's foot hit the ground, eliciting a small ‘clop’ as if to make a point. “Most of those only belong to Horses, but asking me about my fetlock is like asking me to flash you.” “Excuse me?” Applejack recoiled. “Why would those even be similar?” “I think it has its roots in biology, fetlocks would only be detrimental to have, so anypony with long fetlocks must be good at surviving, making them a desirable mate.” Twilight shook her head. “Which doesn’t matter! We have nine minutes and twelve seconds before I have to leave for the train. Maybe more, probably less. Now come on.” Twilight began walking to a table. “‘Anypony.’ What’s wrong with ‘anybody’? Ah now know Equish better than Ah know Spanish, and Ah just have to say yer horse language makes no sense.” Applejack followed after Twilight and sat on the other side. She took a moment to look around at the crystal walls. “How come my clothes seemingly disappeared but Ah still have my hat? How do yah build with crystal anyway? Why do we all have butt marks?” “Applejack, I’d love to answer any and all questions you may have, but we really need to get to business.” Twilight said with annoyance.  “Right, sorry.” Applejack cleared her throat. “So, yah wanted to ask me questions?” “Yes, I know how it happened, but I want further context and details. This might be a learning opportunity for all of us and would be beneficial to refining my plan for Sunset's recovery.” “Learning opportunity?” Applejack tilted her head. “Yer gonna use Anon-A-Miss as a learning opportunity?” “Well, yeah.” Twilight answered. “It was perhaps unrealistic of me to hold you girls to the same standards as your counterparts. After all, they are all adults and you girls are still teenagers. To expect you to be at the same level of emotional maturity and logical reasoning was a mistake on my part, and for that I am sorry.” “What?” Applejack was taken back by Twilight apology. “Yah don’t need to be sorry Twilight, we promised to be Sunsets friends and we screwed up, not yah.” “Which is another thing that needs to be addressed.” Twilight let out a long sigh. “The fact your entire friendship was predicated on a promise to me. I had wanted to stay longer and work out a plan for all of you, but I only had seconds before the portal closed and needed to leave immediately. I was worried about what would happen to Sunset while I was gone, so I extracted a promise from all of you.” “What’s yer point?” “A friendship shouldn’t be built on someone feeling… obligated.” “What?” Applejack huffed defensively. “We don’t feel obligated to be Sunset's friend!” “Not anymore, but can you honestly sit there and tell me that you would’ve sought her out after the Fall Formal and be her friend?”  “Well…” Applejack was quiet for a moment as she mulled over her words. “Not at first admittedly. But if she proved she had changed, Ah would’ve come around, especially after the Sirens.” “But you admit you felt obligated to me to be her friend in the first place?” A silence hung between the two girls until Applejack nodded regretfully. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of AJ, we did the best we could given the circumstances, I’m just glad you all showed enough maturity and integrity to at least make the attempt, given Sunset's history with all of you. Plus, it doesn’t seem you really connected with her and were her friend before the Sirens anyway; she’s told me you all were rather insensitive before I came back and thought saying ‘no offense’ made up for such behavior.” “In our defense, we were riding a power high after taking down the queen bee of the school, learned of the existence of another world, became friends with a princess, and used magic to defeat a demon. Plus, we were still a bit resentful of her for breaking us all up. ” Applejack sheepishly explained. “We stopped doing that after we were all humbled when Sunset saved our asses during the Battle of the Bands, including yours.” “Which is good, but I’ve come to realize that the lingering resentment and faulty foundations of your friendship made something like Anon-A-Miss inevitable. Maybe not in a way that you’d all fall for Sunset being framed for something, but I believe that down the line something would come to shake your friendship up. At best it would result in a lot of heartache, and at worst it could’ve permanently ended your friendship all together.” Another awkward silence hung between the two girls. “It’s actually good we caught it early, this might be what we need to strengthen the foundation of your friendship with Sunset.” “Just friendship? Does she… still consider herself my family?” “Sorry AJ.” Twilight regretfully shook her head. “Sunset told me it’ll take her a while to get to that point with you again.” “Oh…” applejack sadly looked down at the table, mentally beating herself up. “B-but at least she doesn’t want to start over!” Twilight quickly added. “She’s too fond of you five girls to start over from scratch.” ‘Five girls?’ Applejack looked confused. “What about Fluttershy?” “Of course.” Twilight smiled. “In fact, I’m confident that her relationship with Fluttershy will be the easiest to mend.” “Really?” This wasn’t making any sense, was Twilight just being naive? “Why do yah say that?” “Well, from what I’ve heard, Fluttershy didn’t do much during Anon-A-Miss, she’s very kind, and was pretty tame compared to the rest of you girls when you all accused her.” “Well, yeah, but what about the way Sunset feels?” “The way Sunset feels about what?” Twilight's smile faded. “Yah know, about Fluttershy.” “I… don’t follow.” Twilight leaned forward. “How does Sunset feel about Fluttershy?” “She hasn’t told yah?” Applejack seized up. Had she just unintentionally revealed something she wasn’t supposed to? “Told me what?” Twilight braced her hooves on the table and pushed her upper body up. “What’s going on Applejack?” “Ah thought yah knew!” Applejack held up her own hooves. “Look, if she hasn’t told yah then it’s probably for a reason.” “Applejack.” Twilight said in a strained tone. “What’s going on between Fluttershy and Sunset?” “Twilight, Ah’m sorry but Ah can’t tell yah.” Applejack shook her head. “Ah‘ve just barely started talking with Sunset again and Ah’m slowly building trust with her. Ah can’t jeopardize that because Ah assumed yah already knew. She has her reasons for not telling yah and it’d be a breach of trust for me to tell yah anyway.” Twilight looked at Applejack with a scrutinizing glare. “The one time I actually want you to be honest.” Twilight snarked before sitting back down. “Alright, you make a good point. I’ll just have to ask Sunset directly next time we talk.” Twilight grumbled in annoyance before clearing her throat. “Now, we really should be getting back to business. Can you explain to me how it felt when the two of you-” “Twilight!” A voice called out as the door to the library opened. “We’re gonna be late for the train if yah keep reading yer dusty old bo-” Applejack turned her head to look at the unwelcome guest, her breathing hitched as she stared directly in the face of her counterpart.  For a moment, nobody did anything, the two Applejacks staring at each other while Twilight tried to think of what to do next. “Well gee Twilight, Ah didn’t know yah liked me that much.” Equestrian Applejack turned towards Twilight. “Yah could’ve just asked to fool around, no need to make any clones.” “W-what!?” Twilight blushed furiously and stood up, her wings flaring to their full size. “Applejack, that is not what’s happening! W-why would you even say something like that!?” She sat back down, twitching nervously. “Applejack, this is your counterpart from the Human world.” “Yah mean my monkey counterpart?” Equestrian Applejack's face hardened into a glare and she turned back to human Applejack. “Ah‘ve got a bone to pick with yah!” ‘This won’t end well.’ Human Applejack thought as her counterpart marched up to her. “Well, first off, Ah’m not a monkey-” “Yer right, a monkey would’ve had more of a brain than yah!” Equestrian Applejack said angrily as she marched right up to her counterpart. “Applejack.”  “Yes?” Both Applejacks said in unison as they turned to Twilight. Twilight rolled her eyes. “My Applejack.” Human Applejack blushed and looked away. “I understand you’re upset, but be nice. I invited her here to work on Sunset's recovery, so that makes her my guest. Plus, she's only sixteen, were you the most logical pony at that age?” “Well, no…” Equestrian Applejack admitted. “But Ah’ve been wanting to chew her out for a while now! This is something she needs to hear.” “Fine.” Twilight groaned. “But be nice about it, think about how you’d want to be scolded at her age… and be quick about it, we’re woefully behind schedule.” Equestrian Applejack nodded and turned back to her counterpart, frowning down at her. “Now, Ah’ve been in yer position before, so Ah of all ponies know what Ah’m talking about when Ah say yah. Bucked. Up.” Human Applejack looked confused. ‘Is that supposed to be a swear?’ Seems the portal didn’t reveal everything to her.  “Now Ah know Sunset was a varmint, Ah was there when she stole the crown after all, and spent three days worried out of my gourd that my friend wasn’t going to come back in time.” Applejack Pulled away from her counterpart. “But she had proven herself to all of yah with the Sirens, not just anypony can use the magic of friendship after all.” “Anypony, there it is again…” Human Applejack whispered. “Ah don’t know what this ‘internet’ is or how effective it is at framing people, and granted there was pretty compelling evidence, but yah should’ve known better.” Equestrian Applejack said exasperated. “Ah got to really know Sunset when she was here during Hearths Warming, and this Anonmiss seemed very out of character for her, even when she was a two bit bully. But what Ah’m most upset about, was that yah told her she was family, then immediately turned on her! She could get through ten minutes without breaking down because of yah!” Human Applejack's eyes watered, causing the Equestrian Applejack to reel back. Her eyes flickered to Twilight, who was giving her the dirtiest look imaginable. Equestrian Applejack cleared her throat and looked back to her counterpart. “Look, Ah’m only yelling at yah because Ah want yah to be better, for yer and Sunset's sake. Ah know yah can be better… and perhaps Ah’m projecting a bit.” “What do yah mean?” “Well-” Applejack began before her mouth was closed by Twilight's magic. “Well, I think that’s enough for now.” Twilight began pushing her friends towards the door. “Me and Applejack really should be getting back to business.” Twilight's magic deposited the Equestrian Applejack right in front of the library door. “You don’t have to wait for me, I promise I won’t be late for the train.” Equestrian Applejack shot Twilight an annoyed glare, beginning to push the door open. “Wait!” The Human Applejack called out, gaining everyone’s attention. “Sunset told me yah have pigs.” Twilight groaned in exasperation and face planted against the table. “If yah don’t eat meat, why do yah raise them?” “Well, they’re good at hunting truffles. It’s also not illegal to eat meat per se, it’ll just give yah food poisoning.” Equestrian Applejack explained. “Plus, there are people out there that can eat meat, like Dragons, Kirin, and Griffons. We fatten ‘em up, kill ‘em, then usually sell ‘em to a butcher for money. Much like yah Ah can imagine.” “Oh…” Human Applejack looked surprised by the explanation but nodded. “Alright, uh... thanks.” Equestrian Applejack nodded. “Now, yah be good yah hear? If Ah learn yah made her cry again, Twilight won’t be able to save yah from the ass whoopin Ah’m gonna give yah.” She said half playfully. “Goodbye Applejack.” Twilight pushed Applejack past the door and closed it behind her, locking it for good measure. She gave an annoyed huff and looked back to her notes. “Now, can you tell me how it-” “Why do yah need to catch the train anyhow?”  “Oh come on!” Twilight groaned and threw the note snack onto the table. “I swear, you two are the most stubborn mares in both worlds.” “Ah’m not a-” “You’re a girl, it’s close enough!” Twilight grumbled for a second before facing Applejack. “If you must know, I need to meet with Princess Celestia about a mare named Starlight Glimmer. Me and my friends had a run in with her not too long ago and she escaped.” “Starlight… Glimmer?” Applejack's ears perked. “Did she mention anything about Sunburst?” “Sunset's brother? No, why would she?” “It’s just… Sunset said a Starlight Glimmer was her brother’s friend.”  “Really?” Twilight looked surprised by the news but merely hummed. “It’s probably a coincidence. Ponies can have the same name after all.” “Maybe… can yah at least describe her?” “She was a Unicorn, had a purple coat like me (but much lighter), and a light blue streak in her mane and tail.” Twilight leaned forward. “Is that what Sunset described to you?” “Sunset didn’t describe anything, she just told me that some girl named Starlight was Sunburst's friend. She said she was relieved because that meant her brother wasn’t alone this whole time.” “Well, it’s… probably nothing to worry about. Even if they are the same mare, there’s not much we can do. She’s a fugitive and will have to be arrested when she turns up.” “Can yah ask about Sunburst then?” “When we have the time. Now.” Twilight slammed her hooves on the table, wearing a strained smile. “If you have any more questions, please, ask them now.” “Nope, no more questions.” Applejack held up her hooves in surrender. “Yah can do yer Sunset plan… thing.”  “Thank you.” Twilight gave a grateful smile and sorted out her notes. “Now, how did it feel when you and Sunset reconnected-” suddenly a clock started ringing incessantly, Twilight giving the most drawn out groan as she reached for the offending device and turned it off. “Great.” “Ah take it that means times up?” Applejack said with a nervous smile. “Yes Applejack, always so observant.” Twilight stood up and trotted over to Applejack. “We’ll have to do this later. Just take this and follow it at your own discretion.” Twilight shoved a wad of papers into Applejack’s arms. “Yah sure Ah can’t stay a bit? Ah’d love to-” she was cut off as Twilight began pushing her towards the mirror. “Sorry AJ, but I need to take the journal with me and it’s the only thing that keeps the portal open. Maybe another time.”  Applejack nodded in understanding and hopped out, walking to the mirror as she awkwardly carried the papers. “Hey.” Applejack stopped and looked at Twilight. “I should be free when I come back, we should hang out in the Human world.” “Yer not just saying that so yah can monitor our progress are yah?”  “Can’t I do both?” Twilight said with a teasing wink. “Now, get going. I’d rather not fly all the way to Canterlot.” “Bye Twi.” Applejack offered a friendly smile and walked through the mirror's surface, Twilight waiting a solid minute before she levitated the journal from the contraption so she didn’t accidentally strand Applejack, and flew towards the door.