//------------------------------//
// The Apple Factory 
// Story: Doctor Whooves Episode 2: The Awakening 
// by Doctor Perseus 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 2: The Apple Factory


Sweet Apple Industries, Ponyville Central, Equestria, Gaia, Spring, 2002 C.E.

The delectable smell of sweet apple pies swam through the Doctor and Twilight's noses as they arrived at their random destination. 
"That was fun!" said the Doctor.
"That smell. It smells exactly like one of Applejack's pies!" said Twilight. They stepped off the pad and found themselves in a large kitchen. The kitchen was full of ovens, each with around five apple pies baking inside of them. All around the kitchen were boxes filled up to the brim with fresh, ripe apples. "Is this an...apple factory?"
"An entire factory dedicated to packaging apples and making many different assorted goods out of them. Interesting."
"Is this supposed to be the sequel to Sweet Apple Acres or something of that nature?"
The Doctor laughed and they began walking down one of the aisles. The entire kitchen was bristling with the sounds of ovens baking and machines running but there seemed to be nopony in sight. They walked a little bit further into the kitchen before they came across Applejack again.
"Applejack!" Twilight called. Applejack turned towards them and approached happily.
"Howdy there! How can ah help you?" she asked.
"We're the safety inspectors, remember? We met you a few moments ago in Lounge Room 29," said the Doctor.
"You must have met one of my sisters," said Applejack. "And my name's not Applejack. It's Harriet."
"Harriet?" asked a confused Twilight. "Are you a descendant of Applejack's?"
"Are you referring to the Applejack? No. She never had any children...well, no biological children anyway."
"So how come you and your sister look exactly like Applejack?"
"Don't you know this stuff? Ah thought everypony knew this by now."
"We don't get out much," lied the Doctor.
"That makes since. My sisters and ah are clones. Harvested from the DNA of the original Applejack."
Twilight's mouth dropped again and the Doctor pushed it back up.
"Clones?" breathed Twilight.
"Yep! There are around 376 Applejack clones working in the facility today! And there's also around...355 Big Macintosh clones, which ah thought was kind of pointless since we have his own kin co-running the place."
"So who's in charge of Sweet Apple...uh...Acres now?"
"Sweet Apple Acres? It's been Sweet Apple Industries since the Apple Family made it big in 1071! You two really should get out more."
"Well we're out now and that's what matters. Thank you for the information, Harriet. We shall be on our way!" said the Doctor. 
"Alrighty then! You just check up on everything and have a nice day!"
The Doctor grabbed Twilight and pulled her down another aisle. They soon found a door and walked through it. The door led out onto a platform that overlooked a massive indoor apple orchard. It was at least three times the size of the apple orchard from Twilight's time and it was all located under one massive roof. The Doctor and Twilight looked down to see various Applejack and Big Macintosh clones bucking apples from the trees and carrying them away in wheelbarrows that levitated one foot off of the ground.
"This is really weird, Doctor," said Twilight.
"I'm still amazed that you ponies managed to do all this in just 1000 years!" said the Doctor happily. "I'm honestly impressed!"
"So much has changed."
"Well a lot can change in 1000 years."
"What if I never get back to my time?"
The Doctor turned towards Twilight and looked her straight in the eye.
"Listen to me, Twilight Sparkle. I'm going to get you home. No matter how long it takes. I will get you home."
"Thank you, Doctor."
"I guess we could start heading back to the TARDIS. That is if you're done exploring."
"I could use a good rest inside that blue box right about now."
"Great! While you get a rest in one of the bedrooms, I can get some time to work on fixing the TARDIS."
"Sounds good."
Just then a pegasus guard with a megaphone flew up towards the platform and said, "Doctor and Twilight Sparkle! You are hereby under arrest under the direct orders of Queen Celestia!"
"What did we do?!" asked Twilight.
"No time for questions! Just run!" said the Doctor. They turned around and ran back through the kitchens. The pegasus guard was in hot pursuit.
"Stop or I will use force!" he yelled.
"Sorry but we don't feel like getting arrested today!"
They made a sharp turn towards the teleportation pad.
"Floor six, lounge room 29!" said Twilight. They jumped on the pad and, following three dings, they were gone. 
They stumbled around for a few seconds before jumping off of the pad. Two Applejack clones and a Big Mac clone were having lunch in the room.
"Howdy!" said the Applejack clones. The Doctor and Twilight didn't have time to respond for the pegasus guard had followed them. They burst through the door and ran down the hallway. 
"The TARDIS should be around this bend!" said the Doctor. They rounded the bend and found...nothing. The TARDIS was gone. "I swear that we left it right here!"
The pegasus guard was closing in on them.
"Stop!" he ordered. Twilight turned around and shot three magic blasts at him. They were all direct hits and the guard fell to the ground like a bag of sand.
"Sorry. Had to do it," said Twilight. She then turned back to the Doctor and her face fell at the thought of the missing TARDIS. "So...we're stuck here?!"
"Apparently," said the Doctor. Twilight sat down and leaned against the nearby wall.
"Fantastic. I'm trapped in the year 2002 where there are Applejack clones, indoor apple orchards, and teleportation pads! And now I have a bounty on my head!"
"Come on, Twilight. It's not that bad. It's just curious."
"Hmm?"
"Well why would the Queen want us to be arrested?"
"I don't know. Celestia and I have always been close. I don't understand what I might have done...or will do to make her want me jailed."
"Something doesn't feel right. Something is just not right."

Equestrian Academy of Magic and Skills, Ponyville Central, Equestria, Gaia, Spring, 2002 C.E.

Charlie was still in shock when the Headmistress got off the phone. 
"Did you say the Doctor and Twilight Sparkle? As in the Doctor and the Twilight Sparkle?!" he asked.
"The very same," replied the Headmistress. "Follow me."
Charlie eagerly trotted after the Headmistress. They left the room and went into an elevator. 
"Tell me, Charlie. Have you read any of the stories relating to the many adventures that the Doctor and Twilight Sparkle had together?"
"A few. Not many. But the ones I have read were amazing!"
"Yes. This is a special occasion because today was their first real time trip together."
"It was?"
"And it is. Right around this point they should be at Sweet Apple Industries. Which means we need to act fast."
"Why?"
"Because her forces are sure to be after them soon."
"Whose forces?"
"Thalia's."
Charlie cocked his head and scratched it.
"Who's Thalia?" he asked.
"Exactly. Most of the facts have been changed in the stories. The writers were complete idiots. There's actually several stories about them that are complete fiction. I can assure you, Charlie, that the Doctor and Twilight Sparkle never fought off a horde of dragons the size of skyscrapers," said the Headmistress.
"Man! That was one of my favorite stories!"
The elevator came to a halt and they emerged at one of the lower levels of the Academy. They walked down a couple more hallways until they reached a simple room that contained little more than a sofa, a table, and a teleportation pad. There were three dings and the large form of Queen Luna appeared before them.
"Your majesty," said the Headmistress.
"It is good to see you again. Have you alerted Crisp?" asked Luna.
"Yes. His men should be looking for them as we speak."
"Good. My sister has been slipping in and out of madness constantly now. Her castle must be impenetrable by this point."
"She probably has the TARDIS by now. We must hurry. Thalia will be getting her clutches on them soon enough!"
"Right!"
Just then an alicorn pony around Charlie's age appeared before them. She looked an awful lot like the Headmistress except she had a blue coat, indigo hair, and violet eyes. 
"Yes Mother?" asked the pony as she approached the Headmistress.
"Juliet. I want you and Charlie to head on over to Sweet Apple Industries. Go into Crisp's office. Queen Luna and I have some business to attend to," said the Headmistress.
"Wait. I'm going too?" asked a stunned Charlie.
"Of course! My daughter can't go alone!"
"But what are you and the Queen going to do?"
"Something important. We need to acquire something."
Before Charlie could ask anymore questions he was grabbed by Juliet and pulled onto the pad.
"Action first. Questions second," said the excited alicorn. Three dings rang out and they were off.

Sweet Apple Industries, Ponyville Central, Equestria, Gaia, Spring, 2002 C.E.

Twilight sighed as she and the Doctor found themselves at another dead end. 
"I wish I could just teleport out of here!" said Twilight.
"Why can't you do just that?" asked the Doctor.
"Something's affecting my magic. It's blocking me from doing anything major like teleportations."
"Figures. We better find a teleportation pad soon before another one of the Queen's guards shows up."
They turned around another bend to find a group of four Applejack clones. 
"Howdy there! Are y’all looking for something?" asked the largest of the four.
"Is there a teleportation pad near here?" asked Twilight.
"Just inside this room," said the second clone.
"Thanks," said the Doctor. The two ponies ran through the doorway only to find a stairwell instead of a room. Four sets of hooves then pushed against their backs and knocked them down the stairs.
"Have a nice fall!" laughed one of the clones sadistically before shutting the door and locking it.
"It was a trap!" said the Doctor.
"No. Really?" asked Twilight sarcastically. The two ponies got up and examined the area around them. There was nothing there except the stairwell behind them and a long tunnel ahead of them lit up with lanterns. "This must lead to the basement."
The Doctor ran up towards the door and pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver with his teeth. He clicked the button with his tongue and aimed it at the door. The Sonic Screwdriver emitted its strange sound but the door refused to open. 
"Should've guessed that they wouldn't have made it that easy!" he said as he stored his Screwdriver away.
"Now what?" asked Twilight.
"We follow the tunnel. Who knows? It might lead us to the TARDIS."
"Or to our deaths."
"That too."
They turned to each other, shrugged their shoulders nervously, and began their trek down the tunnel.

The Lower Chambers, Underneath Ponyville Central, Equestria, Gaia, Spring, 2002 C.E.

Water trickled down the walls of the room as two Applejack clones worked near a large tub of water.
"She's almost ready," said a clone named Patricia.
"Ah agree," said another one named Annabeth. "All we need now is the final ingredient."
The two clones turned to each other and laughed sadistically.
"Twilight Sparkle!" they laughed. A swarm of bubbles formed on the surface of the water as they continued to laugh.