//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: What am I? 
// Story: Equestria Girls- Dimensional Crusaders 
// by Annalisa Flat 
//------------------------------//

	My eyes fluttered open as I awoke from what seemed like a long slumber. As I began to stir, I felt my body ache and shiver, as if I hadn't used it in over a thousand years.  My ears pricked from the sound of somebody snoring obnoxiously, and although I was eager to discover the source of the snoring, I couldn't come to the effort of standing up. So I instead just sat there for several minutes, staring at the ceiling above me, and attempting to collect my thoughts from the previous day. 

What happened? The last thing I remember was being chased by the Principals of Canterlot High, before I was enclosed in what seemed to be a multitude of colorful lights. I quickly remembered that I had hit my head on concrete, and probably had some sort of concussion or hallucination. Judging by that, I was most likely in an office or jail cell, awaiting the consequences for trying to enter the portal.

The portal! I shrieked at the thought, remembering that my fellow crusaders had gone through the portal without me. Were they safe? What happened to them? Are they in Equestria? These questions consumed my mind, and I could only overcome them with pacing. As I attempted to stand up, I came to the sudden realization that that was impossible, most likely because I didn't have toes. Or fingers.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"I screamed hysterically, unable to interpret this latest development. What the heck was going on!! Then it hit me like a lightning bolt. Right before Principal Celestia and Luna had caught up to me, a yellow hand pulled me into a jello like substance. That must have been Applebloom, pulling me into the portal! I didn't understand how she could've pulled me in if she was already inside the portal, but right now, I choose to abide all questions..

So then, was this Equestria? Was I, a pony? I finally took the oppurtunity to glance around the room. There seemed to be two ponies sleeping on the ground, and besides a bejeweled mirror in the back of the room, the decor wasn't exactly grand. I suspected it was some type of storage room, or spare room they just happened to put a mirror in. A mirror, huh? I decided to crawl over to the mirror, mainly because I couldn't walk, so I could get a better look of myself.

What stood before me surprised me greatly. I was, unquestionably, a pony. I had hooves, a bushy tail, and a sparkly white horn atop my head.  The only similarities between this creature and myself was my mane, which was curly and pink-purple like my hair back home. The strangest feature was that on my flank, the emblem that Rarity put on all my clothes was imprinted into my coat. Strange I thought,horses don't have these back home.

Now that I knew what I was, I had to investigate. I didn't come to Equestria for a vacation. I came to learn. Besides, I needed to find my fellow crusaders.

Walking was extremely hard, as I had to be on four legs. I wobbled everywhere, but managed to keep a snail slow, but steady pace. I approached what appeared to be an orange and purple pegasus, with a rough mane-cut, and a picture of a fire lit wheel on her flank. I shook her awake, and she began to stir.

"Huh, where am I?" said the pegasus, struggling to keep her energy up."What's going on? Sweetie Belle?"

"Wait, Scootaloo?"

I immediately came to the realization that these were my friends lying weak on the floor. Figures, after going through that portal, none of us were exactly fit and ready.

Scootaloo's vision began to clear, and the second her eyes focused on me, her expression cracked. She began to breathe heavily, and started screaming continuously.

I did a facepa- I mean face hoof. Of all of us crusaders, I'd expect Scootaloo to be the bravest and most enthusiastic. No, instead she was being a coward. I rolled my eyes, and moved on to the other pony, who was supposedly Applebloom. She had a yellow coat, red hair, and unlike me and Scootaloo, she was able to keep one of her signature clothing items: her big red bow. On her flank, a picture of a hammer and several nails glistened brightly. I  gently nuzzled her awake, and she awoke from he slumber. It wasn't peaceful, though.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed, unable to grasp reality as it toyed with her brain."What is going on?!?!?!"

"Duh, we're in Equestria," said Scootaloo, who had finally collected herself, and was trying to walk on over to us." Since we went through the magic portal, we're all ponies."

"Oh, that makes so much sense now that it defies the laws of physics!" She retorted, trying to stand up.

"Will you two calm down?!" I shouted, their voices distracting me."Do you want to explore and have fun, or sit here and argue?"

"Good point," said Scootaloo,"but I'm not exactly strong with my wings yet." She jumped up into the air, and hovered for about two seconds before she came crashing to the ground.

"Why don't you walk like the rest of us?" Applebloom asked with a tint of aggravation. Unlike me and Scootaloo, she lacked a horn or a set of wings.

"I say that first we explore the city we've teleported to, and then we meet the counterparts of people like our sisters,"I explained."If we meet our own counterparts, the universe won't like it, so we should refrain from socializing with them."

"Ok then!" Applebloom shouted."Let's go Canterlot Crusaders!"

Applebloom stood up, wobbled over to the door, and pushed it open. I bobbled as well, where as Scootaloo had learned how her wings worked and was soaring about. We all looked out into the city, excited and prepared for what would be a fantastic vacation of a sort.

But the horrid wasteland before us was undeserving of our smiles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, in the human dimension...

When Rarity couldn't find Sweetie Belle at school, she just figured she'd gone over to their little clubhouse at Sweet Apple Acres to crusade with her friends. That afternoon, she drove her topless pink car over to Applejack's property, eager to get her home.

Rarity pulled up on the dirt driveway and walked up to the barn entrance. "Applejack?" she shouted.

Applejack was busy feeding the pigs, and had to wash her hands before approaching Rarity. She knew she didn't like getting dirty. "What are ya'll doing here? Shouldn't you be watching the crusaders at your house?"

Rarity twitched. "But, I had come to the predicament that Sweetie Belle was coming to your house for a playdate this afternoon, darling."

"Applebloom told me that she was coming over to your house to crusade," Applejack said, confused.

That was when another car pulled up, rainbow streaks across the front. Rainbow Dash emerged to the car, looking cool and confident.

"Where's Scootaloo?" she asked impatiently."i'm supposed to pick her up right now and my soccer practice is about to start."

"You tell us," Applejack answered."Neither of us had any crusaders come to our homes."

"WHAT!?!?!?" Screamed Rainbow Dash. She hyperventilated, freaking out at this news. Then she took a deep breath."Those squirts are probably hiding something they don't want us to know about!"

"Well, I might have an idea of where they are.."

"WELL SPILL THE BEANS RARITY!" Yelled Rainbow."WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!!" Rarity was imtimidated to say the least by Rainbow Dash's screaming.

"Well, remember when Twilight came about 2 1/2 years ago?" said Rarity.

"Yea, it's kinda hard to forget," answered Applejack, unsure where this was heading."Your point?"

"Well, Sweetie Belle has been obsessed with the subject,"explained Rarity." and for the past several years she has been studying this, as Twilight calls it, Equestria."

"Oh yea, the pony world!" Cheered Rainbow."I miss my wings so much though, it would be cool to get them back. You were saying?"

"Anyways," Rarity gave Rainbow Dash a dirty look."Maybe the crusaders went through the portal, but didn't really want us to know they were leaving the dimension."

"That's silly," Applejack laughed."She said the portal wouldn't open for another 30 moons! It hasn't been thirty moons, has it?"

"Um, guys, you might want to look at this," Rainbow flashed her phone in front of their faces."The calendar app says that it HAS been thirty moons, and this three day period is almost over. If we don't get to the portal soon, they'll be stuck in there for three years, as PONIES."

Both Applejack and Rarity's jaws dropped. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. But they had no choice.

The three of them jumped in Rainbow's car, and drove towards the school.