The path felt warm underneath her hooves. Apple Bloom hurried along, not sparing a moment. If this really was a dream, she wanted to make the most of it. Apparently the dream played out the same. Apple Bloom stepped through the door, finding herself in another room much like her own, but somehow grander.
Apple Bloom’s face lit up with glee. “This is just like,” A wonderful smell cut Apple Bloom off. She was about to say “before”. Going on the “before” concept, the young filly worked her way through the hall and to the kitchen. The dream was one hundred percent more accurate, for she saw the same orange colored mare, an exact replica of her sister, save for a key detail.
“Apple Bloom! You’ve come back.” The button eyes of the Other Sister gleamed with delight.
The eyes of Apple Bloom glanced all around. It was here, this was it, the kitchen, the house, the button eyes. “thank you.” She whispered to nopony in particular, happy that Celestia, or Luna, or any divine force for putting fate in her favor.
“Now honey I need to ask you something.” The Other Sister’s word returned Apple Bloom to the present. “What do you like better in your pancakes? Blueberries? Or chocolate chips?” It was here Apple Bloom noticed the state of the kitchen. The countertops were laden with mixing bowls and egg beaters. Several bows were filled with fruit, while one held the aforementioned blue fruit, and the other the chocolaty treat.
Apple Bloom felt a spark of hunger. The wonderful smell came from the fruit. “Oh um.” the pony started to think hard on that. What would make the perfect pancakes?
“You know what? How about both?” suggested the Other Sister. Scooping up the blueberries and the chocolate chips, adding them to the batter.
“Can they have cinnamon?” Apple Bloom asked, offering her own suggestion.
The Other Sister smiled warmly. “Almost forgot. Thank you my little sugar cube.” Taking her hoof, she ruffled Apple Bloom’s head. The young one giggled under her other sister’s touch.
“Well, I’m afraid dinner won’t be ready for a while.” Explained the Other Sister. “But why don’t you help your brother with the bucking?”
Bucking? That would mean apples. “Y’all have apple trees?”
A chuckle came from the older mare. “Why of course we do sweetie. This is an orchard after all. But don’t spoil your appetite on them.” she added a little warning, but not in a chiding notion, for she still smiled. "Oh who am I kidding? Eat as many as you want sugar cube!" the mare playfully allowed.
“But Ah eat apples all the time back home.” Apple Bloom responded.
“Yes, but ours are better.” Proclaimed the Other Sister. Somehow, Apple Bloom didn’t think that proclamation sounded prideful. It almost sounded like a fact. “Run along now.” She didn’t have time to delve into it further. The Other Sister urged her out the door into the outside.
Apple Bloom felt the air from the door behind her. But her eyes grew wide at what she saw. The landscape, this was Sweet Apple Acres, yet it wasn't. It made sense that this was the
"Other" Sweet Apple Acres. The surrounding farmland looked very much the same, only……Apple Bloom couldn't really describe it as anything but "better". The grass, the path, and even the fenceposts all held a certain shine to it; A much higher quality than the ones in her world.
Her hooves trotted upon the ground before her. A vast night sky hung above, a bright moon came into view illuminating the stars that surrounded it. All of this awe struck the filly. Her trots slowed down as her mind took this all in. For some reason, she felt compelled to turn around. So she did. Her awed eyes grew a fraction. There before her was the Apple Family home. Like the rest of the farmland, it held a brighter shade and a tint to it.
"Wow." Was all Apple Bloom could say.
Her legs started to move again. Remembering what the Other Sister had said, she headed into the direction of the apple orchards. A gaps escaped her lips. At her hooves, flowers sprang up with each step she took. In a rapid succession they went, accompanying her trek. Their sudden appearance only excited her, spurring her to move. Fast she traveled, and ahead she could see the orchards. From nowhere, animals darted around the greenery. Rabbits wiggled their noses at the passing ponies, hummingbirds flitted about. All this delight followed her as she made it to the orchards.
There they were, the apple trees. They looked much akin to their real world counterparts. Despite the brightness they held, there didn't seem to be a great difference between them. Particularly in the apples. They were the same red color, yet the Other Sister had said they were better. Then again, everything was better here.
"Well howdy there, Apple Bloom!" Apple Bloom turned at the joyous voice. It was the Other Big Mac. The buttoned eyed stallion turned his head towards the filly with a grin. Surrounding him were several baskets, perfect for holding apples. "Just in time, Ah need my number one apple bucker to help me."
"But Ah've never bucked apples before." Apple Bloom admitted. "Well actually ah tried and Ah wasn't very good at it." Many bruises had proven that.
The Other Big Macintosh waved a hoof. "Ah it's easy, ya just got to find the right spot." The other Big Macintosh patted one of the trees. He patted in several spots, like he was looking for something. He at a spot that was just at his leg length. Turning around, he gave the bark a mighty kick. On cue, several apples fell from the tree and into the basket.
"Here Apple Bloom," The Other Big Macintosh gestured towards the basket. "have a bite."
Apple Bloom had tried enough apples to memorize their taste. Not that she didn't like apples. After all, they had kept her family in business since before she was born. However, these apples seemed to call to her. The moon managed to shine through the leaves and branches. For a moment, Apple Bloom could see herself reflected upon the red. Curiously she took one apple, and bit into it.
Immediately, her eyes winded as far as they could. "Candy Apples!"
Yes! They were actually candy apples! Candy apples that grew from a tree! Apple Bloom finished off the apple with vigor. Once she was finished, she went for another one, finishing it off just as quickly.
"Woah there! Don't want to fill up before breakfast." The Other Big Macintosh cautioned. "Besides, sis needs these, but we could use another basket." The stallion pointed to the empty apple basket.
Apple Bloom took that as her cue to try her hand at apple bucking. Gleefully trotting over to the basket, she did what her other brother did to the other tree. Tapping her hoof upon the bark, she searched for a perfect spot to buck. Although she had no idea which spot to buck. She merely picked one that she could reach and kick. Her kick wasn't as mighty as her other sibling's, but there was a great shake from the branches. Looking up, Apple Bloom's eyes practically bugged out as apples, too many apples to fit in one basket, fell upon her in a great big heap.
Seeing this, the Other Big Macintosh didn't seem worried. With a whistle, the wildlife that inhabited this other world sprang from their hiding spots. Every rabbit and bird helped to move the apple pile, while the rest moved the basket away to its intended destination.
"You alright?" The Other Big Macintosh asked.
Apple Bloom opened her eyes. Looking herself over, she found there wasn't a single scratch on her. Despite the fact that she had just been buried, Apple Bloom looked up with a grin. "Never better!" She chirped.
XXX
He had never felt so nervous before. Well, he had never been nervous, this was the first time due to him not being created long. The house stood before him, a great looming abode.
He had to pal this right, he had to play his role, he couldn't screw up.
She wouldn't like that.
He had to play his role, he had to be her friend.
What was she like though? That made him even more nervous. He would just have to play it right. Just act like she told him, act like the way he was made.
XXX
Breakfast for dinner. Who would have thought it? Those were Apple Blooms thought's. Turns out mixing blueberries and chocolate chips together with the syrup drowned pancakes was a genius idea. That and the hay browns and candied apples were perfect side dishes. All of it washed down with a nice glass of milk.
"Enjoying your breakfast Apple Bloom?" asked the Other Big Macintosh.
Apple Bloom responded with an enthusiastic "mmm hmm!", seeing as her mouth was filled.
The Other Sister smiled as Apple Bloom continued her meal. "I'm so happy you like it Apple Bloom. I prepared it especially for you."
This dinner went perfectly as far as Apple Bloom was concerned. Yet she had a question as she swallowed. "Where's Granny Smith? The other one Ah mean."
"Well, sweetie, she's preparing for the rodeo." Answered the Other Sister.
"Rodeo?" Apple Bloom repeated.
"Mmm hmm, and you've been invited kiddo!" Added the Other Big Macintosh.
This prospect excited the filly. "Wow! Ah've never been to a rodeo before!"
Just then, a knock rapped upon the back door. "Oh, that must be your little friend." the Other Sister rose and went to answer it.
Apple Bloom looked up from her almost empty plate. "Mah friend?" she asked confusedly.
The Other Sister opened the door, revealing who was behind it. Apple Bloom got up from her position at the table to see who this "friend" could be. To her surprise, a young purple dragon stepped into the kitchen. "Spike?" Apple Bloom exclaimed. Spike was the only purple dragon she knew. Actually, Spike was the only dragon she knew. Immediately, she spotted the one difference, that told her this wasn't the Spike she knew. He had buttons for eyes.
"Hello there. How are you this fine evening?" The Other Spike politely asked.
Apple Bloom blinked at the dragon. Immediately, she would see the difference in personality. "Um hi…….Ah'm fine." Apple Bloom answered.
The Other Spike looked both at the Other Sister and the Other Big Macintosh. "Good even sir and madam. You're both looking lovely this evening." Once he was done, he turned his attention once more to Apple Bloom. "Apple Bloom, I hear you're going to the rodeo. Do you mind if I joined you?"
Apple Bloom noticed something else peculiar. This Other Spike had a nice smile painted upon his face. Almost as if he were in a permanent state of happiness. "Sure…….ya know you're different than the Spike Ah know." Observed Apple Bloom.
The Other Sister placed a hoof upon the Other Spike's scaly shoulder. "Well I thought you might like him better this way, so I tweaked him a bit." The Other Sister explained.
Tweaked? Apple Bloom wasn't sure what that meant exactly, but a more polite Spike? She would take that any day.
"Now hurry along you two." The Other Sister urged. "You don't want to miss the rodeo."
XXX
Apple Bloom and the Other Spike walked side by side; The latter apparently he knew the way. Actually it wasn't that far from the farm. Occasionally she kept giving a glance towards the buttoned eyed dragon.
"Do I have something on my face?" The Other Spike asked.
Apple Bloom realized he had seen her. "Oh nothing, Ah just." she still couldn't shake the differences between this Spike an the one she knew. "Y'all don't like slugs do you?" she just had to ask that question.
The Other Spike gave her a quizzical look. "Slugs? Yuck! No way! I can't stand them." The dragon shivered at the very thought of those slimy gastropods.
Apple Bloom was sure relieved. Now she was certain there wasn't an Other Wybie the slug. Correction "Why-were-you-born".
Just outside the farm, slightly past it, there stood a large series of bleachers. Apple Bloom and Other Spike walked through an opening in between. The pair seated themselves and Apple Bloom let out a tiny gasp. Before her, was a large arena. A big, dirt covered area, the perfect place for a rodeo.
"Want one?" Apple Bloom turned, and noticed that the Other Spike was holding out a candied apple. in fact, there was a whole basket beside them that she didn't notice. This must have been where the animals had taken the second basket. Apple Bloom gleefully took one and took a bite. It was just as good as before.
"HOWDY!" a loud, but aged voice called out from nowhere. Suddenly, everything became dark. Odd seeing as they were outside. Furthering the oddness, spotlight appeared from nowhere. "WELCOME TO THE ONE AND ONLY GRANNY SMITH RODEO!" The spotlights stopped right in the center, revealing none other than the Other Granny Smith. The old mare no longer wore her shawl, replacing it with a red colored scarf. Atop her gray head, was a large cowpony hat. The buttoned eyed version of her grandmother twirled a lasso around before she spoke again. "THIS SHOW IS DEDICATED TO OUR SPECIAL GUEST, APPLE BLOOM!" The spotlights fell from the Other Granny Smith, to Apple Bloom herself. The little filly waved a sheepish hoof as applause resounded through the empty seats. Odd as they were empty.
"WELL NOW! LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON!" it finally dawned on Apple Bloom that the Other Granny Smith's voice was being amplified, just as if she was speaking through a microphone.
On the other side of the arena, a gate opened up. Right before the dragon and pony's eyes, several baby calfs stampeded out. The Other Granny Smith sprang with the same youth and vigor she had shown yesterday. Twirling her lasso, Apple Bloom watched as the Other Granny Smith lassoed the legs around the baby cows. With a twirl and a spin, she pinned the mall together into one big pile.
"Wow!" Apple Bloom cheered, even the Other Spike joined in. "She musta done that in five seconds!" Apple Bloom wasn't sure on the exact time, but it certainly felt fast.
The show wasn't over yet. A great snorting and stomping creature emerged from the gate. A great, big bull. Apple Bloom gasped, grabbing onto the Other Spike's arm. The bull locked eyes with the Other Granny Smith. The Other Granny Smith simply stamped her front hoof in response. The bull charged with full force.
"She's just standing still!" Apple Bloom felt herself at the edge of her seat. The bull continued to charge, and the Other Granny Smith wasn't budging. Closer the bull came. "It's going to hit her!" Apple Bloom started to shake the Other Spike, so much that the poor dragon thought his buttons would fall from his head.
Then, right at the split moment, the Other Granny Smith leapt up, her lassos twirling in midair. She landed perfectly upon the bull's back, her lasso finding it's way around the bull's muzzle. The beast tried to buck the old mare off, but she wouldn't budge. After a while, the bull started to halt in its kicking and bucking. Then, it stopped completely.
"WOO HOO!" Apple Bloom's cheers filled the area. The Other Granny Smith took a bow. She had done her job, and that was seeing Apple Bloom happy.
The rest of the night followed the same. Apple Bloom found the whole situation familiar. After a long day, she was curled up in her glorious other bed. The other versions of her family, and the Other Spike, stood by her side.
"Good night my little sugar cube." The Other Sister pecked Apple Bloom upon the cheek. Soon, she lapsed into dreamland. Just as the night before.