For the first time in a while, Fluttershy stood in the main square of Ponyville. Although she was in charge of the weather team for Ponyville, she spent very little time in the town itself. She had met with the Mayor of Ponyville when she first took the position, and of course she did her part in the town's Winter Wrap-Up every year. Generally, though, she avoided the ground, preferring to remain in the clouds when she wasn't working. Her hometown may have been bigger than Ponyville, but at least it was familiar.
Normally, this would not be a problem for her, but now she found herself in a town that, for all the time she spent flying over it as part of her job, was pretty much unknown to her. She was in a strange place, and she was alone. She didn't really know of anypony around here that well. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that, despite several conversations with her, she wasn't sure she could remember the mayor's real name. Even the weather team pegasi that made their homes down in Ponyville would all be busy at work right now, so for all that things were strained between them, she couldn't even count on them if she needed help.
She could use some help right now. She began to regret turning down Cloud Kicker's offer to accompany her to Sweet Apple Acres, but chastised herself for being so selfish. The clouds that they were both responsible for still hadn't all been cleared yet, and Cloud Kicker still needed to get everything ready for her sister's visit. Between the trip to see Rainbow Dash and the planning afterwards, Fluttershy had already taken up enough of her friend's time. It wouldn't be right of her to keep her busy for something that, while personally important, wasn't an emergency. Despite her polite refusals, Cloud Kicker, no doubt still worried about the close call that morning, insisted on at least seeing Fluttershy to the surface and got her to agree to avoid unnecessary flying.
It was that promise that was at the heart of her current problem. Fluttershy realized, after her friend had already departed, that she didn't know how to get to Sweet Apple Acres from where she was. The vast fields of apple trees would no doubt be foal's play to spot from a few hundred feet in the air, but it didn't seem necessary when it wouldn't be that hard to ask somepony.
At least, it shouldn't be that hard to ask somepony. Fluttershy looked around, trying to decide who to ask. She didn't want to bother anypony that was busy. She first noticed a couple of young mares, dressed in hot pink shirts, standing around and approached them. She asked them for directions, but the only response she received was an annoyed sigh from the headband-wearing blue pony. Her pink friend simply rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses as the two of them turned their backs on her and walked away.
Discouraged, Fluttershy looked elsewhere. Another pair of ponies walking by looked like they might be able to help her.
"Excuse me, but I was just wondering, if it's not too much trouble, if–" Before she could continue, a third pony charged past, nearly knocking her over. The newcomer was a pink earth pony with a flower in her blonde mane and a look of utter panic on her face.
"It's terrible, girls!"
"What's wrong, Lily?" asked the cream-colored pony with the two-tone red mane.
"I'm sorry, but if I could–"
"Caramel was just in the Everfree Forest yesterday, and now's he's cursed! It must have been that mysterious enchantress!"
"It would only take a minute. I just need–" While Fluttershy was not unafraid of curses, this one seemed easily avoidable by just staying out of the Everfree Forest. Not that she needed another reason to do that. The weather over it didn't work like it was supposed to, and who knew what was lurking in there beneath the trees? Enchantresses, apparently.
The other ponies apparently did not agree with her about the lack of difficultly involved in avoiding the curse. The pastel purple pony shouted "The horror! The horror!" and all three ran into a nearby building. Three pairs of eyes soon peeked out from beneath the curtains.
Fluttershy's ears drooped as she again failed to get anypony to pay attention to her. She hung her head and started walking without any direction in mind. After some time, she wasn't sure how long, she heard a voice asking if somepony was okay. She looked up from the ground and realized the speaker, a cheerful earth pony mare with a dark purple coat and a purple and pink mane, had been talking to her. She explained that she was fine, and was trying to find Sweet Apple Acres. The other pony gave her directions, and then added, "You seem familiar. Aren't you on the weather team?"
"Yes," Fluttershy said, somewhat sheepishly. She wasn't going to mention she was in charge of the team if she didn't have to.
"I thought so. I was sure I'd seen you at Winter Wrap-Up." She extended a hoof. "Cheerilee."
"I'm Fluttershy."
"It's nice to meet you, Fluttershy. I teach at Ponyville Elementary. If you need anything else, you can probably find me here at the library." Cheerilee gestured to the large tree behind her that somepony must have hollowed out and turned into a building. "It's been a couple of years since we've had anypony running the place, so somehow I wound up looking after it. Somepony had to."
Fluttershy thanked Cheerilee for the directions and headed off.
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Thanks to Cheerilee's directions, Fluttershy was able to easily make her way to the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. The path she was walking on wound on into the trees until she lost sight of it. The trees, all laden with plump, juicy apples stretched as far as the eye could see. Fluttershy's mouth watered. When she met the farm's owners and had the chance to ask about that pony from Other Fluttershy's memories, she'd have to remember to ask if she could buy a few. It was already past lunch time.
To do that, though, she'd have to find them first. She saw dozens and dozens of trees, maybe even hundreds, but no ponies. Hoping it lead to the tall red barn that stood out in the distance, Fluttershy headed down the path. She walked along in a near-silence that was broken only by birdsong. She could have curled up in the shade of one of the trees and listened to them sing for hours. It wasn't often birds made their way as high as Cloudsdale, and they usually weren't songbirds. The chance to hear several at once was a rare treat. She forced herself onwards, though. What she was here for was important, and she couldn't let anything interfere with that.
After a few minutes, her reverie was interrupted by a significantly less melodic sound. From the orchard came a small, high-pitched grunt followed by a thwack. It soon repeated – grunt, thwack, grunt, thwack. Fluttershy looked around for the source of the noise. A few trees deep off one side of the path, a little yellow filly with a big red bow in her mane was standing with her back to the trunk. Around the tree, a few empty wooden buckets were arranged. The filly reared up on her front legs and kicked the trunk of the tree as hard as she could. The tree gave the slightest shudder, but nothing happened. She kicked again, and again nothing happened. Frustrated, she backed up and charged at the tree before leaping in to the air and kicking with her right rear leg. She slammed against the tree like this, but only bounced off. For a moment, it seemed as if, once again, nothing was going to happen, before a single apple detached and fell, bouncing off the filly's head before landing in a waiting bucket.
"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?" Fluttershy rushed over to check on the filly.
The filly sighed. "I'm never gonna be able to help Big Macintosh." She looked up and realized that she didn't recognize the pony she was talking to. "Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres! You new in town? I don't think I've ever seen you around here before."
"Yes. Well, no. I mean, sort of. I spend most of my time in Ponyville up in the sky, so I don't really know the town too well. My name's Fluttershy."
"Nice to meet ya, Fluttershy. I'm Apple Bloom."
"It's nice to meet you too, Apple Bloom. Is there something wrong? If you don't mind me asking, that is."
"Applebuck season is comin', and I thought maybe this was the year I could help my brother so he wouldn't have to hire anypony. An' maybe I'd even get my cutie mark, too. But it isn't working at all."
"I'm sorry. But maybe there's something you could help me with." Apple Bloom's face brightened. "You're part of the Apple family, right?"
"Of course!"
"I'm trying to find somepony, and I think they're part of the Apple family, too. I was hoping maybe somepony here might know them." She described the pony she'd come all the way out here to ask about.
"That sounds kinda like Applejack! She's my big sister."
Fluttershy couldn't believe her luck. This pony, this "Applejack", lived in Ponyville after all? Maybe she was closer to getting some answers than she thought. "Is your sister around? I'd really like to speak with her if that's okay."
"She doesn't live here. She left to be a fancy big city pony in Manehattan before I was born." Apple Bloom paused, thinking. "Since you're lookin' for my sister, does that mean ya know her? What's she like?"
Fluttershy didn't know her, but she felt as though she did, or at least she should. Of course she couldn't tell that to somepony she had just met. Explaining what was going on would just make her sound crazy. "There are a few ponies I need to find because I need their help, and I think she might be one of them. I don't actually know her. I'm sorry."
"That's alright. Y'know, you should come talk to Big Macintosh – he's my brother. He could tell ya how to find her. Applejack writes to us all the time."
Fluttershy agreed, and the two ponies, mare and filly, headed off towards the center of the farm. Fluttershy noticed that Apple Bloom kept glancing to Fluttershy's side in a way she assumed was intended to be subtle. She was not prepared for the very sudden and loud gasp from the younger pony.
"Is something wrong, Apple Bloom?"
"You don't have a cutie mark!" Apple Bloom blushed, embarrassed by her outburst. "I'm sorry, my brother says it's rude to go around askin' ponies about their cutie marks. It's just that everypony in my class already has their cutie marks. At first, it was just me an' Twist who didn't, but even she's had hers for a while now. Everypony I talk to about it tells me I hafta be patient, but it's really hard being the only one. Waiting was already tough, but I can't wait until I'm grown up, I just can't!" More to herself than anything, she added, "What if I don't ever get one?"
Fluttershy was sorry to see the filly so upset, even more so because she had inadvertently been the cause. She remembered when she was a filly, she couldn't understand why she wasn't getting her cutie mark. As the years passed and her flank remained unadorned, she had come to terms with it. In its own way, being a full-grown mare without one made her just as distinct as any mark could. Although a small part of her held out hope that she'd finally get one someday, she rarely ever thought about or noticed cutie marks anymore. It was just a symbol and it was something she had no control over; she wasn't going to let it affect her life. She wanted to believe that she had never made as big a deal about it as Apple Bloom was, but that probably wasn't true.
"It may seem difficult right now, but you're a hard worker. You'll discover what makes you special." She could see Apple Bloom about to object and pressed on. "And don't worry about having to wait until you're an adult. I know a lot of ponies in Cloudsdale," she said, which was pretty much a lie, but one she felt nopony would hold against her considering the circumstances, "and I don't know of any others that grew up without getting a cutie mark. I really think it's just me."
"But it isn't just you. This lady was here earlier talkin' to my brother, an' she didn't have one either. An' whenever I ask Applejack to tell me how she got hers, she just ignores the question. Maybe she doesn't have her cutie mark yet either!"
Fluttershy could tell that trying to convince her that wasn't going to happen would be a lost cause. Perhaps a different approach would work better. "I know it isn't easy to wait, and having ponies that already have their cutie marks trying to reassure you probably doesn't help much. Would it help if I told you that it's not so bad? It used to bother me when I was a filly, but I'm okay now. I'm happy. You'll get your cutie mark, but until you do, you're no less of a pony for not having one."
Apple Bloom seemed to give some thought to Fluttershy's words. "It's not just not havin' a cutie mark that's the problem. It's the ponies that keep teasin' me for not havin' a cutie mark."
It was a feeling Fluttershy understood all too well. "When I was little, other ponies would tease me because I couldn't fly very well. One day, I finally got it, and they didn't tease me any more. A friend helped me then. I have something important I need to take care of, but when I'm done, I'd be happy to come back and help you discover your special talent."
Apple Bloom's eyes lit up as a seemingly-impossibly wide grin spread across her face. "Really? Ya mean it?"
"I promise."
"Thank you so much, Fluttershy! Maybe I can help you get your cutie mark, too!" The two continued down the path, a skipping Apple Bloom leading the way.
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It wasn't too long before the duo made it to the center of Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy had passed the time by listening to Apple Bloom tell her all about living on the farm with her big brother and granny. They all seemed like such nice ponies. Apple Bloom assured her that they'd like her, although she wasn't quite sure what to think about Apple Bloom's expressed hope that Big Macintosh would really like her.
Apple Bloom had just launched into a story about her family's famous zap apple harvest, when something caught her eye. "There he is! What's she still doin' here?" She leaned in to whisper. "She's the one I was telling you about before." Fluttershy turned to look and saw a pair of ponies coming out of the farmhouse. The first was a large red stallion wearing a plow collar around his neck. Outside of the princess herself, he was the largest pony she had ever seen. Beside him walked the color pink in the form of a pony. Her coat was pink. Her long, straight mane, which hung down over her left shoulder, was pink. Even the sharply-tailored business suit she was wearing was a bright, cheerful pink.
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Fluttershy considered the patient sitting on the table before her. "You're going to be fine. It's only an upset tummy from so much excitement. Just try to avoid being over-stimulated for the next few days."
The recipient of this advice gave no indication of having understood or even heard the pony giving it. He simply sat there and blinked, first with one eye, then the other.
Instead, a response came from a bouncy pink pony. "Did you hear that, Gummy? You need to take it easy for a few days." She paused, as if waiting for an answer from the little alligator. "I know, I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't do anything exciting for a couple of days, but you know what will cheer you up? When you're feeling better, I'm going to throw you a party!" Pinkie Pie caught a glance from Fluttershy that suggested the latter didn't think that was a very good idea. "A small party."
After determining to her satisfaction that Gummy was content, Pinkie turned to her friend. "Thank you so much for coming over, Fluttershy. When Gummy wasn't his usual energetic self this morning, I got so worried! I guess he just can't handle two parties in two days yet. He is only one year and two days old, and that's probably pretty young for an alligator! Maybe I was just being silly." The normally upbeat pony's face fell. "I was silly a lot yesterday."
Fluttershy couldn't remember if she'd ever seen her friend sad like this. She'd certainly seen her angry – they all had – yesterday, when Pinkie had thought they were abandoning her, but she looked like she was about to cry. "Pinkie, is this about the surprise party? I'm sorry we made you worry. We should have–"
"No, no, it's not you girls at all! I'm lucky to have friends like you." She smiled. "It's, well, I'm not very proud of what I did. Everypony was planning a surprise for me and I assumed the worst. But even more than that... Pinkie promise you won't tell anypony?"
Fluttershy agreed, and recited the rhyme Pinkie had created, idly wondering what the part about "hope to fly" was supposed to mean to somepony with wings. Pinkie told her all about the "party" she had held at Sugarcube Corner the day before, and Rocky and Madame LaFlour, and Rainbow Dash dragging her all the way across Ponyville by her tail. When she had finished, she was surprised to see her pegasus friend reaching forward to embrace her.
"Everypony's done embarrassing things, Pinkie," Fluttershy said, thinking of her own behavior when the princess had asked the six of them to talk to that sleeping dragon. Even though it had all worked out, there were parts she didn't like remembering. She had very nearly ruined everything. "But we're your friends. We understand."
"Thanks." Pinkie returned the embrace and the two ponies hugged while Gummy sat there, blinking in his peculiar way.
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When Fluttershy recovered from the latest appearance of Other Fluttershy's memories, Apple Bloom was by the side of the stallion, presumably Big Macintosh, excitedly telling him all about her new friend and how she was going to help her get her cutie mark. The pink pony approached Fluttershy, smiling.
"Hello!" She stuck out a hoof. Fluttershy reciprocated. This was one of the ponies she was trying to find, and she was being so friendly. Could it really be so simple? "My name is Pinkamina Pie, of Pie Family Rocks & Stones," the pink pony said, vigorously shaking her hoof.
Fluttershy wasn't sure what to make of this new pony, or why Other Fluttershy's seemed so different. She had the feeling that Pinkamina was expecting something of her. "Oh, um, I-I'm Fluttershy."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Fluttershy. Can I ask you a question?" She didn't wait for a response. "Are your rock needs being met?"
Since she had decided on this course of action, Fluttershy had been trying to figure out what she would say when she found the ponies she was looking for. Nothing she had come up with so far had really been any good, but even bad plans were still plans. None of them covered a situation like this one. What was she talking about?
"Well, um, I don't really wear gems." Fancy jewelry was the kind of thing popular amongst the ponies in her parents' social circle, but that was never the kind of life she wanted. Besides, flashy gems tended to draw attention to the pony wearing them. Fluttershy really preferred attention to be drawn somewhere else.
"With the Pie family, every rock's a gem! ... But not literally, we sell normal ones too. That's our new slogan, by the way. What do you think?"
"It's... nice."
"Thanks! I came up with it myself. I added the second part because my sister said she thought it might be confusing otherwise. Here, take a look at our products." With this, she pulled out a catalog from... well, Fluttershy couldn't see exactly where she had pulled it from, but she had no time to think about that as Pinkamina flipped through the pages, showing off the many different kinds of rocks they had for sale. Fluttershy had never thought rocks could come in so many varieties. She had never really thought about rocks much at all, as only gemstones tended to find their way up to Cloudsdale. She suddenly realized that she had completely stopped listening to the salespony's incessant list of rocks somewhere around her description of the different types of sandstone. Fortunately, Pinkamina didn't appear to notice.
"...cobblestones, paving stones, and bricks! And then there's gems. I know you said you don't wear them, but when you take a look at these babies, I think you might just change your mind."
Fluttershy decided it would be a good time to interrupt to avoid another interminable list. "Um, Pinkie?"
The pink pony gave her an odd look. "Pinkamina."
"Right, sorry, Pinkamina. I'm sure your gems are very nice, but I really don't like being the center of attention. I also live in Cloudsdale. We don't build with rocks. We build with clouds. Rocks would just fall. So, well, I really don't need any rocks. I'm sorry."
Pinkamina was unfazed. "Okay, but if you ever change your mind, here's my card." She suddenly held a small piece of paper – where was she keeping these things? – and gave it to Fluttershy. "You can keep the catalog, too." She thanked Big Macintosh for his order before turning and walking away.
"Wait!" cried Fluttershy, again faced with the possibility of somepony walking away before she'd had the chance to bring up the reason she'd been looking for them.
Pinkamina was back at her side faster than she'd have thought equinely possible. "Changed your mind? They're simply too tempting to pass up, aren't they? They also make excellent gifts!"
"No, that isn't it." She'd better try something quick. Pinkamina wasn't likely to stick around when she found out she wasn't at all interested in buying rocks. "Do... do you know me, Pinkamina?"
She thought for a moment. "Sorry, but I can remember all my customers, and I've never sold anything to you."
"Actually, um, I d-didn't mean as a customer. What I meant was as, um, as a f-friend."
"No. I've never met you before, I'm sure of it." Fluttershy thought she saw a flicker of sadness in the salespony's eyes, but her smile never wavered. "Unfortunately, I have other appointments to get to, but if you need any rocks, you know where to find me."
Fluttershy watched as her latest hope at some kind of explanation walked down the path to the town. She noticed as Pinkamina turned that Apple Bloom hadn't been mistaken – Pinkamina really didn't have a cutie mark either.
"Excuse me, Miss Fluttershy?" She turned to see the red stallion addressing her. "Apple Bloom's been telling me about how you offered to help her. That's awful nice of you. Would you like to stay for lunch?"
Very intriguing update.So Pinkie's a rock salespony and we've got Orangejack. Curious to see what's going on with Twilight (if i had to guess, she either failed to become Celestia's student, or is still a friendless shut-in) and Rarity (no idea, aside from a presumable lack of fabulosity).
Pinkie and Rainbow's reactions seem to be hinting that they might be having the same experiences as Fluttershy,
The Cutie Mark Crusaders never forming has some interesting implications when combined with Apple Bloom saying that she's the only pony in her class with a blank flank. Either Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo aren't in her class in this universe, or the CMC's escapades actually slowed down their gaining of their Cutie Marks (which would kind of make sense).
Looking forward to more.
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Thanks!
In this universe, Apple Bloom had an easier time avoiding Diamond Tiara's cuteceñera, so she didn't meet Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo there. Even when they met in the regular universe, they were all suprised that there were other blank flanks. In season 2 at least, there are plenty of ponies without cutie marks at their school, if not their class. I think even Thunderlane's brother, who was old enough to get invited to tornado duty, didn't have one. So the girls aren't in her class, but they're around - she just hasn't noticed she isn't as alone as she thinks.
In both universes, a lot the Crusaders'/Apple Bloom's angst is because they can be really unobservant when it comes to cutie marks - which is probably why the CMC haven't noticed all the obvious lessons that their strategy of trying everything isn't really helping.
Now this tickled my interest.
I wonder what kind of jobs Twilight and Rarity picked up.
Congrats on getting this onto Equestria Daily.
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Thanks
I'm guessing Rarity moved to Canterlot long ago.
I do wonder who defeated Nightmare Moon? Doesn't Fluttershy remember that incident?
Or........was there never a Nightmare Moon in this timeline? :D
By the way the story's going, I'm willing to bet that Rarity either works with Pinkamena, or is a miner herself.
Twilight's fate is intriguing, while Spike's fate is pure Nightmare Fuel...I am so tracking this. Can't wait for more.
The one bug here, is the idea that the mane six couldn't find OTHER ways to find happiness/individuality/fulfillment to achieve their cutie marks other than the ways they did in the cartoon. I just don't like it. It feels, restraining to me.
As I said on ED, I do so love alternate universe to real stories. And this so far is a good one, if nothing else for the fact that Fluttershy is a weather pony who has no REAL problem with it or flying everywhere in general
But....I do hope there's something about the lack of the whole eternal darkness thing and all.
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That may have been deliberate on the part of whatever force split the mane six up...
Interesting story. I'll be interested in seeing what's going to happen. Keep up the good work.
Also, I LOVE the picture of Fluttershy you have up there. It's adorable!
Oh darn. I wanted to write something with this premise.
But you're doing a great job with it!
Hmm, the only thing that would have kept Fluttershy in Cloudsdale after basic training, would be if on the day the Rainboom was to happen, Dash was absent. Fluttershy fell when Dash left the starting line so: no Dash, no fall, no Rainboom, no life calling realization for any of them.
Leaving the question of what caused this; is it a Great evil. or just a glimpse into what could have been...
This reminds me of an episode of Doctor Who. In fact, it's exactly like Turn Left, one of my personal favorites. I assume that in this universe, Rainbow Dash backed down from the race challenge and never performed the sonic rainboom.
Hmmmm, judging from the lack of Rainboom Mk.1 induced marks and character placements I'm guessing that the Pegasus race never happened. I'd hazard a guess that Rainbow had been flying somewhere else that day, but since this story is about Fluttershy, it's likely that she used some assertiveness or parental influence to get herself out of the bullies' spotlight.
Man, everything's going to go down hard when Nightmare Moon shows up.
Weather-mare
Rock farmer
Sad aristocrat
Boring and ordinary
Probably still in fashion
Remedial job/librarian
(probably no magic as well)
This is what I see
Is it just me or does Pinkamina in this one remind you a lot of Stan from the monkey island series?
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Its also quite possible this other timeline hasn't reached Nightmare Moon yet! We've got indications that the original/real timeline is well past there, but that doesn't mean this new one is. It would also explain the lack of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
Fluttershy in the CMC.
Just read both chapters so far and the concept is pretty intriguing. Only critique/suggestion that I can offer is that I noticed Apple Bloom's speech/text is not written with a very heavy accent. Now this t'aint a big deal but I thought I'd throw it out there if Apple Bloom or inevitably Apple Jack has more speech. ~ Though, come to think of it. I don't know if this was just extremely clever that maybe because Applejack isn't around that her accent didn't get ingrained on Apple Bloom... And shoot, with AJ in the city she probably wouldn't either... ~ Looking forward to more!
Also, CLOUD KICKERS UNITE!
Or maybe...in this world, Luna was never corrupted. She was still Luna and neve became jelous of her sister.
I like the story so far and look forward to new chapters.
Of all the mane 6, the most shy and timid, Fluttershy, is the one searching for answers so far. Interesting choice.
Quite a turn from what I expect from the mane 6. Looking forward to where it will lead.
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Nightmare Moon: "AFTER ONE THOUSAND YEARS I'M FREE! THE NIGHT WILL LAST FOREVER!"
Celestia: "LYRA, NIGHTMARE MOON'S ESCAPED, ASSEMBLE A TEAM OF PONIES WITH FRIENDSHIP!"
*Theme song*
Nice! Hints of a classic "for want of a nail" setup, although I wouldn't be complaining if something else turns out. Also interesting to have a slightly less reclusive Fluttershy as the main character. I don't think she gets enough spotlight usually.
Also, Cloud Kicker? Interesting choice. Underexposed but sufficiently recognizable tertiary background pony that at least a good part of the fanbase will know who she is. Can do a good job of backing Fluttershy up without stealing attention as a more famous pony would.
Looking forward to seeing where this will go!
As far as I can see the only difference between this and canon is RD never did the sonic rainboom, right?
Very interesting premise. It does leave me wondering about what the point of "temporal diverson" (as a sci-fi fan, I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know the term for it) was. It seems obvious the sonic Rainboom never happened, but why? GIven that it's Fluttershy who seems aware of the change, I'd guess it was she who did something differently. Perhaps she stood up to the bullies at flight camp on her own, so that RD never had to help her.
Sooooooooo... If Fluttershy grew up differently, she wouldn't have gone to flight camp, therefore Rainbow Dash wouldn't have challenged whatstheirnames to a race in the defense of Flutters, resulting in no sonic rainboom, resulting in no cutie marks.
Im liking this story,since they dont have there cutiemarks im guesing the sonic rainboom never happened therefore Applejack didnt go back home Pinkie never found happiness im not sure would of happend to Rarity Rainbow Dash backed down from the race or didn't hit Fluttershy at the start and twiligh"Twilight failed her entrance exam so spike doesnt exist and Celestia never met her but what happened with Nightmare Moon?
Sounds interesting. I'll be reading this later.
Pretty cool! Not sure where this is going, but...
So many comments - thanks to everyone for reading and for the kind words. It looks like a lot of people have more or less the same idea about where this universe diverged from the regular one.
As for Nightmare Moon and the current lack of unending darkness, there is an in-universe explanation for that. Mostly though, beginning with Nightmare Moon triumphant would be a much different and darker story than the one I had in mind. I certainly don't mind a good darker fic if I'm in the mood for it, but I didn't really want to write one. Especially not one starring Fluttershy.
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With accents, I'm hoping I can get them across without too many phonetic changes. I'm writing chapter 3 now, and Granny Smith, who has the same accent here as she usually does, talks, and I'm trying to get her speech patterns across without doing anything to disrupt the reader's flow. I've read stuff by much more experienced, professional writers who went a bit overboard with writing accents into the dialog, and I don't want anyone to have to slow down over patches of some character's dialog or have to re-read it a bunch of times just to piece out what they're saying.
As for Apple Bloom, having grown up with her brother, she does take after him more than her regular counterpart does. Of course, without Applejack around to handle some of the business aspects, Big Mac is a bit more talkative here, if only out of necessity.
I'm liking this premise and looking forward to reading more. Thanks!
SO AWESOME!!!! i think i know what it is, too! it's an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE WHERE RAINBOW DASH NEVER PERFORMED THE SONIC RAINBOOM!!!!!!! oooo, i cant WAIT for the next installment! get writing!!!!!!!!!!
Alright, so it is fairly obvious now that the sonic rainboom didn't happen. Additionally, I would like to know what happened (will happen?) with Luna/Nightmare Moon. Time to read more.
Awesome so far, but I have an issue with one sentence in this chapter.
"It's been a couple of years since we've had anyone running the place, so somehow I wound up looking after the place. Somepony had to."
1. AnyONE. Shouldn't it be anypony?
2. Running the place...looking after the place. "Oh yeah, I work at the place. You know...the place. The place!"
But jolly good show!
Hmm, yes. Not the most original idea, but certainly an interesting read. Hopefully the direction this story is taking won't end up where I think it might--that would be disastrous.
I'm entertained but not impressed so far. Let's see where this train ride takes us.
Either Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are having similar experiences as Fluttershy, or they know something. I'm scared.
Favorite line so far.
Hmm...I till love this premise. In how it goes a different direction than most of the stories of it's type.