Inter-Dimensional Crusaders!

by Infinite Affection

And Then There Were Six

CHAPTER 2 – AND THEN THERE WERE SIX

The sun had already been awake for some time as Sweetie Belle started to stir. She could hear faint ringing music in remembrance of the party last night. She opened her eyes in the hope she might have just fallen asleep with the party still going on but alas she knew it wouldn’t be true. Sweetie Belle retained full memory of the events of last night and remembered well that Sunset Shimmer dropped her back at Rarity’s when the party began to disband. She had been so thrilled that Sunset agreed to take responsibility for her and gave a fond farewell to her when the two parted ways in front of her house, only to be met with a rather annoyed Rarity when she opened the door. She wore a lavish night dress and pointed to the clock hanging on the wall across the room; it was the middle of the night. Sweetie Belle just hadn’t noticed where all that time had went and shrugged at her ever so slightly enraged sister. Rarity didn’t utter a word and just continued to the stairs and up to her room. And very soon followed an exhausted Sweetie Belle, tired from dancing with Scoots and Sunset.

Looking at herself, it appeared she had collapsed onto the bed with her party clothes still on. She smiled, reminiscing about what a wonderful night it had been. She glanced at her alarm clock which of course hadn’t been set, and observed the time was about 9.30am. It was a rather late rise for her but considering the summer had just begun she could afford to get in the habit of doing it. Today though she had agreed to meet her fellow crusaders at the clubhouse at 10 and didn’t want to hold them up. She sat up, stretched and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before getting off the bed and walking to the bathroom.

After making sure she had washed herself thoroughly, Sweetie Belle put on her normal magenta jacket and yellow skirt. She then dried out her hair and adjusted her iconic hairband. In some ways, Sweetie Belle was a little bit like her sister, for she at times fussed about her appearance. Not to the extent of what she wore but rather how she’d come across visually. She might often spend at least ten minutes making adjustments here and there but she was hard pressed to get the clubhouse for 10am today so she couldn’t afford to waste any time. She stepped away from the mirror and left to go downstairs. She had barely spent one second on the bottommost step before her sister confronted her.

“You are late up this morning, aren’t you? Although…you did arrive very late last night!” said Rarity, her voice loudening as she went on.

“I’m sorry Rarity, I…I guess I lost track of time and so did Sunset,” she replied awkwardly.

“Be that as it may, you really should be home in better time Sweetie Belle. I’m not sure Mother and Father would agree with it either.” Rarity let out a deep sigh. “But it seems you had fun and Sunset took good care of you so I guess there’s no use crying over it. Just be a little more aware in future, alright?” Rarity said reassuringly.

“OK, I will,” stated Sweetie Belle, embracing her sister in a hug and taking Rarity by surprise but compelling her to do the same. Sweetie Belle knew their siblinghood was not the most harmonious but it made up for it with moments like these.

“Good. Now, I’ve made some breakfast-”

“Sorry sis, I have to go!” she exclaimed, picking up a piece of toast of the counter before dashing out the door and shouting “Thanks!” as it closed behind her.

“You’re welcome…” muttered Rarity, sighing heavily.

***

Only Scootaloo was there when Sweetie Belle finally arrived at the clubhouse; it was unlike Apple Bloom to be late since she lived the closest by far.

“Hey Sweets, Apple Bloom’s not here yet,” Scootaloo said, stating the obvious. “Did you enjoy that AWESOME party last night?”

“Yeah, it was brilliant! The moment you and Rainbow Dash flew across the room was unbelievable!” responded Sweetie Belle, getting all excited again.

“You can say that again! I still don’t understand how she does it but it was too fun to question it!”

Sweetie Belle knew that almost everything Scootaloo did with her idol, Rainbow Dash, she found immensely interesting no matter what it was. She had once just gone to the bank with Rainbow and said it was fun. Still, the fact that Rainbow had the ability to fly at certain times left the crusaders dumbfounded. Although Rarity did give some explanation for her sudden burst of hair and glowing radiance that Sweetie Belle had caught happening on occasions, she still couldn’t get her head round it and had a funny suspicion that Rarity was somewhat clueless as well.

“But I bet it wasn’t as much fun that you had dancing with Button?” Scootaloo enquired, her voice slowing as she said it.

“Uh…uh…uh,” Sweetie Belle stammered, cheeks red as roses. “Yeah, we had….a pretty good time.”

Sweetie Belle had almost forgotten the embarrassing moment in the party where she accidentally spilt punch all over her friend, Button Mash. She had apologised greatly for it but he blew it off and instead offered Sweetie Belle a dance. She had to admit, it was one swell dance.

“A “pretty good” time. I’ll bet…Hey! You took your time!” said Scootaloo, now looking directly behind Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle turned to see Apple Bloom in the doorway with her head tilted down and her left hand scratching the back of her head. It looked like she had just got out of bed.

“Ah kinda overslept, sorry guys!” Apple Bloom declared. “Ah had the strangest day yesterday…and ah need ta tell y’all about it.”

“Did something bad happen?” asked Sweetie Belle anxiously.

Apple Bloom didn’t waste any time. “Ah met a pony. Ah talking pony named Apple Bloom…..”

***

Scootaloo was sure that Apple Bloom had gone over the deep end after what she had told the two of them at Rarity’s last night. She felt rather reluctant to accompany Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to see this “human” that Apple Bloom mentioned but wondered if that was just down to the bitterness she felt in not being able to stay up all night. They had stayed up to 2! Why did the night have to be so long?! She had wanted to be up to witness the rising of the sun with Rainbow Dash but instead was woken by Apple Bloom telling her that it was 11 the next morning and almost time for their meeting with the “human”. She had been so upset that she nearly lashed out at her best friend but her senses found her as soon as she had left them. Which was more than could be said for Apple Bloom, she thought.

“This trip had better be worth it,” Scootaloo grumbled, her anger still evident in her voice.

“Oh quit y’ar bellyachin’, Scoot! Ah know y’ar gonna like this!” retorted Apple Bloom, a little annoyed by her friend’s pessimistic tone.

Scootaloo groaned in reply. They were currently on their way to the patch of field where they had been playing yesterday. Scootaloo had her head hung low as she trotted alongside her friends, her legs feeling as though they didn’t have the energy to keep up with them. Scootaloo knew it was just her being sulky but she wasn’t really in a mood to be happy either so she was happier to be like this.

“Come on, Scootaloo!” encouraged Sweetie Belle, trying to lift her spirits and the overall mood of the conversation. “I’m sure whatever AB is showing us will be worth it!” She paused. “I hope,” she muttered softly, so as not alert Apple Bloom of her similar doubt.

The three fillies remained silent for the rest of the journey, to the delight of Scootaloo who had become a little more relaxed. They soon came to a halt near the large boulder where Apple Bloom had been yesterday while they were playing with the Frisbee.

“Well?! Where is it?!” asked Scootaloo impatiently.

“Hold y’ar horses! Not, literally o’ course,” joked Apple Bloom. “It’s on the other side, ah’ll check ta see if she’s there.”

“OK, we’ll wait here,” agreed Sweetie Belle.

She? What a ploy, thought Scootaloo. Apple Bloom probably just hit her head while trying to find the Frisbee and began hallucinating. She’ll return with the casual “Sorry y’all” and explain it was all in her head. It’s not that Scootaloo didn’t want to believe Apple Bloom but rather she wasn’t in the mood to.

A minute or two passed and Scootaloo grew ever more impatient.

“Pfft, why is she taking so long?” she threw at Sweetie Belle, her annoyance clear as day on her face.

“Maybe she…” Sweetie Belle was unable to finish as her attention had been distracted by the reappearance of Apple Bloom with a confident grin on her face.

“She’s here and she brought Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo too!” she exclaimed excitedly, to the surprise of Scootaloo. Still, she remained doubtful. “Follow me!”

The two did as they were told and followed Apple Bloom around to the other side of the boulder. When they stopped however, the mouths of both the fillies dropped. Scootaloo found no words to describe what was going through her head. For before her stood the “human” whose name was Apple Bloom flanked by her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

Both Scootaloos and Sweetie Belles glanced at Apple Bloom who couldn’t keep a smile off their faces. Scootaloo eyed the human Apple Bloom, recognising her almost in an instant by the yellow skin she had and the bow in her hair. She felt ashamed about the way she acted.

“Oh Celestia, Apple Bloom! I’m so sorry!” admitted Scootaloo, almost oblivious to everything else at this point until her trance was broken by the immediate shrieking coming from what she thought was the human Sweetie Belle.

“You weren’t kidding about the talking, AB!” said a shocked Sweetie Belle, all of what she knew contradicting itself in her mind. She then turned to look at the white pony with the ajar expression on her face, observing the colour of its fur and mane before looking at her own skin and hair. The realisation must have caught her in the throat as she simply stuttered, “Are…are…are you me?”

Still taking in what was happening, Scootaloo observed the exchange between the two Sweetie Belles, not even having acknowledged the presence of human Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle, also unsure of herself, mirrored her accuser’s tone and replied, “I…I…I don’t know, am I?”

She had basically answered her question with the same question, Sweetie Belle thought anxiously. Raising her hands to her head and closing her eyes, she contemplated what she should say, half wanting her pony-self to be gone when she opened her eyes.

“Do you like singing?” she finally asked, trying to relax before another stressing answer came back to her.

“Y-y-yes,” said Sweetie Belle hesitantly. “But my sister Rarity doesn’t…”

Sweetie Belle’s gears started turning on the mention of her sister. “Like it when you sing while she works on her clients’ dresses?” she interrupted, a thrilling rush coming over her.

The white filly nodded in reply, her mouth seeming to be still stuck on trying to say “like” before her human-self had cut in. A similar thrill came over Sweetie Belle as she wanted to press deeper into it. “And when she catches me doing it, she goes….” Impersonating Rarity she continued.“Oh Sweetie Belle, of all the things in the world THIS! IS! THE! WORST! POSSIBLE! THING!”, “THE! WORST! POSSIBLE! THING!”

And both Sweetie Belles fainted, Rarity-style, realising that the other had copied them detail for detail. They both laughed and Sweetie Belle thought this felt amazing to finally meet someone, well pony in this case, who shares the hardships of having Rarity as a sister. When they both got up, Sweetie Belle then noticed something on her pony-self that made her question all this again.

“What’s that on your head?” she asked, pointing at the sharp object above the filly’s eyes.

From Sweetie Belle’s perception, the strange water-like mirror distorted the direction of the gesture but she could tell by the lack of a horn on her other’s face she knew what it was. “You mean my horn?” she answered.

“Don’t you get it, Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom stepped in. “She’s a unicorn.”

Of course, it all made sense. Unicorns were mythical horses that had a horn at the top of their head and were said to be blessed with magical powers. In fact, Miss Cheerilee had told them about it before the end of school but she declared them legends or otherwise NOT real. Sweetie Belle began wondering how much she was taught was actually true.

“Yeah, there are three kinds o’ pony,” explained Apple Bloom, gesturing to her friends either side of her. “Earth ponies like me, Unicorns like Sweetie and Pegasi like Scoot.”

Sweetie Belle considered the orange filly with purple mane for a moment and noticed the small set of wings on her back. “Wait, so you can fly?” she asked Scootaloo.

Scootaloo didn’t realise how long the human had been looking at her, her mind apparently elsewhere as she stared at human Sweetie Belle. Her mind returning when the human shot her a puzzled look, indicating to her that she was now the centre of the human’s attention. “Huh?” she said.

“Can you fly?” Sweetie Belle repeated.

“No…I can’t. But I will someday!” said Scootaloo, surprising herself at how confident she was with the reply. She was used to that question however, out of all the many times that Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon had teased her about it before they became friends with them.

Sweetie Belle then turned to human Scootaloo. “Don’t her wings remind you of Rainbow Dash’s wings?”

Scootaloo’s hearing perked up at the mention of her idol. “You know Rainbow Dash?!” she asked the orange-skinned human.

Having been silent for the most part of the exchange, Scootaloo made a very loud debut to the conversation. “Are you kidding?! YES! She is AWESOME!!!”

“Wait, so y’all have Pegasi where y’ar from too?” Apple Bloom interrupted.

“No, we don’t.” stated Sweetie Belle, now as relaxed as Apple Bloom. “Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are the only people who can sprout wings but none of us are sure why.”

“There’s a Fluttershy too?” beamed Scootaloo, now an active member of the conversation. “Does she look after animals?”

“Yeah, she volunteers at the animal shelter all the time,” her human-self replied.

“Wow! It seems like this hole’s like a bridge between ar worlds!” cried Apple Bloom, in complete awe of her discovery of this fact.

“Ah was thinkin’ the exact same. Funny, huh?” agreed her pony-self in expression and tone.

“What do you mean “worlds”?” questioned Scootaloo.

“Ah can’t really explain it but didn’t Miss Cheerliee tell us that there’s only one of everyone in the world?” suggested Apple Bloom, sparking a few expected nods of understanding from the three ponies. “So if we’re the same then we must be from different worlds?”

“Yea, ah get it,” her pony-self agreed again, although it was half-expected now that she would agree with her human-self.

“I sort of see that,” said Sweetie Belle, nodding with her human-self in agreement.

“I guess I do, I’m not sure though,” stated Scootaloo, looking at her pony-self who was glad they both felt the same way too. “I want to get a closer look.”

Scootaloo edged closer to the eerie hole, intent on getting a better look.

“Scoots! Watch out for the-”

It was too late. Her foot had caught the inconveniently located rock and she went flying towards the hole, doing a forward roll and landing on her back.

“Ahhhh,” Scootaloo yelled, putting a hoof to her head. She couldn’t see the hole anymore just the sky above her and the sky did look different than when she last saw it. It had been mildly cloudy fifteen minutes ago and now there was not a cloud in sight. She realised she also couldn’t hear anyone either.

“Apple Bloom? Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo called, looking to the left and right of her. Turning onto her front and standing up, she caught sight of the pair in front of her who were…..BEHIND the ponies!

“How’d you guys get there?” she asked.

There was no reply although reading the shocked faces of the nearby ponies told her that their attention was completely centred on her.

“What? Can someone please talk to me?!” cried Scootaloo, becoming fearful.

“Scoots! Is that really you?” Apple Bloom’s voice echoed through the hole.

“What do you mean?!” she answered, now quite scared. She glanced at the ponies whose expressions hadn’t changed but suddenly seemed bigger than before and eye level now. She felt a shiver down her legs as the wind swept passed them; feeling that more of her body was now touching the ground even though she was standing. She looked down and just as quickly looked back up, not wanting to believe what she had seen nor wanting to believe what she knew had happened. But after looking at her much bigger friends one final time, she had to believe it.

“I’M A PONY!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!” she shrieked, raising her hooves and glancing at her back where a set of wings had appeared. She spotted a nearby river and attempted to walk over to it, falling over her forelegs from time to time. When she reached it, she looked down to see her reflection in the water and shrieked even louder. Her once orange skin was now her fur and her purplish hair was now what made her mane. Her snub nose had been elongated slightly into a snout. Turning sideways, she saw she now had a pony’s body with a tail also resembling her purple hair. And lastly a symbol on both sides of her flank, of what looked to be a shield with a thunderbolt on it.

Scootaloo turned back to her front and stared at her now ponified appearance in the water. She then noticed another similar face in the water next to hers and looked up to her pony-self, now her clone, it could be said. She had a blank expression on her face and she too stared at the water. Their reflections soon both took on a wide smile. Although, Scootaloo had been initially frightened, the reality of being a pony was mind-blowing and she knew that her clone was thinking the same.

“THIS IS SO COOL!!” they shouted simultaneously, overjoyed when the other response came.

Scootaloo stood in awe of seeing the pony she had known everyday of her life without needing to look in a mirror. And the fact she could be her best friend now, made her happier than she had ever been. She embraced herself in a small cuddle, knowing it was mushy but she was so elated she just couldn’t help herself. For the first time though, she couldn’t tell what she herself was thinking but the look on her other’s face said it all, she was enjoying it just as much as her.

“This is amazing!” Sweetie Belle yelled from behind them.

Pulling out of their hug, the two spun around to see an ecstatic Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ogling at the two identical ponies, unbeknownst to them that two rather similar figures were emerging from behind them. The two Scootaloos shot joyful looks at each other as they spotted the pair behind them and waved their hooves in unison at them, leading the pair directly in front to assume what was behind them. Spinning around, the ecstatic fillies gazed at their new selves and ran up to embrace them also.

“This is the best thing ever!” cried Apple Bloom, tears starting to well out of her eyes.

“Words can’t describe it!” replied Apple Bloom, tightening her grip on the familiar filly with her newly acquired hooves.

“It feels so good to meet myself!” exclaimed Sweetie Belle, her happiness overflowing.

“You…um I said it!” chuckled Sweetie Belle, sparking a rage of laughter as they hugged together.

Running up to meet them, with a few falls along the way, the two Scootaloos looked from one Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom to the other.

“WE ARE NOW SIX FRIENDS!!” they realized together.

And with that, they all came together in one enormous hug, tears of joy running down their cheeks; enough that a small puddle started to form around them. There were no words spoken; just feelings of bliss. For each of them felt that they had found the one pony who would always be there for them; for who else would always ALWAYS be there for them than themselves.

***

Author's Note:

I hope you're not too tearful at the moment; I was literally bucketing down when I wrote that last part. Of course, I could just be weird as well.

I apologize if someponies find my description of the ponies and the exchange between them to be a bit vague it was hard to imagine what feelings they'd all be going through and putting it into words. I planned this chapter to be longer but just had to round it off there.

Feel free to get in touch with me, I dont have many Brony friends!

Comments

[sonicfan05]

This is a pretty cute chapter!

[Goten96]

I enjoyed this chapter. Keep up the good work.

[Infinite Affection]

6802323

To be honest, the emphasis on the CMC in equestria girls is very small so in reply to your previous comment whether they're called the cutie mark crusaders or not isn't that important; I just thought it would make things easier rather than changing everything for the human world.

In response to your recent comment, the way that the story is written suggests that they are called the cutie mark crusaders in the human world too. So when it said, "Ya mean a cutie mark is an actual thing?", that was AB questioning the meaning of their logo, since in this story ive made it out that they just made the word up. But yes, you have a point. I just didn't want to spend too long on the whole cutie mark thing since the reality of meeting yourself would be far more important.

[Munazza]

This story is Awesome!!

[BenRG]

Something tells me that this will be a six-Coffee/two-migraine problem for Sunset and Twilight to sort out when the time comes!

[Malandy]

Seems good, gonna keep reading this whole thing.

"Sweetie belle" -> "Sweetie Belle"...

"mother and father" -> "Mother and Father"?

... if you post, then I’ll know you’ve seen this and I’ll make a new comment for my typos.

[i_am_the_jam]

I'm surprised the human girls didn't notice that they're now naked.

[HB_DS2013]

Here comes the chaos~

[Chrome Masquerade]

“Scoots! Watch out for the-”

There's a George of the Jungle reference I could make here. Heck, why not? Here's all of George of the Jungle references that could make here!