A Tale of Two Worlds

by Shadow_8472

Chapter 2

“...and that’s when they packed up an’ took their cider makin’ doohickey outa’ town.” Applesauce finishes his story as they cross the bridge into town.

“What about what happened this morning?”

Applesauce makes a face, “I don’ really wanna talk ‘bout that.”

“It’s okay. You’ll just have to tell the princess when she asks. I just thought you would want to practice.”

“Okaaay, fiiiine.” A cocktail of painful emotions crawls across Applesauce’s face, “It all started when my fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders took me for a complete an’ utter stranger when I tried ta show ‘em my magic this mornin’. They snatched my cape and gave me the boot. Auntie Applejack didn’ even think I is real, I ev’n shoved our family photo ‘er way.”

Pinkie pops out of hiding from behind a skinny lamp post. “Hey, guys!”

Windy flinches, but relaxes when Pinkie doesn’t pull her normal antics. “No party cannon?”

"Nah. Not this time. I'm saving that for later. Speaking of parties, I had a hunch, so I'm hosting a super-special one later this week! You’re both invited. Wanna come?" Pinkie’s million bit smile does most of the talking.

Applesauce half perks at Pinkie’s invitation. He clearly isn’t smiling yet, but his eye has a faint spark of hope that wasn’t there a moment ago. A few tears leftover from earlier finish streaming down his face.

“Uh...” Windy stammers to Pinkie, “Maybe I can make an appearance?”

“Great! See you there!” Pinkie bounces along to Sugarcube Corner.

Applesauce comes off his mild Pinkie high looking a bit more upbeat than before. They march on in silence until they arrive at the castle. Applesauce takes a hopeful breath and knocks.

Spike answers the door. “Oh, hey, Windy! What do you need?”

Windy takes a breath to answer, but Applesauce flash steps in front of her, "Spike, somethin' bad has 'appened on the Apple Farm! Everypony there is forgettin' stuff, like who I am an' Applejack don' remember ‘er big sis, my ma, an’ the other Crusaders don't think I am one of them. I'm migh’ee afraid it's gunna spread but Pinkie seems ‘a recognize me so it might not be too late!"

Spike’s spines spring back to their upright position while Applesauce recovers from his info dump. Windy shrugs. “What he said.”

“Whoa whoa whoa… Hang on a second! What do you mean Applejack doesn’t remember you?” Spike reaches up to scratch his forehead.

“I’m ‘er nephew,” Applesauce says with a smile. “I got pictures in case you forgot me and need proof...”

“Nephew, huh? I don’t remember Applejack having a nephew...” Spike takes a moment to think as the colt huffs in disappointment. “It’s probably better if you try explaining this to Twilight.” He waves Applesauce and Windy inside and closes the door. “You guys wait here. I’ll go and get her.” He runs down the hallway and around a corner, leaving the pair in the entryway.

The two guests make themselves comfortable. Windy finds a seat and Applesauce sheds his saddlebags before sitting against her. Soon enough, Spike returns with both Twilight and Starlight behind him. Windy stands to attention and respectfully nods, but Applesauce beams and bounds over to greet them on more friendly terms. He stops short as they recoil; their shocked faces tell him all he needs to know about what they don’t remember of him. He elects to bow respectfully instead.

“Just go ahead and tell the princess what you told me.” As Applesauce takes a deep breath to respond, Spike adds, “And slow it down this time, will you?” he cleans out an ear.

A mouthful of feathers cuts Applesauce off before he can get started. “I found this colt wondering towards Sweet Apple Acres. Everypony he meets does not remember him, but he somehow has pictures that prove they should.” Windy pulls the colt in question in closer, effectively immobilizing him.

Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Could I see these photos, please?”

Applesauce ducks out of Windy’s wing lock, “Of course!” He enthusiastically goes to fetch the CMC scrapbook from his bags. After magically fumbling with the saddlebag latch for a moment, he gives up and picks it with his teeth. He carries the book over to Twilight, who takes it and starts skimming. The occasional picture illustrates a journal entry documenting a Crusaders activity.

As Twilight analyzes the book, Starlight muzzles her way in, “Twilight, look! There’s one with you!”

Applesauce slips his way into Twilight’s other side to get a look at the picture Starlight noticed. “Oh, that’s the time ya helped the Crusaders throw a surprise party for Rarity.”

Twilight backs away from Applesauce’s overly familiar proximity and returns his book. “Stand back, I’m just going to try a quick memory spell,” her horn flashes, but her face perplexes afterward. “You’d better follow me to the library.”

Applesauce sticks his book back in his bags and puts them on, “For what it’s worth, I was able ta use my magic for the very first time yesterday!” He demonstrates by clumsily latching the buckle.

Twilight ignores him and turns tail for the library. Starlight takes notice of the young Unicorn’s demonstration, though. “Good for you, uh… What was your name again?”

“I’m Applesauce.” He puts up a weary smile, no doubt tired of reintroducing himself to every pony he talks to.

“Oh...right...Applesauce...Got it.” Everyone follows Twilight to the castle library where books are already flying about and in front of Twilight’s face pending review.

“I don’t recon ya know my ma, Apple Turnover, She’s Big Mac’s big sis.”

Starlight holds the library door open for Applesauce and Windy, “Apple Turnover? Nope! Never heard of her."

The colt’s ears lower to half mast, “Oh, then maybe ya’ll ‘as heard of my Dad, the wizard, Shimmerin’ Dust.”

“Hmm...” Starlight thinks for a moment, “There was a wizard who went missing shortly after I moved here... Not that I had anything to do with it or anything.”

Windy flies up to the upper shelves. “What kind of books are we looking for?” She starts browsing by title.

Twilight looks up at the Pegasus over a floating book, “Anything about time travel or other dimensions.”

“You thinking he's a product of your... uh, time travel incident? I thought you two didn't go back so far.”

“What?!” Twilight slams a book closed as she finishes scanning it. She chucks it over to a growing heap. "I hope not! As far as I know, everything was fixed when Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom wasn’t interrupted."

Windy pulls out a title that looks relevant. She tosses it to Twilight.

“Times and Tenses,” Twilight flips through the book, skimming it with a little less care. “I don’t know about this one.” The book goes flying, but Spike catches it.

Applesauce spots a book on interdimensional portals. He reaches out, envelops the cover in his grasp, and gently pulls it from the shelf.

Starlight gets Twilight’s attention. “How’s this one, Twilight?” She waves another book in the air.

Twilight looks up and stacks the fifty or so books floating about the room on her desk. A few slide off.

Applesauce dodges a book that wouldn’t have hit him anyway but loses focus on the one he barely has a grip on. His magic sputters and the book thunks on the ground, adding a new point of character to the cover.

Windy pulls out another book, C. S. Lee’s Guide to Interdimensional Relativity. She settles into a comfy chair and begins reading one author’s notes claiming that his story about a group of siblings who cross into another dimension, grow up in a new world, and return home as colts and fillies is really not that far of a stretch.

Twilight lands the last book on her desk. She takes a moment to look around and sighs, “I’m really going to need to reorganize my books again.” She runs a hoof through her frazzled mane and gets up to check on Applesauce’s find.

Starlight spots Windy cracking open a new book and teleports over to investigate. “Twilight! I think Windy found something.”

Spike hears a book tumble on the ground. “Hey, are you alright?” he frees up a hand to check on Applesauce, only for Twilight to fill it with his freshly dented book as she checks out Windy’s discovery.

Twilight takes the book nestled in Windy’s wing and brings it over to a handy table. Starlight pulls up a stool for Applesauce and everypony crowds around the table. After flipping through a few chapters, Twilight begins interviewing Applesauce, “Okay, the first time you noticed anything wrong was after you showed up at the Crusaders’ clubhouse. Tell me everything you know about what happened before then.”

Applesauce sits up on the stool. “Well, this mornin’, I woke up an’ had a special breakfast ta celebrate my first horn use last night. I packed my saddlebags with a load a’ show ‘n’ tell for today’s full dress Crusaders’ meetin’. Ma an’ I started off for the farm, but she had me skedaddle when she was gettin’ a talkin’ in with Pinkie as we was leavin’ town.”

Twilight scribbles Applesauce’s every word down on a notepad, correcting for grammar. “So far, so normal, right?”

Applesauce nods. “I guess. On the way ta the farm, I spotted a number a sculpted clouds. ‘Windy’s work,’ I thought ta myself, an’ I gave her a big ol’ greetin’. When I got ta the clubhouse, I ‘as the first one there,” his expression goes sour, “until Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo went all meanie on me that is!” A young hoof slams into the table to emphasize his point.

Starlight holds a hoof to Applesauce’s foreleg. The colt cuts his tantrum short.

Twilight breaks her pencil and quickly replaces it. “Do you remember going through a portal? Seeing a flash of light? Anything?” Applesauce shakes his head. “Odd. The elements of your story, they just don’t make sense!”

“What about a noise?” Windy offers.

Applesauce squeaks as a nervous shiver rebounds along his backbone. “THAT NO-GOOD NOISE ‘AS WHAT SPOOKED ME STRAIGHT INTA’ AUNTIE APPLEJACK...” he catches his breath, “before she didn’ remember me neither. ‘Turns out it was just Uncle Big Mac bein’ loud with a project somewhere.”

Spike stashes his books on Twilight’s desk and pulls a chair up to the table. “I don’t know… I think I might have heard a little something with these dragon ears of mine.” He hops up into his seat. “The point is: I’ve never heard anything that loud from the direction of the farm before. It might have had something to do with things.”

“A noise?... I don’t think that could have been the cause,” Twilight continues looking through her book. “If only...” She flips to some diagrams of the interior topography of different types of portals. “If we could narrow down the possible timeframe somehow… Windy Light, did you see or hear Applesauce when he called to you?”

“Yes, but I was looking up at the sky.”

Applesauce starts absently kicking his hind hooves against the legs of his stool. “But what ‘bout Pinkie? She seemed ta know me after meetin’ up with Windy again. Honestly, ‘til Spike too didn’ know me, I was thinkin’ it was somethin’ up with the farm and everypony on it.”

“Pinkie is, well... Pinkie. She gets hunches from only Celestia knows where and acts on them for only Celestia knows why.” Twilight nervously grinds her hooves together. “I think it’s safe to say that was an abnormality. Anyway, can you think of anything else that happened this morning between when your mom sent you on ahead and you spotted Windy?”

Applesauce concentrates, “I tried pickin’ an apple on my way.” He sags his head so far his horn almost touches the table. “It didn’ even wanna budge for me.”

Twilight pulls out a chalkboard. Numerous pieces of chalk start collectively scratching out several diagrams, “Let’s see… Somewhere between town,” Twilight turns a page to some high-level math, “…and the Apples’ orchard…” she suddenly grins and presents a solution, “I suppose some Unicorn might have cast a spell on you, banishing you to this realm! … Oh, but if that were the case, you would have seen a glow encompassing your body.” She puts the chalk down and returns to the table. Her mane pops a few loose hairs as she flips around through a fairly large section of the book. “No.” “Not that.” “If only!” She slaps the book closed. “I think I may have something, but I need to be extra sure before sharing this possibility!” She gets up and starts teleporting around, grabbing some bags, and stuffing them with a few of her presorted books. “Spike, pack us some things. We’ll be spending the night in Canterlot!”

Spike gets up complaining, “Awww, okay. If you say so.” He trots off to go pack.

Applesauce slumps in his chair. Starlight moves her hoof to rub his back, cheering him up a little, “Hey, at least we don’t seem to be forgetting you as we speak… I’ll tell you what. I’ll contact you the moment Twilight and Spike get back from their little research trip.”

Windy gets up from the table and starts reshelving a few books, “While you wait, you can start by making new friends with your old friends. I can… uh… re-introduce you to my brother, would you like that?”

“I 'as 'opin' ta know for sure what is with all this. I guess I can start by tryin’ a get my ol’ cape back. In the meantime…” Applesauce digs through his bag again. A few seconds later, he pulls out a blue robe with stars on it. “In the meantime, I can wear this.” Starlight helps him with the sleeves. “Thankya.”

Starlight studies the designs now adorning Applesauce’s golden hide.

Windy spots another interesting title, “Here, this one might prove useful.” She pulls it from beside a rejected book she just reshelved. “It’s a Ponyville census form from…two years ago.”

Starlight takes the book, sets it at her own study desk, and follows Applesauce and Windy to the door, “I’ll see if I can find out more about the missing wizard. If he is your father, I think he’d be more likely than most to remember you. You said your father’s name was Shimmering Dust, right?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Twilight flies overhead with Spike on her back. She pauses as she opens the door, “Hey, Windy, since you found our new friend here, would you be a nice, responsible pony and take care of him for the time being? Thanks!!” She bolts out the door with Spike holding on for dear life.

Starlight closes the door after her herself, Windy, and Applesauce. “If you need, I’m sure I could find somepony else to watch ‘our new friend here.’”

Applesauce gives Windy big eyes.

The eyes work their magic, "We shall ask my family if that would be alright, particularly my brother. We don't have a guest room, so I assume you'd be sleeping in his room."

Starlight trots alongside Windy and Applesauce, pumping the little one for any information she might find useful in her own research.

***

Applesauce breaks formation as they near Windy’s house.

“Going someplace special?” Windy asks as he trots up to a random porch.

Applesauce tries a door. Locked. “It’s my house.” He peeks in through the small basement window, but it’s too dark to see anything. He runs around to stick his face up to the kitchen window, but it’s boarded up from the inside. “It don’ look like nopony’s home for a while.”

“It looks perfectly fine from back here.” Starlight makes a note of the address.

“Come on, we need to get you home. Mom and Dad aren’t expecting an extra mouth for supper, and we rarely make leftovers.”

***

The front door opens and closes, “Dasher, I’m home!” Windy’s voice echoes through the house. “I have somepony for you to meet.”

Dasher’s wings rustle as he rolls off the couch and onto his hooves. Moments later, Windy’s newfound “friend” comes charging in for a bear-cub hug. A pair of cool blue wings snaps out as Dasher barely dodges the strange, gold and yellow Unicorn. Landing on his hooves again, he whispers to Windy, “Who’s the kid?”

“Dasher, this is Applesauce. I found him wandering out at Sweet Apple Acres. He thinks he lives here in Ponyville and that we all forgot him.” Windy lowers her voice to Dasher’s volume, “He thinks you are one of his best friends.”

Dasher folds his wings and sizes up the little colt who can’t even magic his bags off his back without fumbling the spell. “I don’t know... You know I don’t normally hang with foals.”

Windy backs up and stops whispering, “Humor him, at least for tonight. Our local princess went off to do some study on his case and she asked me to look after him until she gets back.”

Dasher stretches his bad wing and folds it again after shaking out a cramp. “If it’s okay with Mom and Dad, I’m cool with it.” He offers a wing to liberate the tangled foal, “Hey, Champ, what’s your name?”

“Applesauce,” a pair of green eyes looks up at Dasher from under a red-orange mane before the rest of the colt snuggles into the outstretched wing. “I’m Applesauce.”

***

The family of Pegasi studies their new charge at the dinner table as he struggles to accurately lift his food. A few times through the meal, Windy leans over and wipes mashed potatoes and gravy off his face with a napkin. He improves with practice, but is by no means a wizard.

Windy clears the table after dinner. “Dasher Swift!” She catches her brother as he tries sneaking out. “You need to get the inflatable mattress and set it up for Applesauce. He’s sleeping in your room.”

“Aww, come on! O&O night. The Cloudsdale guys are in town.” Dasher makes a show of dragging his primaries on the ground as he complies.

Windy checks the living room where Applesauce is studying a large spellbook from his bags. Judging by one of her father’s molted feathers stumbling around the room, Windy surmises the foal is improving on his levitation spell. “Throw that away when you’re done, OK?”

“Ya, I gotcha.” Applesauce sends the feather to the trash can, but loses containment most of the way there. It drifts down, balances on the edge, then falls outward, coming to rest on the floor beside the can.

“Applesauce!” Windy grouches at the mini magic worker and bends down to take care of the feather properly. Pages rustle as she drops the feather in the can. “You dropped...”

Windy turns to chastise Applesauce, but he already practicing another spell. A point of light at the tip of his adult-sized horn steadily glows brighter as he pours more energy into a light spell. The ball of light stabilizes, and Windy reiterates her request, “Applesauce!” Applesauce’s ball of light suddenly spikes as bright as the sun. Both ponies are instantly blinded by the flash, but most of the afterimages blink away momentarily.

“Applesauce, when you throw something away, try to put it inside the can next time.”

Applesauce finishes rubbing his eyes. “Dad never said anythin’ ‘bout a spell like that one!”

“Let’s not do that one again for a while, at least until you can control your horn better.” Windy scoops his spellbook in a wing and puts it away for now. “Now, go ahead and see Mom for your evening chores.”

“Awww,” Applesauce heads off for chore time.