Ignorance
Was it really so hard to believe?
A farmer, a baker, a hermit, an athlete, a fashionista, and a scholar all went into a dark forest on the off chance that within lay the key to saving their world. Lo and behold, the ancient powers were there, waiting for them, and with them they cured a princess of madness and brought peace to Equestria. And then...
Well, that wasn't the end, not at all, but there was an element of 'returning to the old lives' going on. True, they were invited to the Grand Galloping Gala, and there were a number of minor adventures--the dragon, the parasprites, the buffalo war, her friend's incident with the hydra, and she could not forget her own little stint as a hostage... or the time she fell out of the sky. The first time, rather. Quite embarrassing. But for the most part, they remained as they were: Farmer, Baker, Weathermare, Hermit, Fashionista, Scholar. They just also happened to be heroes as well.
And if that had been when she noticed the pattern, she would have dismissed it. True, it would have been insulting to her--and perhaps to Rainbow Dash as well--but it would have been understandable. Saving the world once was all well and good. It was just, generally speaking, considered to be a one-time thing.
And then Discord. Oh, dear Celestia Discord. That had been a fine kettle of fish. Which was an odd expression, come to think of it, why would anypony put fish in a kettle...? Oh, best to blame Discord.
So the pattern continued. Smarty Pants, Mare-Do-Well, her third falling from a great height experience--maybe second, if being dragged through the air by Rainbow didn't count--a trip to Dodge Junction, Cerberus, Spike's quest, and then the changelings.
If she was truly honest, though, the first time she really noticed anything was at the Crystal Empire. And then, she only really noticed by proxy--Spike was practically spoken of like a demigod after he jumped off a ledge. It was interesting to see somepony else falling to their doom, for once. Still, she didn't really speak her mind, the idea was only taking root, and... well, as odd as some of the intervening events were, she put it out of her mind right up until Twilight grew wings.
And then Twilight, in her speech, had pointed out that she wouldn't have grown said wings without her friends.
Oh, and then there was something with Celestia's old student, which would become... a running trend. The fact that nobody knew about said old student irritated an idea that had rested in the back of her mind.
It was then that she began to take stock of it all, when it happened. Yes, Celestia had relied on them to reform Discord, and Candace had called on them to prove the crystal empire was worthy of Equestria Games, and the whole thing with Trixie and the saddle arabians--but those didn't count, because Celestia and Candace and Trixie were all ponies they'd met before. And even after Twilight's ascension... Well, they'd sent her away during the plunder vine thing, which was a mistake but the point of it, the point that she was a princess, seemed not to resonate with the purple pony. And with good reason, to be honest: Daring Do didn't recognize her, the citizens of Manehattan didn't recognize her, she was reduced to a cheerleader in the Rainbow Falls event... Twilight Sparkle, princess and savior of the world thrice over, ignored by her idol and her subjects and her friends. It did get better, or worse perhaps, with the advent of Twilight Time, and she grew more recognized as she started to stretch her princesshood a bit.
But as for the rest of her friends... Applejack was almost always dismissed as 'just a farmer', never recognized by anypony who was, well, a mover and shaker--aside from that embarrassing bit with Trenderhoof. Pinkie Pie made friends everywhere, but that was just it: Pinkie Pie was a friend, not a celebrity, despite everything. Fluttershy... well, Fluttershy kept to herself for the most part, which excused her, but Rainbow Dash, well! Of all ponies she would have expected Rainbow to receive accolades for her involvement everywhere she went, she was incredibly recognizable and probably more than willing to revel in the adoration. And yet... Aside from the Wonderbolts, a very very specific branch of Equestria's society, she was generally treated as simply another pony.
And as for herself? Her fame and notoriety were cultivated, crafted, and conditioned with hard work and delicate hooves. Almost none of it was a result of saving the world; befriending the princesses, certainly, and being commissioned on occasion, yes, but recognition... no, she was a famous fashionista, not a national hero.
Even after Tirek, she wasn't a national hero in other's eyes. She started seeing gazes glaze over for a second. She started expecting the amused half chuckle, the glance away. In Ponyville especially it was odd--fighting a ravaging bugbear, by this point a mild annoyance, garnered less attention then an old couple's wedding (which wasn't something she resented, mind, just another oddity). Oh yes, Canterlot Carousel was an impressive achievement--although the way that Sassy used Twilight was, in retrospect, insulting to them both. But that was just a symptom of the mane problem. A major one, yes, but...
Well...
Well, here she was, watching Svengallop trot away angrily from what he decreed a dippy charity. And Applejack was standing right there. The mare had saved his country probably five times, all things considered, and he had dismissed her. As a farmer.
A farmer.
A baker.
A hermit.
An athlete.
A fashionista.
And a scholar.
Ponies met them every day, some travelling great distances to catch a glimpse of the new princess, but somehow there was a disconnect between the heroes of Equestria and, well, Applejack and Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rainbow, Rarity and (without the wings) Twilight.
Were they truly ignoring what was right in front of them? Was it really so hard to believe?