> A Mirrored Reunion
>  by currentlemon
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> Prologue
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“Alright, Big Mac, that’s the last barrel. We should be good to go now,” Applejack said, giving the empty container a kick.

    “Eeyup,” replied Big Mac.

    “Whew, we sure did make a killin’. Ponyville sure wanted its apples today!” Applejack looked at the two large bags standing on top of their stall, the golden currency just barely being held by the wheat-colored sacks. “Just look at em’ bits, Big Mac. With this kind of money, we oughta be good for the next couple of days!”

    “Eeyup,” Big Mac said again.

    Applejack nodded to herself. “We should go back now, it’s almost dinner time. Granny and Grand Pear should’ve made dinner by now.

    Big Mac nodded and began walking away from the stand. Applejack slung the bags of bits into her saddlebag and trotted after her brother. Before leaving, she took one good look at Ponyville’s marketplace.

    The entire district was quiet. Usually the area would be busy with numerous ponies trotting around, buying various goods from vendors. But as Celestia’s sun began to set, ponies left one by one. Some vendors dealt with last minute customers while others were closing shop.

    Looks like everypony’s getting’ ready to leave. Applejack thought. She looked directly at the setting sun. Gosh, that’s one good sunset. Gotta admit, the Princess sure knows what she’s doing. Kind of reminds me of that time when Mrs. Cake told me about—

    Applejack gasped. “Oh no! I completely forgot!”

    She turned and quickly caught up to her brother. “Big Mac, take mah saddlebag and head on home! There’s something that I need ta do first!”

    “Huh?” Before he could say anything, Applejack trotted up to his cart and placed the full bags of bits onto the cart.

    “There’s someplace I want to go first,” Applejack replied. “I forgot to do it earlier today and now’s mah only chance before it gets dark. I just hope them flower ponies haven’t left their shop yet.”

    Big Mac tilted his head as he tried to process what Applejack was suggesting. His eyes widened as he realized the implications. He solemnly nodded his head in approval, and continued trotting home.

    “Thank ya, Big Mac.” Applejack galloped back toward the marketplace where several more stores had begun close. Open signs were being turned over and flocks of business ponies were making a quick exit.

    Now where in the hay are those ponies? Applejack wondered. I hope they didn’t leave their shop already.

Applejack’s eyes continued to wander the empty marketplace until she finally found the stand she was looking for.

“Oh, thank Celestia! They’re still there!” Applejack rushed toward the shop, running as fast as she could. The sound of her hooves stamping on the ground caught the attention of the shop owners.

“Applejack?” Roseluck seemed surprised by the mare’s sudden appearance. “Hi, Applejack. What are you doing here? Is there something you want?”

“Hey, Roseluck, I’m glad I caught up to ya girls,” said Applejack, catching her breath. “Do ya still have any flowers left?”

“Um, yes we do. But all that’s left are the buttercups,” Roseluck said.

Applejack gave a wide smile. “I’ll take em’!”

“R-really?!” Roseluck looked at her sisters, who in turn just shrugged. “Um, ok then. It’ll be three bits please.”

“Deal!” Applejack reached into her saddlebag and gave the flower mare three bits. One of the flower sisters then rolled up a bouquet of buttercup flowers and gave it to the farm mare.

“Here you go, Applejack, one bouquet of buttercups,” said Roseluck.

“Thank ya kindly, Rose,” Applejack replied.

“You’re welcome.” Roseluck raised an eyebrow. “Still, odd choice. Are you sure we can't get something else for you from-”

“That’s alright. These flowers do jus’ fine. I don’t need anything fancy.” Applejack took the bouquet of flowers and put them in her saddlebag. “Thanks again, girls!”

Applejack raced away from the marketplace, galloping past several more ponies who were leaving the area. It didn’t take her long to reach Sweet Apple Acres, her sprinting made the trip rather quick. Instead of going straight down the road to her house, she gave a sharp turn and entered the apple farm.

She charged ahead, zooming through the orchard. Within a few minutes, she reached the end of the apple farm and stood at the bottom of a steep hill. She trotted upward, slowly this time as she didn’t want her bag to fall, catching her breath.

After reaching the top of the hill, Applejack looked back and gazed at the sight of the farm.  The farm stretched for miles, with the entire grassland filled with red apple trees.

Whew, what a view. Applejack thought. It’s always nice seeing farm from up here. Feels good too, seeing all our hard work.

After admiring the view for a few more seconds, Applejack tipped her hat down and walked further along the hill’s summit. It didn’t take her long to find two small pillars that stood at the very top of the hill.

Applejack sighed. She suppressed her tremble and continued onward, biting her lip as she approached the two pillars.  Sniffing to herself, examining the grass between her hooves for as long as she could bear. Finally, she took a deep breath, smiled and looked at the graves.

“Hi, Ma. Hi, Pa. I’m back.” She sat down and removed the saddlebag from her back. Unclipping the cover, she took out the bouquet of buttercup flowers and placed it on her mother’s grave.

“How are you doing today?” There was no response, of course. “I’m doing fine. Me and Big Mac made a lot of money today. Sold four whole barrels of apples!”

Applejack turned to her father’s grave. “Granny’s doin’ ok too pa. She’s been helping Grand Pear settle back ever since he moved back in town.” Again, nothing. “Yeah, those two finally put the feud behind em’. Now they’ve been getting along jus’ fine.”

She looked back to her mother’ marker. “Apple Bloom is pretty good too. Her cutie mark is really something. I didn’t imagine that helping foals find their cutie marks even was a special talent. Kind of what you did with Mrs. Cake, Ma.”

Applejack sighed and shook her head. “What the heck am I doing? I’m talking to a bunch of graves fer cryin’ out loud. What am I, nuts?” She sighed and bit her lip. Yer not here to talk to a bunch of graves, Applejack. You just want to pay yer respects, that’s all.

She lowered her head in shame, sighing as she took her hat off and placed it down on the ground. She sat still, observing her parent’s graves. Minutes passed, but for her, it seemed like hours. She didn’t want to leave, not yet. She wanted to be by her parent’s side for just a little longer. But time grew short, and Celestia’s sun was almost gone.

 “I should go now. It’s getting late. Can’t have mah family worrying about me.” She picked her hat up and placed it back on her head. But before she turned away, her body started to tremble again.

“I-I want to stay a bit longer, but it’s getting dark and I have ta go to bed early.” Tipping her hat down, Applejack sighed and faced the two graves again. “M-maybe just a couple more minutes and then I’ll head back. Don’t see the problem sitting here for a bit longer.”

 “Applejack!”

 “Gah?!” Applejack jumped at the sudden noise. She quickly recovered and looked to see who was behind her, only to find her little sister. “Yesh, Apple Bloom, don’t sneak up on a pony like that! Ya scared me!”

“Sorry,” apologized Apple Bloom.

Applejack sighed. “Jus’ what are ya doin’ out her anyway?”

“Ah came here looking ya, sis. Granny and Grand Pear already have dinner ready,” replied Apple Bloom. Her eyes looked directly at her sister. “It’s getting late. They’re gettin’ a bit worried since ya didn’t come home with Big Mac earlier. Is this where ya been the whole time?”

 “Oh, they’ve been worried about me?” Applejack asked. “Oh, gosh, sorry about that. Didn’t mean to lose track of the time. I just wanted to pay our parents a visit.”

 “Ma and Pa?” Applebloom looked past her sister and spotted the two graves.

 “Yeah, I….just wanted to pay my respects, that’s all,” said Applejack. “It’s supposed to be their wedding anniversary soon, and I wanted to give ma a bouquet of flowers. It’s a bit early, I know, but I jus’ wanted to come here since I might be busy these next couple of days.”

 “Oh,” Apple Bloom trotted toward the two graves. “So, an anniversary is when ya celebrate the day ya got married, right?”

“Yup. There's is two days away,” explained Applejack.

“Isn’t that the same day Grand Pear left Ponyville?”

Applejack flinched. “Uh, y-yeah, it is.” She bit her lip. Ah shucks, I completely forgot about that. This is gonna be awkward now that Grand Pear is here.

“It’s ok, sis. We don’t have ta worry about that. Grand Pear is back and he can celebrate with us.” Apple Bloom cuddled closer to her sister and stared at her mother’s grave.  “Hey, sis, can I ask ya a question?”

“Why, sure thing, Apple Bloom. What is it?”

“Can ya tell me more about ma?”

Applejack froze. “W-what?”

“About ma, can ya tell me more about her?” Apple Bloom asked again.

Applejack scratched her head. “Uh, wow, um, this came out of nowhere. Why ask me, Apple Bloom?”

“Well, Ah’ve been wanting to learn more about our parents lately,” explained Apple Bloom. “Ah’ve talked to Mr. Brunt Oak, Mrs. Cake, Granny and even Grand Pear. They’ve told me more about our parents.”

Apple Bloom looked away from her sister. To Applejack, it was if she was a bit hesitant to speak up.

“Ah just wanted to know more about them, sis. Ya know, what kind of ponies they were, that’s all,” said Apple Bloom.

Applejack raised her eyebrow. That’s odd. Why does Apple Bloom want to learn more about our parents? I mean, she already heard a lot from Mrs. Cake, Burnt Oak and the Mayor. Why is she bringing this up now?

Applejack looked at her parent’s graves again. Is it because it’s almost their anniversary soon? Or maybe she’s jus’ curious and wants to know more?

“Applejack?”

Now that I think about it, Apple Bloom never saw Ma and Pa before. They died when she was just a foal.

“Applejack?!”

“Huh?!” Applejack snapped out of her thoughts and fell to the ground.

    “Are ya goin’ to tell me more about Ma and Pa or not?!” Apple Bloom whined.

    “Uh, yeah, of course I’ll tell ya,” said Applejack as she shook her head.

    “Yay!” cheered Apple Bloom as she ran up to her sister and gave her a hug. “Can ya tell me about Ma first?”

    “Sure.” Applejack trotted back to her mother’s grave and sat down in front of it with her sister. She scratched her head, trying to think of a good story to tell. “Ah ha, I think I got one. Let me tell ya about the time when Ma got into an argument with a sales pony.”

    “An argument?” asked Apple Bloom. “Ah don’t think Ah ever heard of this story. What happened?”

    “Well, Ma can get pretty serious when it comes to business sometimes. A real business pony, I tell ya,” Applejack said with a smile. “A sales pony was trying to rip her off over a product he was tryin’ to sell.”

    “How do ya know about this, Applejack?” asked Apple Bloom.

    “I was with Ma at the time. A filly around yer age,” explained Applejack. “I didn’t really understand anything at first, but boy did things get bad. Ma got so furious with the sales pony, she bucked him right in the mouth.”

    “Really?!” Apple Bloom eyes widened in shock. “It got that bad that Ma hit the pony?!”

    “Yeah, it did. Poor fella had to wear an ice bag on his cheek when it was all over,” said Applejack, chuckling at the memory. “Ma got in trouble with the mayor, but she didn’t mind. She can be a real fighter sometimes.”




    A literal world away, Pear Butter sneezed violently atop her tractor. Taking a hand off the wheel to grab her handkerchief, she briefly wondered if Granny Smith’s old rumor about people talking about you far away had caused it, only to look back at the cloud of dust and decide that there was a much more realistic explanation.

    Pear Butter scratched her cheek. No point thinking about superstition. I need to get these apples to the barn. She put her foot down on the tractor’s gas petal and continued her merry way.

    It was late afternoon in Canterlot City. Pear Butter had been working in the fields all day with her husband, gathering apples for tomorrow. A delivery truck is supposed to come to their barn and pick their shipment up. Usually when a truck came to their farm, it meant payment for her family. So, she and her husband worked extra hard in the fields today, hoping for a little extra pay for tomorrow.

On the back of her tractor lay barrels of apples. They were picked fresh, and ready to be shipped.

Those apples sure look good. Shame we have to sell most of them. I wish I can keep some of these barrels so I can cook something up for the kids.

Pear Butter eventually reached the family’s barn, where they stored store most of their equipment and produce. She put the tractor on parking and exited out of the vehicle.

“Now where is that husband of mine?” asked Pear Butter out loud. “I hope he’s not over doing it. We’ve got enough apples as it is already.”

She peered passed the apple trees, trying to locate her husband, but saw nothing.

Oh dear, I better look for him soon. The sun is starting to set and I still need to—

Her thoughts were interrupted when a sound came from inside the barn. The strum of a guitar played gently in her ears.

“Huh?” She went inside and examined where the noise was coming from. It didn’t take her long to find her phone sitting on top of a box. She picked up the device and examined the screen. Wait, this is Canterlot High School’s phone number. Why are they calling me?

Pear Butter sighed. I hope it’s nothing bad. Too many things are happening over at the school lately. I hope my children will be alright. She swiped the phone with her finger and moved it to her ear.
> Chapter 1
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    “She did what?!” screamed Pear Butter into her cell phone. Her legs wobbled, and suddenly found it difficult to stand up. She faltered, stumbling downward on a pile of freshly-tuned hay.

    “I-I see. I’ll talk to her once she gets home.” She paused as the person on the other end continued talking over her. “Yes, tomorrow morning? I understand. Thank you for calling me, Principal Celestia.”

    Pear Butter sighed and hung up. She rubbed the side of her face, tossing the phone onto a nearby bale. It bounced off the straw and clattered out of sight, but Pear didn’t care. All she could think about was her daughter and the trouble she’d gotten into at school.

    “Apple Bloom, what on earth were you thinking?” Pear Butter said to herself.

    “Buttercup?”

    Pear Butter jolted her head up as she heard a familiar voice call on her. It was a voice she’d known for years now. Bright Mac had just arrived at the barn, carrying two full barrels of apples on his shoulders.

    “You ok, Buttercup?” Bright Mac asked. “Ah heard ya hollerin’ and came by as quick as Ah could.” He placed the two barrels down and sat next to his wife. “Something the matter?”

    “Oh, sweetie, I—” Pear Butter hesitated to answer her husband’s question. Instead, she looked down, sighed and rubbed her forehead again. “I just got a call from Principal Celestia. It’s Apple Bloom. She…. she got into a fight at school today.

    “What?!” yelled Bright Mac. “W-why? What happened?

    Pear Butter frowned. “Apparently, she got into some argument with one of her classmates, Diamond Tiara. The Principal said it was during one of her afternoon classes. Something bad happened and it escalated into a fight. No one was hurt, but the fight caused some property damage.”

    “Diamond Tiara, huh? That name sounds familiar,” said Bright Mac, rubbing his chin. “Isn’t that the daughter of Fancy Pants and Spoiled Rich?”

    “That’s correct,” replied Pear Butter.

    Bright Mac scratched his head. “Fine mess our little girl has gotten herself into. Did Principal Celestia tell ya anything else?”

    “She said I have to go to school tomorrow morning with Apple Bloom and attend a meeting with Diamond Tiara and her mother.” Pear Butter sighed, slumping deeper into the hay pile. “I am not looking forward to that. I’ve known Spoiled Right since we attended Canterlot High. We never saw eye to eye. What’s worse is that she’s a member of the school board committee.  No doubt she might have something up her sleeve.”

    “Wow, like mother like daughter Ah suppose,” joked Bright Mac, only to earn a glare from his wife. “Oops. Sorry.”

    The two then heard a car horn beep loudly.

    “That came from the front of our house. Guess that must be Big Mac.” Bright Mac stood up and offered his wife a hand. “Come on, Buttercup. Let’s go see our children. Maybe then y’ can talk to Apple Bloom and find out what happened.”

    Pear Butter sighed, but nonetheless took her husband’s hand and followed him toward the front of their house. On their driveway stood, Big Mac and Applejack, who had just gotten out of the truck.

    “Thank you for picking your sisters up from school, Big Mac,” said Pear Butter. “I would’ve picked them up myself, but I had to stay at the farm late to gather more produce for the delivery truck tomorrow.”

    “Eeyup,” replied Big Mac.

    Pear Butter then turned to Applejack. “Hello, sweetheart. How was your day?”

    “Well, mah day was doin’ jus’ fine. That is until Apple Bloom got into that fight,” replied Applejack, looking away.

    Pear Butter frowned at her daughter’s response. “Don’t you give me that attitude, young lady. Now where is your sister? I need to have a talk with her right now.”

    “She’s—” Applejack paused and looked around the yard. “What in the…. where did she go?”

    The entire family scanned the yard, shouting out Apple Bloom’s name. It wasn’t until Big Mac noticed a small ribbon popping out of the back seat of his truck.

    “Uh, Ah found Apple Bloom,” said Big Mac.

    “She’s doin’ what now!” Applejack walked toward the truck and opened the door. “Apple Bloom, get out of the truck right now! Ya got some explainin’ to do fer Ma!”

    Pear Butter frowned again. Why is she so mad at Apple Bloom? Is it because she caused so much trouble today? Ignoring Applejack’s attitude, she approached the truck and gently called out for her youngest daughter.

    “Apple Bloom, sweetheart, please come out. I promise I won’t yell at you. I just want to know what happened at school today.

    Apple Bloom gave no response. The young girl sat still inside the truck, refusing to move a single inch from her spot.

    “Oh, fer cryin’ out loud, sugarcube. Get out of the truck so Ma can talk to ya!” yelled Applejack.

    “Applejack, don’t yell at your sister!” cried Pear Butter, glaring at her eldest daughter. “Please come out, dear. I just want to talk.”

Again, there was not a single response from the young girl. Pear Butter was about to move toward the truck, but the pink ribbon from inside suddenly moved. The young girl stepped outside, walked past her older sister, and faced her mother. She didn’t look at her directly. Her face was turned down, avoiding any eye contact.

“Apple Bloom, please look at me,” said Pear, calmly. “Why did you get into a fight with your classmate today?”

Despite her calm tone, Pear Butter could not get a response from her daughter. Apple Bloom twiddled with her fingers and continued to avoid any eye contact with her mother.

“Apple Bloom, answer—” Applejack’s words were interrupted when her father stepped in front of her.

“Let your mother deal with this, alright?” Bright Mac said, firmly.

“Please, sugarcube, talk to me,” said Pear Butter. She reached out for her daughter, managing to place her hand on Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “Tell me what—huh?”

Immediately, Pear Butter noticed something odd as she touched her daughter. She didn’t see it at first, but now that she touched her daughter, everything became clear. Apple Bloom was scared. Her entire body was shaking.

“Sugarcube, please calm down,” said Pear Butter. She inched closer to Apple Bloom, hoping that it would at least relieve her a little bit. “There’s no need to be scared. You’re surrounded by family. Please, tell me what happened today.”

Apple Bloom trembled, clenching her fist as she tried to speak up. Her stuttering made it difficult at first, but Pear Butter managed to hear her out “I-it’s—”

“Yes sweetie, what is it?” asked Pear who was a bit more hopeful now that her daughter spoke up.

“I-it’s all her fault,” cried Apple Bloom, softly.

“Excuse me?”

“Ah said it’s all her fault!” cried Apple Bloom again in a louder tone. “She was the one who started it!”

“What do you mean, sweetie?” asked Pear Butter.

“Diamond, s-she—” Apple Bloom hesitated, but finally looked up at her mother. Their eyes met. Pear Butter’s widened as she saw tears streaming down her daughter’s cheeks. “A-ah don’t know why, but Diamond was teasing me for a while now. It’s been, Ah don’t know, a couple of weeks now.”

Apple Bloom whimpered, struggling to continue her story as more tears streamed down from her cheeks.

“Diamond spilled some of them chemicals on me during science class when the teacher wasn’t looking,” explained Apple Bloom. “It didn’t hurt, but it ruined one of mah favorite shirts.”

Apple Bloom sniffed. “T-that was the last straw. Ah had enough of her bullyin’, so I tackled her. Ah remember hitting her first, then she fought back. The teacher stopped the fight, but he put the blame all on me! Said Ah started it! Ah tried ta explain everything, but the teacher and Principal Celestia won’t listen to me!”

“It’s alright, sugarcube. Everything’s going to be ok,” soothed Pear Butter as she wiped the tears away from her daughter. “You were just frustrated. You didn’t mean to hit her.”

“But ma, Ah wanted to hit her!” cried Apple Bloom. “She n’ Silver Spoon have been buggin’ me fer days now! It was the only way she would stop!”

“No, Apple Bloom!” countered Pear Butter, giving her daughter a stern look. “Violence is not the answer. You should have found a better alternative. She may have picked on you, but you started the fight, dear!”

“But—”

“Apple Bloom, I know you're upset, but what you did doesn’t justify anything!” lectured Pear Butter. “As punishment for your actions, you’re going to be working in the fields with me and your Pa for the entire weekend.”

“What?!” More tears fell on Apple Bloom’s cheeks as she found it difficult to believe that her mother would punish her after what happened.  She screamed in frustration and stepped back, cuddling to herself as she avoided her mother’s warm embrace.

“Apple Bloom!” Pear Butter tried to reach out to her daughter again, but Apple Bloom pushed her hands aside.

“A-ah don’t get it, Ma? Why aren’t you supporting me?!” cried Apple Bloom.

“Sweetheart.” Before Pear Butter could say anything else, Apple Bloom took her belongings and dashed toward the house, slamming the front door shut. Applejack, frustrated with her sister’s behavior, tried to go after her. However, she was held back by her father.

“What the heck are ya doin’, pa?” Applejack whined. “Let me go!”

“Leave yer sister alone, Applejack,” said Bright Mac. “No need to make things worse.”

“But she was disrespectful to ma!” rebuked Applejack, trying to escape her father’s grip.

Pear Butter, however, had enough of Applejack’s attitude. She walked up to her and pinched her hard on the ear.

“Ow!” Applejack flinched and recoiled back in pain. “Ma, what was that for?”

“Don’t you dare bark back at me, Applejack! You have no right to speak to me after yelling at your sister like that!” lectured Pear Butter, giving her daughter a stern look. “Just what’s wrong with you, young lady? Why are you being so hard on Apple Bloom?”

Applejack bit her lip. “Look, I’m sorry, Ma. I just…. I just got really upset, ok. Her fight with Diamond Tiara caused a big ruckus at school and I wasn’t exactly in the best mood, today.  I went too far, sorry.”

Pear Butter rubbed her forehead and sighed. “You’re forgiven, Applejack. But as punishment for taking things too far with your sister, you’re going to be punished alongside with her. Nothing but apple picking for the entire weekend, understand?”

“Yes, Ma,” replied Applejack, tilting her head in shame.

“As for Apple Bloom, no one should be bothering her for the entire evening. Give her some personal space and allow her to reflect on her actions.” She turned to her husband. “Bright Mac, once I’m done making dinner, please go to her room and give her some food. I don’t think she’ll be wanting to talk to me for a while. So, if you get the chance to speak with her, that’s fine. But don’t expect too much from her, ok?

“Alright then,” replied Bright Mac, scratching his head. He watched as his wife began to head inside their home, saying nothing. He sighed and wondered if everything will be alright between his wife and his daughters.
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    “Ya gonna to be ok, Buttercup?” asked Bright Mac.

    “I’ll be fine, Bright Mac,” replied Pear Butter. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

    “Are ya sure?” Bright Mac asked again, feeling a bit uneasy. “Ah know this isn’t goin’ to be easy, speaking to both Principal Celestia and Spoiled Rich.

    “Don’t worry about me. I know how to deal with Spoiled Rich,” replied Pear Butter with a smirk. “The only thing you should be worried about is our produce.”

    “If ya say so.”

The two share a kiss as their roosters crowed loudly at the rising sun. Morning had arrived. The Apple family had woken early, placing their apple barrels right outside their barn. The delivery truck was scheduled to arrive at their barn soon, along with their reward.

    However, not everything was pleasant for the family, namely: Apple Bloom. She and Applejack had to leave for school early this morning. Pear Butter would be accompanying them, as she had to attend a parent-principal conference regarding Apple Bloom’s recent behavior.

    The three of them were on their house’s driveway, getting ready to leave for school. Bright Mac and Big Mac came to see them off while Applejack and Apple Bloom were already in their mom’s car, waiting. The two of them sat in opposite ends of the back seat in silence, avoiding eye contact.

    Pear Butter looked at her daughters. I wonder what’s going on with those two? They haven’t spoken up at all this morning. Apple Bloom I understand, but Applejack? I wonder if she feels a bit guilty after she lost her temper yesterday?

    Before stepping into her car, Pear looked toward her son. “Big Mac, make sure you help your father with our produce, okay? There’s a lot, so make sure the truck received every barrel from the barn.”

    “Eeyup,” replied Big Mac.

    Pear Butter smiled and went inside, adjusting the driver’s seat to her liking. As she got comfortable, she adjusted the rearview mirror and spotted Apple Bloom. She smiled at her, but Apple Bloom turned her head and avoided eye contact, much to Pear’s disappointment.

    Ever since their argument yesterday, Apple Bloom had not spoken a word to her. She remained quiet in her room for the entire evening, never stepping a foot outside. Although Pear expected this, it hurt that she couldn’t speak to her daughter.

It’ll be best if I spoke to her after the meeting. Pear thought. Once everything’s settled down, I’ll give her a proper lecture.

Pear opened her window and looked at her husband again. “I’ll see you later dear. Make sure the barn is completely empty. I don’t want to come home and find out there’s still some left.”

    “Don’t worry about me, Buttercup. Me n’ Big Mac got this,” said Bright Mac with confidence. “Ya jus’ worry about our daughter, alright.”

    The two shared another kiss before Pear Butter closed the car window. Pressing the break, she put the car in reverse and exited out of the driveway. She and her daughter’s wave one last goodbye to their family before disappearing out on the road.


    The drive to Canterlot High felt long. No one had spoken a single word. Not Pear Butter nor her daughters. The only sound emanating from the car was the stereo, which played country music for the entire trip.

    Pear Butter smiled. She loved country music. Every time one of her favorite songs played in the radio, she tapped her fingers on the wheel and sang alongside the lyrics. Although it embarrassed her children, they did not mind as much. Their mother was a good singer, and hearing her sing inspired similar feelings in them.

    They soon reached the parking lot of Canterlot High. It was rather empty, although it was expected. It was still early in the morning, and the only people who were here were either faculty or students who belonged in clubs.

    “Alright girls, we’re here.” Pear parked the car in an empty spot close to the school entrance. She stopped the entrance, took the keys, and stepped outside. Her daughters followed, taking their school supplies and joining their mother on the sidewalk.

    “Hey ma,” said Applejack. “Since I’m here early, can I jus’ go ahead and study at the library? There’s some projects that I need ta finish.”

    “That’s fine, Applejack,” replied Pear Butter. She then turned to Apple Bloom. “As for you, dear, you’re coming with me. We’ll both go to Principal Celestia’s office together.

    “Yes, ma,” said Apple Bloom softly, still avoiding eye contact.

    Pear Butter smiled. She finally spoke up. A bit quiet, but at least she said something.

    The three of them walked together toward the school’s entrance. Although Pear and Applejack took their time, Apple Bloom went ahead of them, walking at a much faster pace.

    Oh dear, looks like she still avoiding me. Pear thought, taking notice of Apple Bloom’s behavior.  I think she feels a bit uncomfortable with me and Applejack. Though I’m not surprised, I wish I could at least say something!

Pear sighed. I wish things didn’t turn out so bad. Applejack’s temper did not help at all yesterday. She gave one quick glance at her older daughter.  Hmm, that reminds me.

“Applejack, can I ask you something?”

“What is it, Ma?” replied Applejack.

“Didn’t you say that you had a bad day at school yesterday?” asked Pear Butter. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Applejack shuddered. “Uh, about that. You see—”

“Applejack broke her locker door yesterday,” said Apple Bloom.

Pear Butter blinked. “Wait, what?”

“Uh, it’s nothing, Ma!” said Applejack who ran toward her sister and covered her mouth.

“It wasn’t just her locker door!” shouted Applebloom, trying to break free of her sister. “She ended up breaking other stuff at school today!”

“Quiet, Apple Bloom!”

Pear watched as her daughters wrestled against each other, tumbling hard to the ground. Applejack tried to cover her sister’s mouth while Apple Bloom fought back.

“Girls!” Pear Butter ran toward her daughters, trying her best to separate them. She felt their hands squeezing hard on her face as she grabbed hold of Applejack first and pushed her away. She then pinched Apple Bloom’s ear and pulled on it, causing the girl to yelp in pain. After a few minutes of struggling, the girls finally settled down. Pear and her daughters breathed heavily, trying to catch their breath.

The things I do for my children. Pear thought as she brushed the dirt off her cloths.

“Applejack, you’re going to tell me everything when you get home today,” said Pear Butter. “It’s likely that Principal Celestia might bring it up, but I want to hear it from yourself later, alright.”

Applejack looked away and frowned. “Yes, ma.”

After brushing off the last bit of their clothing, the three of them resumed their walk toward the school entrance. They passed through the school courtyard which, much like the parking lot, was mostly empty.

“Alright Applejack, you go on ahead and go to the library. I’ll see you later.” Pear Butter gave her eldest daughter a hug. “Take care, alright. And don’t forget about our little talk later today!”

“Yes, Ma,” said Applejack.

Pear then looked at Apple Bloom, who still avoided eye contact. Nevertheless, she gave her a warm smile.

“Apple Bloom, when the conference starts, leave the talking to me, alright. Don’t say anything that will make the situation worse. If Principal Celestia asks any questions, just answer them calmly.”

“Yes, ma,” replied Apple Bloom, nodding in agreement.

“Alright, so let’s go…. huh?” Pear Butter paused and looked away from her daughters.

“Ma, what’s wrong?” Applejack asked.

No answer. Pear Butter ignored her and continued to look away.

“Hello, ma? What’s wrong?!” Applejack asked again. This time, her tone was a bit louder.

“Huh?” Pear Butter snapped out of her trance and shook her head, trying her best to compose herself. “Oh, Applejack. I’m sorry, I must’ve dozed off a little there.”

“Are ya ok, ma?” Applejack asked. “It looked like ya were lookin’ at something.”

Pear Butter shook her head again. “Oh, sorry about that. I was just looking at the school monument, that’s all.”

“Why?” asked Apple Bloom.

Pear Butter sighed. “Well, it’s just that, you girls do know that Canterlot High is the school I went to when I was your age, right?”

“Yeah, you did,” said Applejack. “But what’s that got ta do with anything?”

Pear Butter sighed and closed her eyes. “You see, girls, I’ve made a lot memories here. Good memories! In fact, this is the place where I met your father. Our entire relationship started here.”

“Wow! Ah didn’t know that,” said Apple Bloom.

Applejack scratched her head. “Ok? But what are ya getting’ at ma?”

Pear Butter smiled. “Well you see, the school was the only place your father and I could socialize. Before we were married, our families were in the middle of a big feud.”

“Feud?” asked Apple Bloom. “What feud?”

Pear nodded “The Apple-Pear family feud. I was originally part of the Pear family while your father was an Apple. Neither one of our relatives got along with each other. We were rivals to the core. The only ones who got along were me and your father.”

She closed her eyes and smiled, feeling nostalgic as she recalled her early love life. “School was the only place where your father and I could talk. During lunch, we would come out here and sit at the school monument over there.”

Pear pointed toward the school’s now ruined monument. “Your father and I made a lot of good memories there. So many happy memories.  I froze because the school monument, the place where we made those memories, is now in ruins.”

“Oh, wow,” said Applejack in amazement. “Gosh, I didn’t even know.”

Pear took a deep breath and sighed again. “It’s a shame that they haven’t fixed it yet. The monument was so grand at the time. Now it’s completely ruined. The statue is gone and the base has been left to rot.”

Pear Butter rubbed her forehead. Just looking at the monument felt uneasy.

“Apple Bloom, can you go on ahead without me? I just want to go and examine the statue. I’ll meet you at the Principal’s office soon, alright.”

“O-ok, ma.” Apple Bloom turned away from her mother and entered the school. Applejack hesitated, but soon followed her sister inside. Once the two of them were gone, Pear Butter walked toward the ruined monument. As each step brought her closer to the object, a sense of nostalgia luminated on Pear Butter.

“It’s so sad to see the statue in such a bad shape,” said Pear Butter. “I wonder why the school hasn’t fixed this yet?”

Using her right arm, she reached out toward the base of the monument, trying to get a feel of the object.

“They really need to get this fixed soon. This statue is priceless—whoa!” Instead of touching hard marble, Pear Butter’s hand somehow slipped inside the ruined statue. A ripple appeared s her right arm fell deep inside the stone.

“W-what’s going on??” cried Pear Butter, trying to get her arm out. She reeled back, tugging harder, but her attempts to break free were unsuccessful. She was completely stuck.

“I don’t remember the statue having something like this! What’s happening?!” cried Pear Butter. As she continued to struggle, Pear Butter soon heard a strange sound coming from inside. Her body suddenly started moving forward, it was if she was being sucked into the monument itself.

“Someone help!” Pear cried, but her pleas were all for not as her entire body move forward.
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pear Butter screamed as lights flashed around her. Her heart pounded a jackhammer’s beat in her chest, as a swirl of terrifying thoughts consumed her every being.

    Where was she going? Was she going to be alright? Was she going to die? Will anyone notice she’s missing? Who will take care of her family?

    Her thoughts were interrupted when the light engulfed her entire body. The light became brighter, causing Pear to cover her eyes. It was as if she was arriving at the end of her destination. In a flash, she found herself tumbling and sliding on a hard surface.

    She finally stopped when she crashed on top of a pile of books. She yelped in pain, as their spines dug painfully into her back.

    “Ow, that hurts!” cried Pear Butter as she landed flat on her belly. She shook her head. “What happened? Where am I?”

    Pear Butter tilted her head up and looked around the area for clues. Immediately, she spotted several things. The room was filled with more books, shelves circling around her in a never-ending loop. There were even more piled to the ground. Some were neatly placed while others were scattered about due to her dynamic entry.

    What is going on here? Am I in a library of some sort? She shook her head again. Just where exactly am I? I remember examining the monument at Canterlot High, and then my entire arm fell through it.

    Using a bit of strength, Pear Butter tried to stand up. What is this place—whoa!

    Pear’s legs stumbled as she tried to balance herself. She fell hard onto the ground once more, landing head first.

    “Ow!” She sat upright and rubbed her face to sooth the pain. That was…. odd? Why can’t I balance myself right? Am I still dazed after what happened to....” Pear noticed something odd as she rubbed her face. Her hand felt…. strange, rather rough.

    That’s weird. Why are my hands so dry? Didn’t I use my conditioner this morning? She removed her hands from her face and took a good look at them. I could’ve sworn that I—huh?

    Pear Butter sat still, blanking out as she saw her hands. What in the world? Where her hands were supposed to be were hooves. W-what? What is going on? Why do I have hooves?!

    Panicking, Pear began to examine her body. From her head to her hips, she checked every part of her body. She had hoped to at least feel her clothing. But instead of cotton, she felt hair, lots of it.

    “Huh? Where are my clothes?!” cried Pear Butter. She stood upright in shock, only to fall flat on the floor once again. “Ow, not again! Why can’t I stand up straight—”

    Pear looked at the clear floor below here. It was completely spotless; no speck of dirt covered it at all. Not only that, but the entire floor was made of crystal! Although Pear would’ve marveled at the sight, something caught her eye. The crystal reflected an image of a horse. Though a bit distorted, she could see it had a pale-yellow coat with a bright orange mane. Its eyes were turquoise and were considerably large.

    “Is that…. me?” asked Pear Butter out loud. She moved her hooves around and touched her body again, getting a feel of every angle. The image mirrored her.

    “I-I’m a horse?!” Pear shouted. She leaned forward, touching the crystal ground with her right hoof. The image touched hers in turn.

    “AAAAAHHHHHHH!” Pear screamed at the top of her lungs, hooves against both sides of her cheeks. All she could do was scream. She did not know how long, but she didn’t care.

    “What’s happened to me?! Why am I a horse?!” She leaned backward, falling onto her backside again. The screaming was endless, until Pear Butter coughed and took a deep breath.

    Calm down, Pear Butter. You need to stop panicking and observe the situation. She took a couple of minutes to compose herself, taking deep breaths. After sitting upright, Pear slapped herself on the face with her hooves.

    “Ow that hurt!” yelped Pear Butter as she hit herself. She rubbed her face to soothe her cheek. Take note, hooves hit harder than hands.

    She took a deep breath and composed herself. Okay, somehow the school’s monument took me to a weird crystal room where I was turned into a horse. She caught a glimpse of her reflection again. Or perhaps a filly? I’m too small to be considered an adult horse.

    Pear shook her head. No! Focus, girl! I need to get out of here! There’s still a meeting I need to attend! She looked around the room, trying to figure a way out. She spotted several strange machines gathered in one area with wires connected to each of them. The wires were looped around each other, yet all of them connected to one specific location: a crystal mirror.

    Pear spotted the mirror and looked down, catching a glimpse of her belongings on the floor. Good to know my phone and purse came with me. I just need to get—Pear tried to stand up on her legs, but stumbled onto the floor yet again. Shoot, I forgot that I’m a horse now. I guess this means I should walk like a horse.

Pear Butter sighed. Well, here goes nothing. She carefully got off the ground, legs wobbling as she tried to balance herself. She stood still for a few seconds, then moved her two right legs forward.

That’s it, Pear Butter! Just one step at a time. Pear slowly trotted toward the mirror and soon reached her bag and phone. She wrapped her bag around her right hoof and carefully placed it around her head. She then tried to pick up her phone as well, but could not grasp the object at all.

Okay, hooves are out of the picture. Maybe I should grab the phone with my mouth? She sat down and bit softly on the phone, trying her best not to crack the screen with her teeth. She craned her head around. Opening her bag, she dropped the phone inside.

Okay, that takes care of that. Pear then looked up and saw crystal mirror in front of her, admiring the elegant design. She spotted her reflection on the mirror, which showed her bright orange pony body. The mirror was a lot clearer compared to the crystal floor, showing no signs of dirt or debris.

“Gosh, I really am a pony,” Pear Butter said out loud. “A pretty one, to be exact. Didn’t think ponies could be this cute.” She shook her head again. No, Pear Butter. Focus on getting out of here!

She examined the machines nearby, then the mirror. This looks suspicious. I wonder what happens if I do this? She reached out toward the mirror with her right hoof, hoping that her suspicions were correct. As she did, her right hoof fell through the mirror and caused the glass to ripple.

I knew it! This mirror is key to getting me back home! Pear Butter retracted her hoof. I guess I have no choice but to jump inside.

She sighed. Alright, here goes nothing. Pear Butter leaned backward, bracing herself for whatever would come next. She soon leapt forward and entered the crystal mirror.





    The door to the library burst open as Princess Twilight entered the room. Her eyes examined the area as she lit her horn. To her dismay, she found several of her prized books scattered about on the floor.

“Gah! What happened here?!” cried Twilight. She ran toward them, using her magic to examine each book. “Oh no, this isn’t good. Some of the hard covers on these books are damaged! Oh, it could take days to properly repair them!”

    Twilight sighed as she neatly stacked the books on the floor. “Who did this? Why would they ruin such perfectly good books?!” She stood up and surveyed the area again. “Spike, Starlight? Are you two in here?”

    Concentrating her horn, Twilight casted a spell that scanned the entire room. The entire area was showered in purple light, as Twilight scanned every corner of the room. As the spell waded off, Twilight noticed something strange.

    “That’s odd, there’s some strange magical trace coming from the crystal mirror.” She trotted up to it, examining the mirror again with her magic. “It looks like somepony used this recently. But that can’t be right. Starlight and I haven’t used the mirror for quite some time now.”

    She gasped. “Is it possible that one of the students at Canterlot High accidentally used the portal? If that’s true, then I’m in big trouble!”

Twilight lit her horn, taking a large book that was placed next to the mirror. “I need to tell Sunset about this right away. We need figure out who used the portal.” Taking a nearby pen, she sat down and began writing.
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pear Butter screamed as brightly colored lights enveloped around her. She closed her eyes, trying her best not to strain them. Although her second experience wasn’t so bad, the bright lights were still a nuisance.

She thought back to the crystal mirror she had leapt through. She knew it was taking her somewhere, but where? Was she heading home? Or was she going somewhere else?

    Pear slowly peeked in front of her, and saw an even brighter light up ahead. She yelped as it soon engulfed her entire pony body. In one quick flash, Pear soon found herself wobbling on her legs. Unable to balance herself, Pear hit the ground hard..

    “Ow!” Pear cried, flinching as she landed on hard concrete. She quickly sat up straight and started to rub her legs. “That really hurt! I’m pretty sure I’m going to feel that for the next couple of hours!”

She sighed. “If I only had my hands back. These hooves are getting in the…. huh?” Pear stopped rubbing her legs. She looked up and took a good look at her arms. Wait a second, I have my hands back!

Using her hands, Pear examined every portion of her body. I’m not a pony anymore. I’m a human again! Does that mean I’ve made it back?

Pear looked around, trying to get a good look at where she is. She sighed in relief as she saw Canterlot high from a distance. Oh, thank goodness, I’m finally back home!

She stood up and sighed in relief. Oh, thank goodness. I was getting a bit worried that I may never—

Her eyes widened. Oh, no! I’m going to be late for the meeting! Taking her purse, Pear made a mad dash for the school. She pushed the doors open and sprinted forward, maneuvering past several students and faculty. Some yelled back at her for getting in the way, but she paid no attention to their cries. She soon reached the front office, panting heavily. Pulling her phone out of her purse, Pear looked at the time.

I’m late! The meeting was supposed to start five minutes ago! Pear shook her head. Just how long was I in that other world?! Taking one last deep breath, Pear grabbed the door knob and opened the door.

“Ah, it looks like our last guest has finally come.” Pear Butter looked up and saw Principal Celestia sitting behind her desk. To the right of her was Apple Bloom, who was sitting by herself. To the left was her old rival, Spoiled Rich, along with her daughter.

“Good morning, Mrs. Apple,” greeted Principal Celestia.

“Good morning, Principal Celestia,” replied Pear Butter. “Sorry I’m late. I got caught up in something.”

“Oh, that’s alright. Your daughter explained everything to me,” said Celestia. “Though I was getting a bit worried you may not show up. I understand you might have gotten a little nostalgic when you came here.”

Pear scratched her head. “Y-yeah, I suppose I did.”

Celestia smiled. “Oh, that’s alright. At least you’re here. Why don’t you go ahead and take a seat right next to your daughter?”

Pear nodded, walking forward to the empty chair.

“Well, if it isn’t the country bumpkin.” Pear turned toward Spoiled Rich, who was smirking. “I was wondering when you would show up. For a second there, I thought you were going to abandon your daughter.”

“For your information, Spoiled, I had no intention of leaving my daughter behind,” replied Pear, scowling as she tried to ignore her longtime rival. “She’s my kin, and I would never abandon my family.”

“Like you did with the yours,” rebuked Spoiled.

Pear Butter froze.

“I don’t think the Pears appreciated it when you left them for another dimwitted country bumpkin,” continued Spoiled, smirking. “I believe your father disowned you soon after your wedding. Heard he just left you behind like a rotten piece of fruit.”

Pear flinched. She turned around and looked at Spoiled with a forced smile.

“I’m sorry, Spoiled; I didn’t hear you. Something must be clogging my ears.” Pear lifted both her hands up and began to rub both ears with the tip of her pinkies. “Could you repeat what you just said?”

Pear walked over to the rich woman, still showing a false smile. Spoiled stood up in return, smirking back.. The two women glared at each other, ignoring the Principal and their now nervous daughters.

“Alright ladies, settle down,” said Celestia as she faked a cough. “May I remind you both that you’re here because of your daughters. Neither of you want to start another fight, would you?”

Pear and Spoiled continued to glare at each other for sometime, before finally breaking off to their perspective seats.

Pear sighed. Good to know that Spoiled is still her usual, crabby self.

“Well then, I believe we can finally get this meeting underway,” said Celestia as she too forced smile. “Now, let’s discuss the fight that escalated between your daughters yesterday. I want to talk about potential damage costs as well as disciplinary actions against your daughters.”

“My daughter is innocent!” said Spoiled Rich. “That country bumpkin started this whole mess. I can’t tell you how worried I was when she came home with bruises on her face!”

She stood up on her seat, pointing fiercely at Apple Bloom. “Principal Celestia, suspend this country bumpkin right now!”

Pear Butter scowled. She bit her lip, trying to best to control herself. She expected Spoiled would speak up first, but she didn’t expect her to insult her daughter like that.

“I haven’t finished speaking Mrs. Rich,” scolded Celestia. “Please, sit down.”

Spoiled humped and obliged to Celestia’s request. She briefly looked at Pear, giving the farm woman a smug smirk.

Pear glared back. Don’t you dare mock my family like that, Spoiled! I swear, if it wasn’t for Principal Celestia or my daughter being here, I would’ve gladly smacked you right across the face!

Celestia coughed. “Okay, so I heard from Apple Bloom yesterday that Diamond has been constantly bullying as of late. And I—”

“Lies!” cried Spoiled Rich who stood again to object. “Why are you even listening to that bumpkin, Principal Celestia! She’s the one who started this entire mess, not my daughter!”

“Mrs. Rich, would you please sit back down!” scolded Celestia. “If you interrupt me one last time, your daughter is going to face even more disciplinary actions!”

Spoiled Rich growled at the Celestia, but nonetheless sat back down on her chair.

“Now, Apple Bloom, I need you to speak to me,” said Celestia, turning to the young girl. “Can you explain to me what exactly is going on between you and Diamond Tiara?”

Spoiled got up from her seat again and was about to speak up, but glares from Principal Celestia and Pear Butter caused her to reconsider her actions.

Apple Bloom scratched her head. “Well, it all started when few weeks ago when a couple of boys wanted to hang out with me n’ mah friends. It was so sudden, none of us really expected it. First it was Tender Taps, then Button Mash, and finally Rumble.”

Apple Bloom scrunched down on her seat, twiddling with her fingers. “We still don’t know why they wanted to hang with us, but we let them do it anyway. It was right around the week after that when me n’ the girls started getting these weird notes on our lockers.”

“Notes?” asked Pear Butter and Principal Celestia simultaneously.

“Yeah, they had these weird words written down on them. Words Ah didn’t understand.” Apple Bloom unzipped her bag and took out several pieces of paper from inside. “Ah still have copies of em’ right here. Some of em’ are from mah friends while the rest were on mah locker.”

“Honey, can I see those please?” Pear Butter asked, stretching her hand out toward her daughter. Apple Bloom leaned back, hesitating to give the papers up.

“Apple Bloom, please give the papers to your mother,” said Celestia. Apple Bloom sighed and gave the papers away.

“Thank you dear. Now just what are these letters saying—good heavens!” Pear jumped on her seat, nearly falling off.

“What’s wrong, Mrs. Apple?” Celestia asked.

“S-such horrible words!” cried Pear Butter. “What kind of child would write something like this, let alone know them?!”

She turned to Apple Bloom. Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner, dear?

“Let me see those!” said Spoiled, snatching the papers from Pear’s hands. She skimmed through the notes, only to grimace at what she read. “Good gracious! Such vulgar language! What kind of person would write something like this?!”

Diamond Tiara bit her lip.

“May I see those please?” asked Celestia. Spoiled gave the papers to Principal Celestia, who put her glasses on. As she read through them, her face began to distort. “Well, this is…. unsettling. To think that this is happening to my school...”

Celestia placed the papers down and looked at Diamond. “Miss Tiara, you wouldn’t happen to know who wrote these would you?”

“You dare accuse my daughter of doing something vulgar?” shouted Spoiled.

“I’m not accusing anyone, Mrs. Rich,” assured Celestia. “Now, Diamond, throughout your time here at school you and Apple Bloom never got along. Although you’ve competed against one another, you two have never taken things too far.”

Celestia folded her arms. “Now I spoke to your science teacher yesterday, and he told me that you spilled chemicals on Apple Bloom’s shirt. And because of that, Apple Bloom retaliated and started hitting you.”

Pear watched as Spoiled glanced over at her daughter. Judging by her expression, she seemed rather surprised by this news. And, even though it was faint, Pear could’ve sworn she heard Spoiled say something to Diamond.

“W-well, that entire chemical thing was just an accident,” said Diamond, stammering on her words. “I-I mean, I didn’t mean to spill it on her. She could’ve moved out of the way.”

“That’s not what your classmates saw,” said Celestia. “I’ve spoken to most of the students in that classroom. A few of them say that you did do it on purpose.”

“What?!” Diamond stood up from her seat. “That’s not true! I didn’t do it on purpose, I swear!”

Celestia shook her head. “Diamond, your classmates saw the entire thing. They said that when Apple Bloom wasn’t looking, you spilled the chemicals on her back! Although Apple Bloom retaliated, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.”

Pear watched as Spoiled continued to glare at Diamond. The young girl slumped in her seat as both her mother and Principal Celestia stared at her.

Seems Diamond didn’t tell her mother everything. Looks like she twisted the story and made it seem like she was the victim.

“I also have reasons to believe that you do know something about these vulgar notes,” affirmed Celestia.

“You must be mistaken, Principal Celestia!” Spoiled shouted. “My daughter would never write such words, let alone to another student.”

“Unfortunately, that is not the case, Mrs. Rich,” replied Celestia. “Although Diamond may not be the perpetrator, I do have evidence to believe that she is the instigator or a compliance.”

Spoiled flinched. “What?!”

“One of her friends, I believe a girl by the name of Silver Spoon, confessed to me yesterday that she, along with you and some other girls, were harassing Apple Bloom and her friends,” explained Celestia. “She mentioned that, for the past month, they’ve been leaving cryptic messages on the girl’s lockers. Based on what Apple Bloom gave us, it looks like she was telling the truth.”

Pear watched as Spoiled Rich began to twitch.

“Now Diamond, although evidence points directly toward you, I want to give you an opportunity to say something,” said Celestia. “Now, what do you have to say—”

“Okay, I admit it! I spilled the chemicals on purpose!” Diamond shouted. “And I admit I came up with the whole cryptic message thing! I may not have written them all, but I convinced Silver and some other girls to do it for me!”

There was silence in the room. Spoiled had her jaw dropped while both Pear Butter and Apple Bloom just glared at Diamond. Principal Celestia signed, looking at Diamond in disappointment.

“It’s all her fault! Her and that stupid body!” cried Diamond. “It’s the reason why all the boys want to hang out with her and her friends. Why does she get to have a bigger bust while I’m still flat!”

Celestia shook her head. “Well, that solves the motive issue. I’m very disappointed in you, Diamond. For someone that comes from a prestigious family, this type of behavior is unacceptable.”

She turned to Spoiled. “Mrs. Rich, I’d like you to stay in my office a little while longer. We must talk about your daughter’s recent behavior and further punishment.”

Spoiled bit her lip. “Yes, ma’am.”

Celestia then turned to Pear Butter. “Mrs. Apple, would you and your daughter kindly step outside my office for a minute? I must speak with Mrs. Rich and her daughter alone. Once I’m done, I’ll discuss your daughter’s punishment.”

“I understand.” Pear turned to her daughter. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s get going.”

Apple Bloom nodded and followed her mother out the room. Pear paused at the door as her daughter went around her. There was a prickling feeling on the nape of her neck. A chance look back revealed the cause: Spoiled was scowling at her. She almost smirked back, before composing herself once again.

“One more thing, Mrs. Apple,” said Celestia. “I’m not sure you’re aware, but your eldest daughter, Applejack, caused some damage to school property. After we discuss your daughter’s punishments, I need to speak to you about additional payments.”

Pear sighed. “I understand. Thank you for the meeting Principal Celestia.” Taking her daughter’s hand, Pear left the office and closed the door shut.
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pear Butter and Apple Bloom sat together in the empty school hallway. It was silent; no student wandered around as it was still rather early in the morning. Using her phone, Pear looked at the clock. It had been several minutes since Principal Celestia asked them to leave her office. She looked at the Principal’s door; no sound came from inside.

I wonder what’s going on in there? Perhaps they’re talking about prolonging Diamond’s punishment? If they are, I have no doubt that Spoiled is not going to be happy.

Pear scowled. The nerve of that girl, teasing my little Apple Bloom and her friends. All because of her chest size too! She looked at Apple Bloom, who was still avoiding eye contact. Why didn’t you tell me about this? Why didn’t your family about this?

Pear took a deep breath and sighed. I guess I understand why Applejack was so mad at you yesterday. When this is over, you and I are going to have a long talk.

The door to Principal Celestia’s office swung open. Pear and Apple Bloom watched as Diamond stepped outside the room, ignoring their looks. Spoiled and Principal Celestia soon followed, still speaking to one another.

“Thank you for coming today, Spoiled,” said Celestia. “I’ll get in touch with the school board as well once I’m finished here. Although I doubt your seat on the school board will be affected, it’s my duty to let them know.”

“I understand, Principal Celestia.” Spoiled turned to her daughter, giving the young girl a fierce glare. “Come with me, Diamond. You and I are going to have a little chat before school starts.”

“Yes, mother,” whimpered Diamond. Pear watched as Spoiled took daughter’s arm and dragged her away. Before she left, Spoiled Rich turned around and looked at Pear Butter one last time. She sported a glaring scowl. .

This time, Pear did not hold back. As soon as she took one good look at Spoiled, she gave her old rival a wide smirk.

Spoiled harrumphed and slammed the office door shut.

“Well, that was unsettling,” said Celestia. She turned to Pear Butter and Apple Bloom. “So, care to join me in my office again, Mrs. Apple?”

“Yes, of course.” Pear stood up from her seat. “Come on, Apple Bloom. We mustn’t keep the Principal waiting.”

“Yes, ma,” replied Apple Bloom. The two of them followed Principal Celestia into her office again, taking their seats from before and moved them closer to the principal’s desk. Principal Celestia walked to her nearby file cabinet and took some files out.

After placed the files on her desk, Celestia sat down and faced the Apple family. “Alright, let’s begin. First, thank you for patiently waiting outside my office. Mrs. Rich and I had a long discussion about Diamond’s punishment.”

“Oh, I don’t mind waiting at all, Principal Celestia,” said Pear Butter, smiling. “I’m sure you gave a reasonable punishment for that spoiled child.”

Celestia sighed. “Now, Mrs. Apple, I am aware that you and Mrs. Rich had a long rivalry together that goes way back to your time spent here. Although Diamond was guilty of starting this mess, your daughter will still be punished. It’s not my job to play favorites.”

“Don’t worry, I understand,” replied Pear Butter. “I’m sure you have something reasonable for my daughter too.”

“Yes, I do. As I mentioned before, the fight between Diamond and your daughter caused some damage in one of our science classrooms.” Celestia opened Apple Bloom’s file and gave Pear some papers. “The payment due is written here. Although Mrs. Rich will be paying for most of the damages, you must pay your part as well.”

Pear read through the papers, carefully examining the costs. This seems rather fair. The total cost isn’t that big and I’m only paying minimal damage. I may end up using some of funds we earned from the shipment today, but we should be okay.

“Also, I wish to speak about your daughter’s punishment,” said Celestia, causing Apple Bloom to slump in her seat. “Again, despite her being the victim here, I can’t let her go without some sort of punishment.”

Celestia took out another piece of paper and began to read it out loud. “Starting next week, your daughter will be facing up to two weeks of detention plus Saturday school during that time.”

Apple Bloom groaned.

“Oh, don’t whine, sweetheart. You knew this was coming,” said Pear Butter. “Think of it this way, at least that Diamond girl and her friends will be getting a much bigger punishment than you.”

“Please don’t get ahead of yourself, Mrs. Apple,” replied Celestia. “We still have to discuss the actions of your other daughter.”

Pear flinched as Principal Celestia pushed Apple Bloom’s file aside and opened the other. She got a good glimpse of the cover. The file belonged to Applejack and it had a lot of paperwork inside.

“For the past month, Applejack has been causing some damage to school property,” explained Celestia, taking the papers out of the file. “I doubt she is doing this on purpose, but there’s still payment that needs to be done. I have a copy list of all the damaged property here as well as the payment due.”

Pear took the papers and began to read them slowly. Her jaw dropped. It seems Principal Celestia and Apple Bloom were not exaggerating. The files contained a list more than a dozen incidents caused by Applejack. All of them starting as early as last month.

What on earth? She glanced at the bottom of the list, and saw the total payment due. The mere sight of the it almost caused her to fall off her seat. T-this is ridiculous. This is will cost even more money than Apple Bloom.

She leaned forward on her chair. If I pay for all of this and Apple Bloom’s payments now, then I would use up over a quarter of what we’re supposed to earn today!

Pear groaned. How did Applejack do all this?

“Are you alright, Mrs. Apple?” asked Celestia.

“Yes, I am. Sorry about that,” replied Pear Butter as she recovered. “If I may, can I ask you a question, Principal Celestia?”

“Of course. What is it?”

“How did my daughter do all this? Some of these incidents listed here seem odd. There’s one where she somehow tore the hinges off her locker door and did the same with a few other school doors. There’s also an incident where she broke her school desk just by leaning on it!”

Celestia sighed. “To be honest, I don’t know. A lot has happened these past several months here at Canterlot High and Applejack has been caught in the middle of it all along with her friends.”

“How so?” Pear asked.

“I’m sorry, it’s a bit difficult to explain,” replied Celestia, stacking the papers inside the file again. “With so much going on, even I can’t keep up with all these events. If you want to learn more about this, then you should speak to your daughter first.”

“Huh?” Pear stared at Principal Celestia with her eyebrow raised. That was, unsatisfying. Is she avoiding the question?

Celestia stood up and walked back to the file cabinets, placing the files back inside. “I believe this meeting is adjourned. Thank you so much for coming today, Mrs. Apple. You and your daughter are free to leave.”

What? But I have so many questions! Unsatisfied with her lack of answers, Pear stood up and glared at the Principal. She was about to speak up, but Celestia interrupted her.

“I’m afraid I can’t answer your questions right now, Mrs. Apple,” assured Celestia as she returned to her seat. “If you really want to know, then speak to Applejack. She’ll provide the answers you’re looking for.”

Pear opened her mouth to object, but stopped as she saw Celestia’s face. She was calm, refusing to show any emotion at all, eyes not once drifting away.

Pear sighed. “Alright, I understand. I’ll speak to Applejack later.” It’s not like I’m going to get any answers here. She stood up and walked toward the exit. “Let’s go sweetheart.”

Apple Bloom stood up and followed her mother out the door. As she stepped outside the office, Pear looked at Principal Celestia one last time, giving the woman one last glare. She grunted and slammed the door shut.

Principal Celestia sighed. “That was close.” She took a deep breath, relaxing herself as she slumped on her seat. Looks like the school’s secret is safe for now. It’s a shame that the only thing I could do was redirect the question to someone else. I’m sorry, Applejack, but you have a lot of explaining to do. I just hope that you can come up with a good excuse.

She stood up from her chair and walked over to her office’s window. I swear, this whole magic thing is getting out of hand. How long will this secret last? Gossip surrounding the school is getting worse every day. It won’t be long until parents, the media, and maybe even the entire city will get involved. 

Celestia gazed outside. If one parent is getting suspicious, a chain reaction is bound to happen. I need to inform Sunset Shimmer. Something must be done to preserve our school. Let’s just hope it’s not too late.
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pear Butter walked alongside Apple Bloom in the hallways of Canterlot High. There were a few more students this time, but no one paid attention to her. Not that she paid any attention to them either, her focus was entirely on the papers Principal Celestia gave her.

She sighed, placing the papers inside her bag. I can’t believe this. First Apple Bloom being bullied, and now Applejack breaking school property.I feel like my daughters are leaving me out of the loop here.

She looked at Apple Bloom, who walked alongside her. Ever since their meeting with Principal Celestia ended, Apple Bloom remained quiet. She had not spoken up since the meeting and was gawking at the floor the entire time.

That’s it, I’ve had enough! Pear Butter stood firm in her place, called on her daughter.

“Apple Bloom, we need to talk. Now!” Apple Bloom, however, ignored her mother’s pleas and continued walking. “Do not ignore me, young lady! Come back here right this instant!”

This time, Apple Bloom stopped. She stood in her place, appearing to be a bit nervous from Pears point of view. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke up.

“Um, Ma, do ya really have ta talk to me right now?” asked Apple Bloom who turned around, yet still avoided eye contact. “School’s about ta start and Ah don’t really want other kids looking at us.”

“Well, honey, I don’t see any students wandering around here. I’m pretty sure we have plenty of time to talk,” replied Pear Butter. “Come over here and let’s have a proper talk.!”

Apple Bloom whimpered and began to walk forward. There was still a bit of hesitation though as she still refused to make any eye contact. Pear could easily tell Apple Bloom was nervous. Her arms were shaking and she constantly twiddled her fingers.

“Look up when someone is talking to you, sweetie,” said Pear Butter. Apple Bloom, however, did not respond to her mother’s request. Nevertheless, she continued when her lecture.

Apple Bloom did not respond.

“Why didn’t you say anything about the bullying you received from Diamond Tiara and her friends?” asked Pear Butter. Her tone was a bit louder this time. “You’ve been victimized by them for weeks now and you didn’t tell anyone? Not the teachers, not the Principal, not your entire family! Why didn’t you ask for help?”

Apple Bloom remained silent, sniffing as her mother’s tone became louder.

“Were you afraid that your teachers wouldn’t help you? Were you afraid that your family couldn’t help?” Pear Butter walked toward her daughter, trying to get any sort of information from her. “Please, speak to me, Apple Bloom!”

Despite Pear’s demands, Apple Bloom refused to answer her mother. She looked away again, body shaking as she struggled to maintain her composure. Tears began flowing down Apple Bloom’s cheeks as she whimpered and cried.

Pear Butter sighed. “Apple Bloom, what you did at the science classroom yesterday was the right decision.”

There was a brief moment of silence. Pear noticed that Apple Bloom had stopped shaking. The young girl looked up again with water still falling out from her eyes.

“W-wait, ya agree with me, Ma?” asked Apple Bloom as she slowly wiped the tears from her eyes.

“I do. It was completely justified,” replied Pear Butter. “Ever since you told me your story yesterday, I’ve always believed that what you did was the right thing. You were simply trying to defend yourself, that’s all. Diamond Tiara could’ve hurt you yesterday if those chemicals were any dangerous. It’s fortunate that you got away with just a stained shirt.”

“B-but, why were ya mad at me?” asked Apple Bloom. “If ya really thought what Ah did was right, why did ya yell at me? Why punish me?”

“Because this whole mess might’ve been avoided if you would’ve told someone sooner,” explained Pear Butter. “If you would’ve told me, your family, or anyone else here in the school about your problem, then only Diamond and her friends would be punished.”

Pear knelt down on her knees. “You and your friends had evidence. If one of you had gave the papers away to any teacher, then the school would launch an investigation and locate the culprits. Diamond and her friends would’ve been exposed, leaving you free from any punishment.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes widened. “A-Ah can’t believe it. Ah never thought about that.”

“My question to you dear is that why didn’t you talk to me?” asked Pear Butter. “I could understand if you were a bit hesitant to tell the school faculty, but why not tell your family?

“W-well, it’s jus that….” Apple Bloom struggled to respond. She bit her lip and looked away from her mother again. “Ah jus wanted ta prove something, that’s all.”

“Prove what, dear?” asked Pear Butter.

“That Ah can take care of myself!” cried Apple Bloom. “Ah wanted to be strong like Applejack, and like you. Ah felt that if Ah can get through Diamond’s bullyin’ in one piece, then Ah could prove Ah’m jus’ as tough as anyone in mah family.”

Pear blinked. “So, the reason why you didn’t tell me about the bullying is because you wanted to prove something to me and your sister?”

Apple Bloom nodded.
Pear blinked again. “Did your friends follow along with you?”

“They did,” Apple Bloom replied. “Scootaloo wanted ta prove something ta Rainbow and Sweetie Belle didn’t want to get her family involved, so we kept it a secret. But it kept gettin’ worse everyday. Sweetie didn’t take it well. One day, she skipped an entire period jus’ to cry in the bathroom. Scootaloo tried to ignore the notes, but didn’t do any better. She even skipped school once or twice.”

Pear stared at her daughter with her mouth agape. At first, she didn’t know what to say. What she did was wrong, but Pear Butter felt a small sense of pride. She was touched that Apple Bloom wanted to be more like her and Applejack, despite failing miserably. However, she knew that this doesn’t change anything.

“Honey, I’m touched that you wanted to be more like me, but that doesn’t change the fact that you let your pride get in the way,” explained Pear Butter as she placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “You put yourself in harms way on purpose, and look what happened.”

Pear sighed and looked at her daughter straight in the eye. “Tell me, Apple Bloom, was all of this worth it?”

Apple Bloom’s lips trembled. “No, it wasn’t. Yer right, Ma. Ah guess Ah should’ve told someone sooner.”

Pear Butter took a deep breath and sighed. She looked at her daughter, smiled, and gave her a hug.

“I forgive you,” replied Pear Butter. “Our emotions and pride can get the better of us. It can sometimes force people to make bad decisions. Believe me, I’ve seen it many times before.”

“Ah’m sorry, Ma,” cried Apple Bloom as she wiped the last bit of tears from her eyes.

The two of them would continue to hug each other before Pear spotted a nearby clock. She let her daughter go and took her phone from her purse.

“Good. It looks like I still have time to go back home and help your father out,” said Pear Butter. “Thank goodness the meeting was a lot shorter than expected. I thought Principal Celestia would drag it out, but I think I can make it home before the delivery truck arrives.”

Not to mention I need to speak to Bright Mac about all these school payments.

“What about, Applejack?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Pardon?”

“Aren’t ya worried about Applejack at all?” asked Apple Bloom again. “Ah mean, Applejack caused a lot of damage to the school. Aren’t ya goin’ to try to talk to her before ya leave?”

“I would, but it’s going to have to wait until she gets home today,” replied Pear Butter as she put her phone away. “As much as I want to know the truth of what happened, I need to get home straight away.”

Pear was about to give her daughter one last hug before leaving, but stopped as she noticed Apple Bloom fidgeting.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Pear asked.

Apple Bloom gulped. “Um, Ma, there’s something Ah need to tell ya. Ah know what Ah’m about to tell ya is a bit hard to believe, ya need to hear me out.

“I understand,” replied Pear Butter. “What is it that you need to tell me.”

Apple Bloom gulped. “Ah…. Ah think Applejack is hiding something from us.”

Pear Butter blinked, unsure of how to respond to her. “I-I see. What makes you think she’s hiding something from us, dear?”

“Well….” Apple Bloom scratched her cheek as she tried to think. “Ah think it all started when a girl, named Twilight Sparkle, came to our school.”

“Was she a new student?” asked Pear Butter.

“Not really,” replied Apple Bloom. “She came outta nowhere, then jus’ left. All she did was stay fer a couple of days and participate in the fall formal. Durin’ her time here, she won the fall formal crown and became friends with Applejack, her friends, and the formal school bully, Sunset Shimmer.”

Pear raised an eyebrow. Applejack never told me about this Twilight girl.

“After that, we didn’t her again fer a while,” explained Apple Bloom. “Then the school hosted the Battle of the Bands. Twilight showed up again, but so did these weird new girls. Called themselves, ‘The Dazzlings.’”

“Did they know who this Twilight girl was?” asked Pear Butter.

“No, they didn’t,” replied Apple Bloom. “They competed against each other. Applejack, Twilight, and the rest of their friends tried to stop them from winning the competition. They did, and Twilight disappeared again.”

So, this Twilight girl came out of nowhere, helped by daughter twice, and then left? Pear scratched her cheek. Why haven’t I heard about this?

“Then our school hosted the Friendship Games against Crystal Prep Academy,” continued Apple Bloom. “Applejack, her friends, and some of our classmates competed against some of their best students. Twilight showed up again, but this time she wore a Crystal Prep Academy uniform.”

“She was a student there the entire time?” asked Pear Butter.

“That’s what me and the girls thought, but it wasn’t the case,” said Apple Bloom.

“Can you explain?”

“Ya see, when we saw her wandering around the school, she looked completely different,” explained Apple Bloom. “She wore glasses, wasn’t really friendly, she didn’t recognize anyone at the school, not even Applejack or her friends, and her dog couldn’t talk!”

“What?” Pear Butter gawked at her daughter. “A talking dog? Honey, are you joking with me right now?”

“Ah’m serious!” pouted Apple Bloom. “The dog Twilight owned, or at least the one that showed up at the Fall Formal and Battle of the Bands, could talk! Ask any student around here and they’ll say the same thing! Ah’ ain’t lyin’, Ma!”

“Alright, sweetie, I believe you,” said Pear Butter, trying to calm her daughter down. Though a talking dog is difficult to believe. “What else was different about this Twilight from Crystal Prep and the one your sister knew?”

“Well, she was a lot quieter than the other Twilight and she wasn’t very friendly,” explained Apple Bloom. “She wasn’t exactly good at competin’ against Applejack n’ her friends in the friendship games. Now that Ah think about it, Ah don’t even think she wanted to compete. Rumors say that she was forced by her old principal.”
“Crystal Prep’s principal, I heard about her,” replied Pear Butter. “Word is that she got fired from her job after taking advantage of her students. I’m guessing this Twilight girl was one of them.”

“Then at the end of the games, something weird happened,” said Apple Bloom.

“Weird?”

“Yeah, something happened to Twilight at the end of the games,” explained Apple Bloom. “Ah think the Crystal Prep Principal and Twilight’s old classmates pressured her into doing something bad. A lot of stuff happened and everything jus’ went crazy!”

Apple Bloom scratched her head, trying her best to remember the events that happened. “In fact, Ah think it was Twilight who broke the school’s monument in the first place!”

“What? She’s the one who broke it?!” shouted Pear Butter. “But how could a teenage girl destroy a monument so easily?”

“Ah don’t know, Ma, but she did it!” replied Apple Bloom. “Things got pretty crazy after that. Twilight did some weird things to the school. Me n’ the girls tried to get away, but Twilight cornered us.”

“What?!” asked Pear Butter who propelled herself forward to Apple Bloom. “What happened? She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

“Whoa, Ma, she didn’t hurt me at all!” said Apple Bloom, trying to get some distance between herself and her mother. “She did something different. Ah don’t know how she did it, but she opened some sort of wormhole or something.”

“Wormhole?” Pear asked.

Apple Bloom nodded. “Yeah! It’s like one of those things you hear about in those sci-fi movies! It stopped us and a whole lotta students from runnin’ away. Me n’ the girls were scared at first, but Scootaloo got curious and peeked inside. Me and Sweetie Belle did the same.”

Pear raised an eyebrow. This story is getting weirder by the moment. “What did you see, sweetheart?”

A wide smile crept on Apple Bloom’s face. “What we saw was amazin’, Ma. Me n’ the girls, we saw a completely different world.”

“What do you mean?” asked Pear Butter.

“Yeah! Ah remember seein’ a big-lookin’ country town,” explained Apple Bloom. “There were roads and houses. Ah even remember seein’ the locals too! But the locals weren’t people, Ma. They were all ponies!”

“What? Ponies?!” Pear Butter stood still with her mouth agape. For a brief second, she thought back to the pony body she had when she fell into the school monument.

“Yep! They were all so cute!” Apple Bloom’s smile grew wider. “But Ah didn’t see jus’ normal ponies, Ma! Ah saw ponies that had wings and ponies that had horns! It was amazin’!”

“Wings? Horns?” Pear Butter scratched her cheek. From what Apple Bloom’s telling me, she saw unicorns and pegasus ponies. But those are just myths, they can’t be true. Even in my pony body, I was just a normal pony.

“After a few minutes, things calmed down a bit,” continued Apple Bloom. “Twilight stopped bein’ crazy and the wormholes disappeared. That was the last time me n’ my friends saw the pony world.”

Pear stood still with her eyes darted at her daughter. She didn’t know what to say. Apple Bloom’s story was so far-fetched. No one in their absolute mind would believe something like that. Yet despite this, Pear believed in her.

“How does Applejack fit into all of this?” asked Pear Butter.

“Well, after glasses Twilight went all crazy, she transferred to our school and befriended Applejack,” said Apple Bloom. She scratched her head. “Now that Ah think about it, Applejack n’ her friends had been wrapped up in this entire mess from the start. They were there at the fall formal, the Battle of the Bands, and the Friendship games.”

Pear rubbed her chin. So, Applejack’s been involved with all the incidents that took place here. All of which included a girl by the name of Twilight.

She sighed and smiled at Apple Bloom. “Thank you for telling me this, Apple Bloom. I’ve had my suspicions about these so-called incidents and you’ve helped me.”

“Yer welcome, Ma,” said Apple Bloom with a smile on her face. “So, are ya goin’ to speak to Applejack about all this?”

“I will, after she comes home from school,” said Pear Butter. “You best be running along now. School’s about to start in a couple of minutes.”

“Alright.” The two of them embrace one last time before Apple Bloom walked away. Pear Butter waved at her daughter until she disappeared in the corner. Now alone, Pear turned around and began walking toward the school exit.

Well, that was interesting. Who knew my daughter would be caught up on some big school conspiracy. Pear Butter sighed as she walked past several faculty members and students. A world full of ponies, huh? Sounds absurd, but it’s possible. I mean I did turn into a cute pastel pony just an hour ago.

Pear Butter scratched her cheek as she reached the school’s exit. I wonder, does anyone other than Applejack and her friends know about the pony world? Apple Bloom did say she wasn’t the only one who saw that wormhole. Perhaps the students and faculty know?

Pear gasped. If that is true, then Principal Celestia knew what happened! Why that sneaky…. I knew she was hiding something from me! I should march back in there and demand an—

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a familiar ringing sound coming from her purse. It was her phone; someone was calling her. Pear opened her bag, took the device out, and looked at the screen.

It’s Bright Mac. I wonder why he’s calling me? She pressed the green button and moved the phone next to her ear. “Hello? Bright Mac?”

“Hey, Buttercup!” shouted Bright Mac over the phone line. “Jus’ called to check how you n’ the girls were doing. So, how was the meetin’ with the principal?”

“Oh, it wasn’t too bad. Apple Bloom got punished, but Spoiled Rich’s daughter got the worst of it,” replied Pear Butter with a smirk on her face. “Though we might be paying a bit more than we thought.”

“What do ya mean?” asked Bright Mac.

“I’ll explain it when I get home,” said Pear Butter. “How’s the farm? Did the delivery truck come yet?”

“Yeah, it did!” replied Bright Mac. “Came pretty early too. All the apples were taken and we got a big paycheck! And oh boy did we make a killin’! Might as well be swimmin’ in money with all that we earned today.”

Pear Butter chuckled as she stepped outside the school. “Right.” Though some of that money will be going to pay the school. Hope he won’t too upset when I tell him. “Well, I’ll be coming home pretty soon. Just make sure that—”

She paused as she saw Canterlot High’s ruined monument from a distance. Memories began to flow from her mind. From her youthful days with Bright Mac, to the time she slipped and fell into the pony world. She walked forward and dropped the phone from her ear, ignoring the voice of her husband from the other line.

“Buttercup? Buttercup are you still there?” asked Bright Mac over the phone. “Is everything, alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine, dear,” answered Pear Butter. Using her other hand, she touched the base of the monument, causing a familiar ripple to appear in front of her.

She thought back to the story Apple Bloom told her. On the other side of this monument laid a world full of mythical ponies. Unicorns, Pegasus and even normal looking ponies populated that world, and this monument was the key to getting there.

“Honey, I’m going to be a little late coming home,” said Pear Butter. “There’s something that I have to attend to.”

“Okay,” replied Bright Mac. “Is it something important?”

“Yes, it is,” said Pear Butter. “Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Just start picking the apples on the field, I’ll be back before you know it.”

“If ya say so.”

The two of them said their goodbyes before Pear Butter hung up the call After placing her phone into her bag, she looked at the monument again.

If I’m right, this thing is now a portal to the pony world. All I have to do is step inside, play it smart, and get some answers. Maybe even figure out who this Twilight person is. She looked around to see if anyone was close by. Good, no one’s here. Alright, Pear Butter, it’s time to go!

Pear Butter took a step back and held onto her purse tightly. She breathed through her nose and exhaled, bracing herself for what’s to come next. At that moment, she stepped forward and leapt forward.
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deep inside Twilight’s castle, the crystal mirror began to shake. Bright lights illuminated around it. The machines that powered it began to rumble. The mirror rippled, and a pony soon stepped out.

Pear Butter stumbled as she struggled to balance herself. She wobbled. The trip through the portal had exhausted her. Although she was somewhat accustomed to the craziness, she still felt dizzy.

“Whoa nelly!” cried Pear Butter, frantically waving her arms. She lost balance and fell to the ground, nearly landing on her face. Fortunately for her, her bag softened the blow.

“Ow, not again!” She sat up and rubbed her nose. “Just great! Another dynamic entry that ended with me getting hurt. Oh, why can’t I catch a break—huh?”

Pear looked at her right arm. She no longer had a hand anymore; it had been replaced by a hoof. She glanced over to her other arm and saw the same thing.

“I-I have hooves. Does this mean I’m a pony again?” Pear used her hooves to examine her body. She felt the warm fuzziness of her coat as she moved her hooves up and down. She turned and saw a familiar mirror, and her reflection.

“I really am I pony again! Have I made it back to the pony world?” Pear turned around again, observing the area around her. She was surrounded by nothing but books. Each one was placed on crystallized bookshelves that decorated the room with its bright colors and fine texture.

I recognize this place. It’s the same library from before. The books, those weird machines, and even this crystal mirror. A wide smile crept on Pear’s face. “Yeehaw! I did it! I made it to the pony world!”

Pear threw her hooves into the air, celebrating her successful arrival. After a few minutes of squealing, she forced herself to calm down.

I think that’s enough excitement for now. Turning into a pony is a wonderful experience, but I need to find a way out of here. Can’t stay in one place for too long.

Pear reached for her bag with her mouth, clenching it tightly with her jaw. She was about to pick it up, but she spotted her reflection on the mirror again.

Hmm, I feel like I should examine this body a bit more before I leave. I wasn’t able to do so last time because I was in a rush. Maybe a proper inspection wouldn’t hurt.

Pear stood up on her two legs and tried to walk toward the mirror, but immediately fell to the floor again as soon as she tried.

Oh, right. I can’t stand on two legs. Gotta stand and walk like a pony now. 

Pear Butter brushed herself and stood on her four hooves. She trotted forward, taking each step as slowly as she could. As she reached the mirror, she gazed at her reflection, examining every part of her pony body.

It was small, too small to be considered an adult horse by her standards. Pear felt a bit plump too, causing her to believe that she had gained weight. However, she didn't need to worry much as her yellow coat hid away most of the fat.

“I-I look kinda cute,” Pear commented. “It’s almost as if I entered into some sort of young girl’s fantasy world. Hmm, I wonder how Apple Bloom would react if she saw me? She spends a lot time with the horses back at the farm. Would she like my new appearance?”

A smile crept on her face. She had to admit, her pony body was cute. She had always liked horses since she was a little girl. And now that she was one herself, she felt very happy.

This is amazing! Who would’ve thought having a pony body could feel so great! My coat, my mane. They look so wonderful!

Pear twisted her body to the left, examining her right side. As she did, she spotted a strange image sitting on her left flank.

What’s this? 

It was a picture of some sort and was located on her flank. Pear thought it was an ornament at first, but upon further inspection, it was a picture of a preserved jar.

Is that, a tattoo of some sort? She turned to her left side and spotted the same image. I even have the same marking on my side. Why is that? Is it something that ponies get in this world?

Pear shrugged. Oh well, I really shouldn’t be thinking too hard on this. This is a fantasy world full of ponies, after all. Weird things are bound to pop up here.

Taking her bag and wrapping it around her neck, Pear stood up and began to look around the room. She hoped that there would be an exit nearby, at least a door that can get her out of this room. Her eyes wandered back and forth until she saw a what she was looking for at the far end.

Yes, a way out. Finally, I can leave and start exploring this place! Pear stood on her four hooves and trotted toward the door. She stumbled at first, but Pear managed to control herself shortly after her fall.

Walking on four legs is getting a bit easier now. Not bad for a human who just turned into a pony. She was about to open the door, but stopped. Something odd caught her eye. Wait, these doors have knobs. Does that mean ponies here use door knobs? Why? You can’t turn a door knob with hooves.

Pear scratched her head, trying to comprehend on what to do next. Maybe they use their mouths? I did pick up my phone with my mouth earlier, so maybe I should do the same? Tilting her head, Pear opened her mouth and bit on the door knob. She twisted her head to the right until she heard a click sound. Once she heard it, she pushed the door open.

There, that wasn’t so difficult. Though wouldn’t using my mouth to open doors make me stand out? I mean, it’s not like ponies have any alternatives to open doors, right? Pear shrugged. Oh well, I guess I can figure it out later.

Pear stepped out of the library room and checked her surroundings. She was in a hallway of some sort. Bright crystal walls decorated the interior. Their colors perfectly matched the library room from earlier.

Wow, this place looks like a five-star hotel building.Whoever designed this place must really like crystals. Pear closed the library door and began to wander the hallway. She observed the area and noticed that doors had surrounded her on each side. Oh my gosh, so many doors. Do any of them lead anywhere?

Pear approached one of the doors, grasping the knob with her mouth. She tried to push the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. Guess I gotta pull. She trotted backwards and opened the door, but as soon as she did, several cleaning utensils fell to the ground.

Nothing but brooms and mops here. I should move on, though I really shouldn’t leave a mess here. She shrugged. Oh well, I guess someone will clean it up eventually. Pear Butter continued forward along the crystal hallway, opening doors one by one. Unfortunately for her, none of the doors led anywhere. Some led to unused rooms while others were just closet doors.

“Do these doors go anywhere?” whined Pear Butter, showing a bit of frustration. “There has to be more than just empty guest rooms and broom closets!” She opened several more doors, but did not get any results.

Pear grit her teeth as frustration slowly crept up on her. “What’s with this place? Why are there only closets and empty rooms here?! Where is the god dam—.”

She flinched. “No, calm down, Pear Butter. No need to get mad over this.”

She took a deep breath before trotting toward the next door. I’m sure the exit is somewhere here. I just need to—. As soon as she opened it, another stack of mops and cleaning detergents fell to the floor. Pear stepped back as the detergent oozed all over the crystal floor.

Pear Butter growled. Unable to hold her frustration, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Oh, for pete’s sake! Where am I?!”

“Who’s there?”

Pear’s eyes widened. She covered her mouth with her hoof and looked around the area. Someone heard her scream, but who? She bit her lip as she thought about the possibilities.

Is she in danger? Is that person friendly? What’s going to happen to her?

“Hey!” Pear Butter was snapped out of her thoughts. She turned her head to the side and gasped. Standing in front of her was another pony. She had a light purple coat. Her mane was also purple, but darker and had a teal stripe on the center. What stood out the most though, was a horn sticking out of her forehead.

Pear gasped. Oh my gosh. It’s an actual unicorn!

“Just what do you think you’re doing here?” asked the unicorn in a demanding tone. “Citizens are allowed inside the castle. Unless you got permission from the princess, you’re considered a trespasser.”

Pear ignored the unicorn and continued to examine it. Hmm, judging from the tone of her voice, she’s an adult female horse. But she has the same build as me and she’s nowhere near the size of adult horses back at the farm. Could it be that in this world, adult ponies can grow only at a certain size?

She gazed at the unicorn’s coat again and spotted something peculiar. She has one of those tattoo things on her flank too! Does this mean tattoos are common for ponies here?

She squinted at the tattoo on the pony’s flank. I can’t make it what it is. That tattoo’s image, what does it mean?

“Hey!” Pear snapped out of her thoughts as the unicorn yelled at her. “Are you going to stare at me all day, or are you going to answer my questions? Do you have permission to be here or not?”

“Oh, sorry about that,” replied Pear Butter as she recovered from her fall. “I was…. lost in thought is all.”

The unicorn raised an eyebrow. “Right, okay then. So, what are you doing here? Only ponies with direct permission from the Princess is allowed in her castle.”

Pear blinked. I was in a castle the whole time? An actual castle?! Oh my gosh! This means I am in some sort of magical pony kingdom! I’m experiencing every young girl’s dream! She covered her mouth with her hoof to hide her sheepish smile. Okay, Pear Butter, play it smart. Just come up with an excuse and you can walk free. Maybe even get this unicorn to escort me to the exit.

“Sorry about that, I got curious about this place and decided to barge in,” lied Pear Butter, giving away a false smile. “I was wandering down the hallways and got lost somehow.” That seemed like a pretty good lie.

The unicorn glared at the farm pony, rubbing her chin with the tip of her hoof. She was unsure how to respond to Pear Butter. Her excuse seemed rather reasonable, but she still had some doubts.

Pear, however, knew that the unicorn was suspicious of her. She could feel it. Although she’s terrible at lying, Pear hoped that her excuse would work.

“Fine, I believe you,” the unicorn finally said, giving Pear Butter much relief. “You’ll be getting a warning for now, but next time there will be bigger consequences.”

The unicorn then gestured her hoof toward Pear Butter. “Come on, I’ll escort you out. You’ll be getting a warning, but the next time this happens, I’ll kick you out. Princess Twilight already has enough problems as it is.”

“Wait, Princess Twilight?” Pear Butter froze. Didn’t Apple Bloom say that a girl named Twilight came to her school before the Fall Formal?

“Hey, what’s wrong?” The unicorn asked, but Pear remained quiet.

This “Twilight” pony, is she the same girl that showed up all those months ago? Pear scratched her muzzle. Could it be that the Twilight that showed up during the Fall Formal and Battle of the Bands came from the pony word? If that’s true, I must speak to this pony right away!

“Hello? Is anypony there?” Pear Butter looked up. The unicorn stood rather close to her now, waving her hoof.

“Ah!” cried Pear Butter, stumbling back.

“Sorry about that. You kinda banked out again,” said the unicorn. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yes, I’m fine,” replied Pear Butter as she stood back up. “Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?” The unicorn nodded. “I know that this is sudden, but is it possible that I can meet with Princess Twilight? There’s some questions that I want to ask.”

“Oh no, you aren’t!” rebuked Starlight. “You already broke into her home and already made a mess of things. Don’t think I didn’t see your accidents from earlier.”

Pear sighed. Oh well, so much for that.

“Come on, let’s go!” The unicorn ran behind Pear Butter and began pushing the farm mare with her hoof.

Hey, what are you doing?! There’s no need to do that!” complained Pear Butter. The unicorn, however, ignored her and kept on pushing.

Pear sighed. This unicorn pony sure is persistent. She really wants me to leave—hey stop that! Pony flanks are very delicate. You can’t just touch me like that! She scowled. I hope other ponies aren’t like her, let alone unicorns. Because right now, I’m starting to dislike them.

The two ponies continued trotting alongside each other in the crystal hallways. Pear grumbled to herself. They had passed through nothing but crystals and doors. It seemed endless. Even if they walk through a door, it just led to another hallway.

When will this torment end? Pear cried to herself. Her getting nowhere and the constant pushing from the unicorn hit Pear at her boiling point. She was about to retaliate, but she stopped as soon as she saw two large looking doors at the far end.

Is that, the exit? Pear smiled and immediately bolted toward the two large doors. However, she was stopped in her tracks as the unicorn placed her hoof down on her tail.

“Hold it right there!” said the unicorn as Pear Butter fell to the ground. “Don’t think you can just dash right out of here right away. There’s something I need to do before I let you off the hook.”

“What?!” cried Pear Butter. “What now?!”

“Well, I need to get your name and put it on this list here,” explained the unicorn. “Princess Twilight wants to keep track of the ponies that visit her castle. She’s a very organized pony and she does this to keep her schedule in check.”

“Oh, that’s it? You only need my name?” Pear asked. The unicorn nodded. “It’s Pear Butter. My name is Pear Butter.”

The unicorn nodded again. Pear watched as the unicorn’s horn glowed light blue. A shimmering sound was heard. In a flash, a piece of paper and a quill appeared out of nowhere. Both items were floating and were completely covered in the same blue color.

Is that magic? A wide smile began to appear on Pear Butter’s face. I-I think it is! Oh my gosh, there’s actual magic in this world! 

“Is something wrong?” asked the unicorn.

“Oh no, nothing’s wrong,” replied Pear Butter, fumbling out of her thoughts. “By the way, I didn’t catch your name. You were so busy pushing my flank you forgot to introduce yourself.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “The name is Starlight Glimmer, and you, Pear Butter, are free to leave.”

“Really?!” asked Pear Butter in excitement.

“Yup,” Starlight replied. “Just, please don’t barge into the Princess’ castle unnoticed. I’m going to give you a warning this time, but if you do this again, I’m going to have to arrest you.”

Pear nodded. “Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for showing me the way out.”

Using her magic, Starlight opened the double doors, causing sunlight to pour into the castle. The bright light caused Pear Butter to cover her eyes.  Nevertheless, Pear trotted outside and took a good look at her surroundings. What she saw made her jaw drop.

In front of her was a beautiful grassland that stretched far and wide with tall trees and steep hilltops blending perfectly in the background.  There were roads and houses sure, but the structures did not get in the way of the view. In fact, the town itself fit the background rather nicely.

It’s like I’m in some sort of pony country town. Pear Butter trotted forward, admiring the view. Oh, I bet Bright Mac would love this place. He never liked the hustle and bustle of Canterlot City. The kids would probably like it here too. Oh, I can just imagine coming here on vacation with the family.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Pear’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard Starlight speak to her. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine. I’m just admiring the view is all.” rebuked Pear Butter. Dang it! You just had to ruin the moment! Stupid unicorn.

“Sorry about that,” replied Starlight. “It’s just that, you’ve been standing there for a few minutes doing nothing. It’s almost as if you’ve never seen Ponyville before.”

“Y-yeah,” replied Pear Butter. Ponyville? Is that the name of the town this castle is located? An odd name, but fitting for a world full of pastel talking ponies.

“Well, enjoy your stay,” said Starlight. She waved her hoof before lighting her horn again, slamming the doors shut immediately with her magic.

Pear humped. How rude. Grasping her bag once again, Pear gazed at the town of Ponyville. She smiled, and trotted down the dirt road.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This place is amazing!” squealed Pear Butter. Her pitch was so high that the ponies began to gawk at her. Nevertheless, Pear ignored them and continued down Ponyville’s road.

Pear was amazed at what she saw. Sure, it was rather large for a country town, but the scenery was outright beautiful. Rolling green hilltops stretched for miles. Houses made of wood and hay blocked some of the view, but they fit the country theme rather well.

Pear smiled. Forget little girls; this place is every country boy and girl’s dream! This town is wonderful! It reminds me of my childhood before Canterlot City grew and expanded to the way it is now. People nowadays forget that our city used to be a quiet country town. 

The pony populace was also a sight to see. She was marveled by the different ponies she saw. Unicorns, Pegasi, and even the “normal” ponies all trotting and socializing with one another. Some even had little colts and fillies who followed them around.

These ponies have their own families! Oh my gosh, that’s adorable! Pear giggled. I wonder what it would be like if I raised my children in this world? I can imagine my little Apple Bloom following me around like those fillies over there. That would be so cute!

Despite her excitement, Pear took notice of a few bizzare details. The first was that the ponies had a variety of coats and manes. Each of them had different colors that filled the entire color spectrum. Though some colored coats were fairly standard, such as red, blue, and yellow, there were still a few whose coat’s stood out among the crowd. Some even ranged from having mint-green to brightly colored pink!

Seeing these ponies with these bright pastel colors feels strange. Pear raised her eyebrow as a pony with a light purple mane trotted past her. Definitely something I need to get used to.

The second thing that stood out were these strange tattoo markings on their flanks. They all had them, excluding some of the younger colts and fillies. Some were related to produce and various flowers. Some pegasus ponies had marks that had something to do with clouds. Pear could even spot ponies with tattoos related to musical instruments.

There were a few that had some rather odd-looking ones. Pear noticed grey pegasus mare who stood out. Her tattoo appeared to be a group of floating bubbles. Her eyes even stood out as well, as they appeared to be distorted.

Pear scratched her head. That pony sure does looks familiar. I don’t know why, but I’m gettin’ the strangest feelin’ that I’ve met that pony before.

“Oh, my Celestia! Look at that mare!” Pear’s ears perked up. “She’s really pretty, don’t you think? She could give Rarity and Mrs. Love Tap a run for their bits!”

Pear looked around and noticed a group of ponies, particularly mares, had gathered around her. Some appeared to be at awe, while others seemed envious.

Uh oh, looks like I’m garnerin’ the attention of some mares. I need to go, now! Pear trotted faster pace, hoping that she could avoid crowd of jealous mares. Her attempts were fruitless, as more mares gathered around her.

Having no other choice, Pear dashed forward, away from the crowds, pushing and shoving any pony that got in her way. Some mares followed her, but they were too slow and could not keep up. Eventually, they gave up and went on their merry way.

Seeing that the crowd had dispersed, Pear slowed down a bit. That was way too close! I hope those ponies I pushed won’t be too mad at me. I already got into enough trouble today with that bossy unicorn. Don’t need any more of it.

Pear moved forward, continued to admire the buildings and rolling hilltops she passed by. She soon spotted another pony family. An earth pony mare and a unicorn stallion were chatting with each other. With them was a unicorn filly, who was busy chasing butterflies. Pear watched as the filly snuggled with her mother, who in return, muzzled her back.

Aw, how adorable! Pear smiled as the pony family trotted away. I wonder, how would my family look as ponies? Would we be the same as them? 

She scratched her head. Well, I doubt Bright Mac would be a unicorn or a pegasus. He’d be a normal pony just like me: tall, strong, and handsome, too. The kids would be normal too. Big Mac would look more like his father, while Applejack and Apple Bloom be more like me. It also makes me wonder how Granny Smith would look as a pony?

Pear chuckled at the mere thought. That big old mother-in-law of mine. I swear, she acts like she’s a lot younger than she is now. With her moving around all the time, she can drive Bright Mac crazy!  

She sighed. I can think about all this later. I still have a town to explore!

Pear continued to travel Ponyville’s dirt road. Along the way, she noticed many ponies gathering in a certain area. At first, she thought the ponies were eyeballing her again, but this wasn’t the case. She trotted closer to the crowd, trying her best to see what’s going on.

As soon she did, Pear saw multiple stalls lined up together in a single line. Ponies stood behind them, selling goods to any who visited them.

This must be the town’s marketplace. She trotted closer to the stalls, examining what items the ponies are selling. I’m seeing mostly produce here. I’m guessing this is where the ponies do their grocery shopping.

“Why, hello there!” Pear Butter froze. Someone was calling out to her, but who? “Excuse me, ma’am, I’m over here!”

Pear turned to her side and saw a trio of mares standing behind the stall. One of them was waving to her. She had greyish green eyes that went perfectly with her pale-yellow coat. Her mane had a moderate raspberry color and she had a picture of a rose as her tattoo.

“Good Morning, ma’am,” said the flower pony. “I noticed you’ve been browsing along the shops here. Are you interested in buying anything?”

“N-no, I’m just looking around,” replied Pear Butter.

“Well, if you’re interested, I have a great selection of freshly picked flowers here.” The rose pony pointed to the flowers that were placed on her stall. “Whether you want to give them to the stallion you love or treat yourself to a morning snack, these flowers are the best in town! You’ll get no better quality anywhere else!”

Pear tilted her head. Ponies eat flowers as snacks. That’s… no, that should be expected. Ponies are herbivores, so this shouldn’t be surprising.

“Sorry, I’m not hungry at the moment,” said Pear Butter, shaking her head. “Thank you for the offer though.”

“Don’t mention it,” replied the rose pony. “Remember, if you need flowers to give to your special somepony, or if you need a healthy snack, come visit our flower stall!”

“I will, thank you!” said Pear Butter. Somepony? They use horse puns in their language?

After waving goodbye to the flower pony, Pear Butter continued her trek down Ponyville Marketplace. Out of curiosity, she examined each stall. Although she gathered the attention of some sales ponies, Pear declined all offers given to her.

It’s not like I can buy anything here. I don’t have money, at least not what these ponies use. If I try to purchase anything, I’m bound to garner some attention. Can’t let that happen. Pear did her best to avoid any shopkeeper from noticing her. Some called out on her, but she just smiled and politely declined.

I need to get out of here, fast. She dashed through the crowd, trotting as fast as she could to avoid attention. However, she ended up getting lost in her scurrying. This place is so big! Where exactly am I, right now?

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Pear jumped. Somehow, a pony had crept up behind her while she wasn’t looking.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but can I have your attention please?” the pony said again. Judging by his rough voice, it appeared to be male.

Pear sighed. Oh great, another shopkeeper. Darn it, I’ve just had enough with these ponies! Guess I should address him first before moving on.

She turned and gave a warm, fake smile. “Why good morning sir! I’m terribly sorry about that, I was lost in thought. May I help you with something—”

Pear froze as she took a good look the pony behind her. As she correctly guessed, the pony was a stallion, but something felt off. He was a bit bigger than her, taller too. His coat had a light brown color and his mane was completely grey. Pear saw that he even had a mustache as well. And the pony tattoo on his flank was a picture of a burnt oak branch.

Pear couldn’t put her hoof on it, but she had the feeling she knew this pony.

“Is something wrong, ma’am?” asked the stallion.

Pear flinched. “Oh, no, sorry about that. Like I said, I was just lost in thought. Didn’t mean to stay quiet like that.”

“If you say so,” the stallion replied, turning away in response.

Pear tilted her head. “Um, may I help—”

“Oh, there you are, Burnt Oak!”

Pear’s ears perked up when she heard another pony’s voice close by. Judging by her voice, it appeared feminine. Was it someone this stallion knew?

“I was looking for you in the marketplace and I couldn’t find you.” The feminine voice drew closer to the two ponies. “I guessed you moved your cart away from there, due to the large crowd. I can’t blame you. It’s busy over there for some reason.”

The stallion turned to face the mare. “Why, good morning, Mrs. Cake. Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to leave my usual spot. I just got distracted.”

Pear blinked. Wait, what? Mrs. Cake?

“Distracted?” asked the mare. “By what?”

“This pony right here.” The stallion stepped away from Pear Butter, causing the two mares to get a good look at each other. Pear examined the mare thoroughly. She had a light blue coat with dark pink eyes that matched perfectly with it. She had a light crimson mane that curled awkwardly above her head, and her pony tattoo was a picture of three cupcakes.

Pear’s jaw dropped, completely dumbfounded by the mare’s appearance. The other mare wasn’t faring any better either. She too was in complete shock. Her jaw stood agape and struggled to balance herself.

Pear gulped. Her throat felt rather dry. This mare looked exactly like her longtime friend. She may be a pony sure, but her features were mostly the same. They had the same look, same hairstyle, and even the same voice.

Pear had to know. She trotted toward the confused mare and asked her a question.

“Chiffon? Chiffon is that you?”

The mare gasped and reeled back, stumbling on all four hooves as Pear began to approach her. She immediately lost her balance and fell hard on the ground. Her action caught Pear by surprise, who at first wanted to help her up. However, the expression on the mare’s face caused Pear to stop.

The mare was terrified of her. Pear could see this due her facial expression. It looked like she seen a ghost. But why was this mare scared of her? Was it something she did? All she did was ask for her name.

Pear tried to call the mare out one more time, but her efforts were futile. As soon as she did, the mare panicked. Her reaction was worse than before, as she soon got off the ground and ran away.

“Wait, come back!” cried Pear Butter. Her cries did not help as pony Chiffon blended back into the crowd. She was about follow, but the stallion from before stood her in way.

“Yer not goin’ anywhere,” said the stallion in a much colder tone.

“What are you talking about?” asked Pear Butter. “I just want to speak to that pony!”

“No, yer not!” The stallion began to glare at Pear Butter. “Ah don’t know what yer plannin’, changeling, but you should drop that disguise, right now.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Pear Butter. “What’s a changeling?”

The stallion shook his head. “Look, I know that you and yer species already came clean with Equestria, but what yer doin’ right now is bad. You need to drop that disguise right now before you get yerself in trouble.”

“Please sir, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” cried Pear Butter.

“I don’t want to hear it,” said the stallion, ignoring Pear’s cries. “Please, drop the disguise and move on. Do it before somepony gets hurt. I don’t want ya wandering around Ponyville wearing that form.”

Pear watched as the stallion trotted away. She tried to call on him, but he ignored her and blended back into the crowd. She sat flat on the ground, confused. Questions began to pop in her head.

Why did that mare run away? Why was she scared of her? Why was that stallion so angry with her? What is a changeling? And, why did those two ponies look so familiar?

Pear sat on the ground, trying to think about what just happened. Eventually, several ponies had crowded around her. It seemed like most of them were leaving the area. Deciding it was best not to stick around, Pear stood up and left the marketplace behind.
> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pear trotted along the dirt roads of Ponyville alone. It was quiet. She had left the marketplace some time ago. The large crowd of ponies were gone, aside from a few who stayed away from the busy marketplace.

Pear Butter sighed, eyes drifting to a nearby pebble on the ground. She kicked it with the tip of her hoof, following the pebble wherever it went, paying no attention to her surroundings. Her thoughts were clouded. Ever since she left the marketplace, she could not stop thinking about the two ponies she met earlier, particularly the mare with the light blue coat.

Pear rolled the pebble with the tip of her hoof. Was that mare really Chiffon? She shook. Every time she thought back to that encounter made her feel uncomfortable. The possibility of a pony who looked exactly like her longtime friend seemed outrageous.

She also thought about the second pony look alike she encountered, the stallion with the light brown coat. Chiffon called that stallion Burnt Oak. Burnt Oak is Bright Mac’s childhood friend. If Chiffon has a pony counterpart, then does that mean that stallion is one too?

Pear sat on the dirt road, brushing her mane with both hoofs to calm herself down. That stallion seemed upset with me too. What was it that he called me, a changeling? What are those? Are they dangerous? Is that why Chiffon ran away from me?

She stopped brushing herself and took a look at her hooves. I don’t think I should stay here any longer. It’d be best if I leave. I don’t think I’m up for any more surprises today. Besides, I need to get back to Bright Mac. He’ll get worried if he won’t hear from me.

She sighed. I need to leave and return home. That would mean I’d have to return to that crystal castle again and deal with that unicorn again. But what I do when I see her again? Should I tell her the truth?

Pear’s thoughts went back to the unicorn she encountered at the castle; how that bossy mare almost arrested on the spot. It would be awkward if she went back now. There’s no doubt that unicorn would be suspicious and Pear knew that convincing the pony to let her go home would be difficult.

“Guess I have no other choice,” Pear said to herself. “Better get back to the castle and explain everything. Who knows, maybe I’ll run into that Princess Twilight pony on the way home.”

She looked up and saw the crystal castle from before far away from where she stood. The magnificent structure stood out from the rest of the town. Although beautiful to look at, Pear believed it felt strangely out of place. It wasn’t something that would fit in a country town.

She shook her head. Stop it, Pear Butter. There’s no point in criticizing this town’s infrastructure. You know what to do. Just focus on getting home.

She turned and trotted back toward Ponyville’s Marketplace, hoping to find her way back by retracing her steps. She soon saw the large crowd from afar. Ponies still buying various goods offered by each stall. Pear was about to enter and crowd and blend it, but stopped.

I don’t think I should go through here. What if I run into pony Chiffon again, or pony Burnt Oak? If they see me again, it will most likely cause a scene. Be best if I find another route.

Pear turned and left the busy marketplace behind. She wandered around town, following wherever the dirt road took her. She trotted past several ponies, all whom have waved and greeted her with a smile.

“Wow, ponies in this town sure are friendly,” said Pear Butter as she greeted another pony who trotted past her.

After trotting along the dirt roads for several minutes, Pear noticed something was off. She stopped for a second and looked at her surroundings. The rolling green hills she had saw earlier were now clear of any structure. There were a few houses sure, but they did not get in the way of the scenery for the most part. Pear had also noticed the crystal castle was further away. It didn’t take her long to realize she’d been going the wrong direction.

Looks like the path I’m following leads out of town. No big deal, I’ll just head back the way I came. May have to ask some ponies around for directions though.

She turned tail and was about to head back the way she came, but something had caught her eye.

What’s that? Is that another house? Pear examined the building and the area around it. The structure itself was rather small. Its size was comparable to that of the local houses in Ponyville.

A few things did stand out though. The first was a large the bell that sat on top of the building. Next was a flag pole that sat near the entrance of the building, along with a neatly trimmed bush that looked like a pony. Lastly, there was a playground just to the side of the building.

Wait a minute, is this a school? Pear Butter took another good look at the structure. It is! Looks like I managed to find the town’s local schoolhouse.

She tilted her head. But what’s with that design though? It’s simple yes, and it fits the country theme well, but I wonder, what’s with the odd choice of color? Bright red and pink strange for a central them, but to be fair it does stand out.

Pear’s ears perked up as she heard several voices not too far away. She turned her head to find a group of mares socializing with one another just outside the school grounds.

I’m guessing these mares must be waiting for their children. If they’re true, then that means school will be over soon.

Pear’s thoughts were soon interrupted when the school’s bell started to toll. The mares that gathered reacted immediately to the sound and had moved closer to the entrance.

Just then, the front doors to the building flung open. Foals soon poured out from the inside. One by one, they merrily dashed into the dirt roads. Some deviated and went their own separate ways, while others ran toward their mothers who had been waiting outside.

“Aw, now that’s adorable,” Pear said, smiling at the scenery. “Reminds me of own children when they were in elementary school.”

She sighed. This certainly brings back memories, but I can’t linger here all day. I need to find a way back to the castle.Be best if I head back the way I came now and—

“I can’t believe that didn’t work!”

Pear stopped moving and flinched. Her ears ruptured in pain as a loud voice suddenly echoed across the school grounds. Puzzled, she looked figure out what caused that noise. Other mares had done so as well, faring no better than Pear Butter. It wasn’t long until Pear and the other mares spotted an orange pegasus filly standing at the school entrance.

“We spent all that time working on that school project, only for it to blow up on our faces!” shouted the filly. “Now I got muck all over my mane! It’s going to take me hours to clean it up.”

“Don’t be whining, Scootaloo. We got it cleaned up, didn’t we?” said another voice. A filly about the same size of the pegasus one stepped out of the school. It was a unicorn with a greyish white mane. “That fire extinguisher really came in handy. It’s a good thing Ms. Cheerilee had one.”

“That’s not the point, Sweetie Belle! Our miniature Rainbow Factory shouldn’t have exploded like that!” pouted the pegasus filly. “Weeks of hard work, gone! Now we have detention for two weeks just because our project nearly melted the classroom floor!”

“Well didn’t Princess Twilight say not to go overboard with those chemicals?” rebuked the unicorn filly. “She warned you several times not to do what you did today.”

“How was I supposed to know that our miniature Rainbow Factory would explode like that?” countered the orange filly. “I didn’t think adding more chemicals would’ve hurt!”

Pear watched as the two fillies argued back and forth. She chuckled for a bit as they began to butt heads with each other.

Is it wrong for me to think that I find these two fillies arguing cute? Well if it is, I must apologize to whoever their parents are. This is too adorable. Though now that I think about it, looking at these two fillies remind me of another group of kids I know.

Pear glared at the two fillies, examining their features as best as she could. These two fillies look familiar, but where have I seen them before?

She rubbed her chin. Their manes and coats are unique. They both match well together despite the odd choice of color. It’s almost as if their—

Pear’s thoughts jerked to a complete stop. Wait a minute, a filly with an orange coat with a purple mane and a filly white coat with a light pink mane. They look exactly like—

Her eyes widened in shock as she began to fit the puzzle pieces together in her head. The implication was clear as day. These two fillies didn’t just remind her of her daughter’s friends. They were her friends.

Pear shook in her place as this revelation took hold of her. If these two fillies are Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, then I’ve run into another pair of counterparts. This isn’t good. I need to get out of here now!

She was about to turn tail and leave, but another thought popped up in her head. Wait a minute, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are longtime friends of my daughter. If these ponies are here, wouldn’t that mean that—

“Well maybe you should’ve thought twice before pouring that last batch of chemicals into the factory!” shouted Sweetie Belle, who interrupted Pear’s thoughts. “You agree with me, right, Apple Bloom?

Pear’s eyes widened as she flinched backward. “W-what?”

She watched as another filly stepped out of the school building. It was a regular looking pony this time. She had a pale-yellow coat and a bright red mane that paired well it. On top of the mane was a neatly placed pink bow.

Pear sat on the floor in disbelief, completely shocked at what she saw. Her struggled to maintain herself, yet managed to make a whisper.

“Oh my gosh,” stuttered Pear Butter as she nearly fainted on the spot. “Apple Bloom.”
> Chapter 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pear Butter watched as the little filly Apple Bloom stepped outside the school building. She sat down, hard, in the middle of the path. Ponies nearby caught sight of her. Someone tried to ask Pear what’s wrong, but she ignored them. She was completely fixated on Apple Bloom.

I can’t believe it. A pony version of my little Apple Bloom! She shook her head and began rubbing her forehead in frustration. Aw shucks, this day is getting weirder by the minute.Not only did I see pony versions of Chiffon and Burnt Oak today, but now I’m seeing ,my daughter! 

“Come on, Apple Bloom. Tell Scootaloo here that it’s her fault that our science project messed up so badly,” said Sweetie Belle, rolling her eyes. Her voice jerked Pear Butter out of her thoughts.

“Hey!” shouted Scootaloo.

“Girls, would ya please forget about this thing and move on?” continued Apple Bloom. “Besides, Ms. Cheerilee gave us a good grade on the project.”

Pear gasped. Oh my….she even has the same voice!

“Well it would’ve been higher if Scootaloo didn’t mess up and make our miniature Rainbow Factory explode,” countered Sweetie Belle. “Because of that, I got rainbow ooze all over my mane!”

“I said I was sorry, okay?” whined Scootaloo. “Besides, you’re not the one who got all that ooze stuck in her wings!”

The young filly fluffed her wings open, showing her friends droplets of rainbow ooze stuck between her feathers. The mere sight of this caused several ponies in the area, including Pear Butter, to chuckle at Scootaloo.

“Oh, geez. I shouldn’t have done that,” said a flushed red Scootaloo. “Gonna take me forever to clean all this gunk off! Be lucky you girls don’t have wings, or else you’ll end up like me.” She closed her wings, still blushing furiously.  “Even though Ms. Cheerilee let us use the bathroom to wash up, it won’t come off!”

“Oh, please. Quit complaining, Scootaloo!”

Pear’s ears perked up as she heard another child like voice from inside the building. She tilted her head. Based from what she heard, the voice sounded like another filly, though her tone was a bit louder compared to the rest of them.

It wasn’t long until another child stepped outside the building and approached Scootaloo. It was a filly, just like Pear predicted, but what stood out is that this filly was not a Unicorn or a Pegasus. She was just like her daughter, a normal looking pony. Her coat had a shade of pink and had a violet colored mane with white streaks.

That pony looks familiar too. She reminds me of someone, but who? Pear squinted at the filly, trying get a better look at the child. It didn’t take her long to figure out who it was. Wait a minute, doesn’t that pony look exactly like—.

“Can it, Diamond Tiara!” cried Scootaloo.

Pear’s jaw dropped. Oh no, you gotta be kiddin’ me!

“Girls, we really shouldn’t be arguin’ like this!” said Apple Bloom, trotting between Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo. “We don’t have to think about this mess anymore! We got a decent score.”

“We could’ve gotten a better score on our project if she didn’t mess everything up!” counted Diamond Tiara, pointing her hoof accusingly at Scootaloo. “Ms. Cheerilee gave us credit, but we had to spend our entire recess cleaning that mess and ourselves up!”

Diamond then lifted her mane up and pointed to some leftover rainbow ooze that were still there. “I couldn’t even get everything off. There’s still all this gunk left on my mane! I seriously going to spend hours trying to clean this up!”

“At least you don’t have wings,” replied Scootaloo.

“I don’t care!” cried Diamond. She pushed Apple Bloom aside and gave Scootaloo a stink eye.

Hey! Seeing Diamond Tiara pushing Apple Bloom caused Pear to recover from her stupor. She stood up, ready to give the rich filly a piece of her mind; but she quickly stopped. Wait, what am I doing? Why am I so quick to defend that Apple Bloom. She’s not even my real daughter.

“Girls, stop it! This ain’t helping!” yelled Apple Bloom, stepping in between the two fillies. “Look, Diamond, Ah know yer mad and all, but can we please jus’ move on?!”

Pear blinked. Wow, that’s…. pretty mature for her.  Didn’t think she’d be capable tonin’ down a situation like that. But then again, this isn’t my Apple Bloom. So…. should I be proud of her anyway or not?

“Alright, fine! But since Scootaloo botched our chance at a perfect score, she owes us.” She leered at Scootaloo one more time. “Next time we go to Sugarcube Corner, you’re buying us milkshakes.”

Scootaloo grumbled. “Fine, I’ll do it. Let’s just all go home and wash up. I just want to get this rainbow goop off my wings.”

Pear tilted her head. Well that situation de-escalated quickly!

“Yeah, I need to go home to,” said Sweetie Belle. “Rarity will probably freak out once she sees me like this. She’ll probably force me into the bathtub like I’m some baby or something.”

“Thank ya, girls,” said a relieved Apple Bloom. She trotted toward each of her friends and gave them a hug. “Ah know we all messed up pretty bad, but it’s no big deal. A little shower at home will fix this mess right up.”

“Says the pony who gets dirty all the time,” countered Diamond.

Apple Bloom tilted her head. “What do ya mean by that, Diamond?”

“Come on, Apple Bloom, you know what I’m talking about!” replied Diamond. “You always get dirty all the time when you’re working at your farm. I swear, every time the three of us visit you at the farm, you’re always covered in either dirt, mud, or sweat!”

“Hey, that’s not true! Ah don’t get dirty by workin’ on the farm all the time,” said Apple Bloom.

“Yeah, you do,” said Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle all at once.

“Not you girls, too!” cried Apple Bloom. She sat on the school porch and crossed her hooves, pouting to herself as her three friends all laughed. Pear chuckled too. Seeing her pony daughter pout like that put a smile on her face.

Working on the farm does make you a bit messy, sometimes, dear. It’s a minor thing, but you’ll get used to it. She paused and looked at the four fillies again. Whatever grievance they had a moment ago was all gone. They were socializing, giggling, and embracing each other like what good friends do.

Pear smiled. Seeing her daughter’s pony counterpart like this made her feel not only at ease, but also a sense of pride and relief.

It sure feels nice seeing Apple Bloom like this. I must admit, I’m surprised she’s gettin’ along well with Diamond Tiara. My Apple Bloom would never get along with her. If only she and Diamond could act like these two. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about her getting into trouble.

“Hey, girls, check out that mare over there.” Pear’s thoughts were interrupted by Scootaloo’s loud voice. “Have any of you noticed her?”

“Huh? What mare?” asked Apple Bloom.

“That mare over there,” Scootaloo replied, pointing at her hoof over at Pear Butter. “She’s been standing at that same spot for a while now. I think she’s been there ever since we got outside.”

“Yeah, I think Scootaloo’s right. I noticed her when Apple Bloom tried to calm us down,” said Sweetie Belle. “Huh, I wonder what she wants?”

Pear Butter gulped. Uh oh, looks like they found me out! I need to get out of here now!

“Diamond Tiara!”

Pear’s ears perked up as she heard a loud feminine voice from a distance. She turned her head back and forth, trying to figure out where the voice came from. It wasn’t long until she spotted an older looking mare trotting toward the fillies.

“There you are, Diamond Tiara,” the mare said with a harsh tone. “Just what do you think you’re doing playing with these no-good fillies? You belong to one of the richest families in Ponyville. Surely you can make better friends than these hicks.”

Oh no, is that who I think it is? Pear examined the mare. Her build was somewhat different than herself and the other mares. She was bulkier and showed signs of aging.

Pear frowned. There’s no doubt about it! The snobby high-class attitude, her tone, that really stupid hair. That mare is definitely Spoiled Rich!

“Mom, I thought I asked you to stop calling my friends names!” said Diamond, giving her mother a stern look. “And stop telling me what kind of friends I should make. I don’t need that!”

“Don’t you dare lecture me like that, Diamond Tiara,” rebuked Spoiled, trotting closer to her daughter. “Now you’re coming home with me and—what happened to your mane?!”

“Oh, um, the girls and I had a bit of an accident during our project presentation today,” explained Diamond. “It’s no big deal. I can just take a shower and wash this off.”

“They did what?!” Spoiled scowled at the three fillies. “Now do you see what happens when you make friends like these hooligans. You get dragged into whatever trouble they cause. Look at yourself, Diamond. You have this... whatever this gunk is, all over your mane!”

“Hey, it was just an accident!” Apple Bloom replied. “And it’s not gunk, it’s rainbows. We made a miniature rainbow factory!”

“You be quiet! I don’t need to hear it from some rotten farm hick like you!” yelled Spoiled, causing Apple Bloom to retreat backwards. “You listen to me, Diamond Tiara! I will not have my daughter associate with these fillies. Especially that no-good farm hick. She and her friends are nothing but trouble!”

Pear flinched.

“Don’t call Apple Bloom a bumpkin!” cried Diamond, trying to argue back. However, her pleas were all but ignored, as Spoiled continued to berate her daughter and ridicule the other fillies.

The mares who were still in the area took notice of Spoiled’s attitude. Most simply shook their heads and leave with their children, while others tried to ignore the mare. Some children trotted toward the fillies in hopes of defending them, but were immediately pulled back by their mothers.

Pear Butter glared at Spoiled Rich and began to seethe. The mere sight of her daughter being berated by her longtime rival made her blood boil.

Out of pure instinct, Pear began to move toward Spoiled. Her eyes were locked on the rich mare, grinding her teeth as the pony continued to berate the little filly. In her gut, she knew she had to do something. Even if this pony is not her real daughter.

“You take that back!” cried Sweetie Belle. “We’re not troublemakers! We’re good ponies!”

“Yeah, what she said!” Scootaloo fired back.

Spoiled merely scoffed at their outburst. “Oh please, I don’t need to hear it from a bunch of hooligans. Even before you got those special cutie marks, you three have caused so much trouble. So, I don’t need lecturing from a bunch of idiotic—”

“Excuse me for a second, ma’am, but can I have a word with you?”

“What?” Furious, Spoiled Rich turned her head, trying to figure out who in the right mind would dare interrupt her. It did not take long for her find her answer, as she saw Pear Butter trotting closer to her.

“Who are you?” asked Spoiled.

“None of your business,” Pear replied.

“It certainly is my business when some pushover mare thinks she can tell me what to do?!” rebuked Spoiled. “Who do you think you are?!”

“Let’s just say I’m someone who knows how to deal with egotist ponies like yourself,” Pear fired back.

“Someone?” the four fillies asked in unison.

“Oh, please. Like I’d be intimidated by some random country mare,” scoffed Spoiled, rolling her eyes in the process. “Do you realize who you’re talking to?”

“Yes, I do,” replied Pear Butter. She inched closer to Spoiled, surprising the rich mare. “You are wannabe upper-class hag who thinks she’s at the top of the world just because she’s married to a rich husband!”

In that moment, all the ponies around the school gasped.

“W-what did you just call me?!” Spoiled stared at Pear Butter with her jaw agape. For a moment, the rich mare said nothing. She was too shocked by the sudden insult that she could not find the words counter the farm pony.

“Y-you dare insult me like that!” She stammered, trying to recover from her shock. “I-I have you know I am the head of the school board in Ponyville. No mare has the right to ever say something like that to me without getting any sort of—”

Spoiled’s rant was stopped abruptly as she felt a hard smack across her cheek. The jaws of the four fillies dropped, as they, along with the remaining ponies in the area, watched as Spoiled got smacked across the face.

“W-wha?! What do you think you’re—huh?”  Surprised by the Pear’s sudden move, Spoiled frantically stumbled away, jittering. Never before had she ever been so humiliated in her entire life. She looked up and saw Pear Butter giving her a vicious glare.

“You listen to me, Spoiled,” Pear said in a malicious tone. “I don’t care what position of power you currently have. No one, and I mean no one, gets to mock my kin, her friends, or her lifestyle and get away with it!”

Apple Bloom blinked. “Wait, what?”

“K-kin? What do you mean by—oh, I get it! One of these fillies must be a relative of yours!” Spoiled regained her composure and returned Pear Butter’s glare. “Is that why you ruined my beautiful face with that dirty hoof of yours, because I insulted your low-life family?”

Pear flinched, but nonetheless remained steady on her stance. She and Spoiled soon found themselves glaring at one another.The fillies, and the ponies who stayed behind, watched Pear Butter in awe as she remained firm against the rich mare.

“Well, who is it?!” shouted Spoiled. “Tell me who that kin of yours is. Maybe once we’re done here I can deal with that filly myself. Maybe suspend that brat. Make you think twice before humiliating me like that again.”

The ponies around the area gasp.

“M-mom, you can’t do that,” cried Diamond. “That’s going way too far. You can’t suspend somepony over something like this!”

“Quiet, Diamond!” Spoiled shouted back. “I am the head of the school board. I can do whatever I please to any student of this school! Any parent who dares question me must face the consequences. Starting with their children!”

“No!” Diamond ran toward Spoiled Rich and dropped on her hind legs, pleading for her mother to stop. Apple Bloom followed her, as well as the rest of her friends, hoping that they can get Spoiled to reconsider. However, all their pleas were ignored.

Pear Butter watched as four fillies wailed helplessly on the ground. She looked at Spoiled, and snarled. Her patience with the mare was growing thin. Insulting her family was one thing, but threats? This was not acceptable.

Again, Pear trotted closer to her rival. Spoiled did the same but not before pushing her daughter and Apple Bloom away. The tip of their muzzles touched each other as the two ponies returned fierce glares. The fillies watched nervously as the two mares prepared to square off again.

“So, are you going to tell me who this “kin”of yours is?” asked Spoiled, mockingly. “Make it quick. I have some papers I need to fill out before I suspend that bumpkin.”

“Leave Apple Bloom out of this, Spoiled! Unless you want another smack to face!” shouted Pear Butter.

Apple Bloom’s ears perked.

“Oh, so you’re related to that country hick, huh?” Spoiled smirked. “Good, I’ve been wanting to do something about that filly for some time now. She’s been a bad influence on my daughter. Spending some time away from her will be good for Diamond.”

“I said, leave her out of this!” Pear grit her teeth and stomped her hoof on the ground. “This is between you and me, Spoiled. You leave Bloom and her friends out of this now!”

“You are in no position to make demands, hick!” Spoiled countered. “You humiliated me in front of everypony here. Somepony has to pay the price! And that ‘kin’ of yours fits the bill perfectly.”

Pear seethed in anger. She had always got into arguments with Spoiled Rich, but this pony counterpart made her blood boil. She tried to calm herself down, but it was no use. She’s never been so angry in her entire life.

Out of frustration, Pear whispered something to herself. “Don’t you dare touch my daughter you witch!”

“I’m sorry, what was that?” asked Spoiled. “I couldn’t hear you, hick. Speak louder.”

Pear finally caved, and shouted back at the mare in a loud, deafening voice. “I said, don’t touch my daughter, you witch! If you lay a hoof on her I swear you’ll be getting more than just a smack on the face!”

Recovering from her outburst, Pear took a deep breath and huffed before turning to face Spoiled again. As she did, she noticed something was off.

It was quiet, too quiet. Spoiled had fallen silent, and not a single pony around the area made a peep. Curious, Pear turned around. Much to her shock, she immediately realized that every pony in the vicinity was staring at her.

She turned to Apple Bloom and her friends. They fared no better. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Diamond Tiara gawked at her, all tilting their heads in confusion. Apple Bloom had a similar expression to her friends, but was more startled than confused. She even noticed the filly began to move away.

Pear looked back at Spoiled again. She too remained quiet. The sudden outburst from earlier seemed to have calmed the rich mare down, but left her in a state of shock.

“What did you say?” asked Spoiled.

Despite the awkward silence, Pear remained firm and approached the rich pony. “You heard me loud and clear, Spoiled. Leave my daughter out of this!”

Spoiled blinked. She stared at her attacker, then glanced over to Apple Bloom. She looked back and forth between the two ponies, trying to connect the dots. Her eyes widened as she finally reached a conclusion.

“That’s impossible,” Spoiled whispered to herself.

“What’s wrong, Spoiled?” asked Pear Butter. “Cat got your tongue or something? What happened to all those threats you were making earlier? Come on, speak up!”

“Y-you, but how?” Spoiled found herself stumbling on her words again. She pointed her hoof at Pear Butter first, confusing the farm mare, then slowly moving it toward Apple Bloom.

“Y-you claim to be that filly’s mother?” Spoiled asked.

Pear tilted her head, confused by the mare’s sudden shift in tone. Nonetheless, she gave Spoiled an answer. “Yes, I am Apple Bloom’s mother.”

Everypony in the vicinity gasped.

Spoiled shook her head. “But that’s impossible! You should be—no, none of this makes any sense. You shouldn’t be here!”

“And yet here I am!” Pear shouted. She huffed, scrapping her hoof on the ground, ready to charge straight into Spoiled. But before she could make a move, she stopped. The proud rich mare, who had been making threats against her and Apple Bloom earlier, was suddenly back-pedaling away.

What in the world? What’s wrong with her?

“You!” Spoiled shouted in a sudden burst. “Tell me your name, right now!”

Pear raised her eyebrow. “Huh, what for?”

“Tell me now!” demanded Spoiled as she stammered backward, pointing her hoof accusingly at Pear Butter. Her sudden burst caused Pear Butter to reel back, who was now questioning why the pony was now terrified by her. Despite this, Pear glared at Spoiled Rich and gave the mare a straight answer.

“Pear Butter. My name is Pear Butter.”

Spoiled shrieked. “W-what?!” “B-but how?! That’s impossible.”

“Huh?” Pear tilted her head again. “Spoiled, what are you talking ab—”

“N-no! You should be dead!” shouted Spoiled.

This time, it was Pear Butter’s turn to be left speechless. “W-what? What are you saying? What do you mean by—”

“You be quiet! I shall not speak to you again!” cried Spoiled, pointing her hoof accusingly the farm pony. “Forget about that bumpkin’s suspension, t-this is a more serious matter. Princess Twilight will hear of this, I swear. When she does, she will exact judgement on you….imposter!”

“Imposter? W-what do you mean by that? Just what are you trying to—hey!” Pear’s pleas were ignored as Spoiled ran away from her school grounds. She tried calling her out, but it was fruitless as the upper-class mare disappeared from sight.
> Chapter 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The last words from Spoiled Rich rang inside Pear Butter’s head. It had been only a minute or two since the rich mare fled. She had left her daughter behind with her friends, as well as a confused Pear Butter. The farm pony has not moved since her confrontation with Spoiled. All she did was stare in the direction of which the rich mare fled with a blank expression on her face.

W-what did she mean when she said, I’m supposed to be dead? Pear Butter sat on the ground, still processing what happened. She bit her lip. The mere thought of it made Pear’s headache.

Spoiled looked completely terrified when I said I’m Apple Bloom’s mother. I-is it because she believed I’m dead? Pear rubbed her chin, trying to make sense of Spoiled’s last words. It didn’t look like she was lying. The expression on her face says otherwise. 

Pear groaned. All the thinking she’d done made her head hurt. Regardless, she took a deep breath, recomposed herself and thought back to her current situation.

Let’s see. If Spoiled, Chiffon, Burnt Oak, and Apple Bloom have pony counterparts, then that must mean I have one too. But Spoiled said that I’m supposed to be dead. If that’s true, then that would explain why Chiffon was shocked when she saw me.

Pear’s eyes widened as her thoughts returned to her friend. Wait, Chiffon acted just like Spoiled when she saw me earlier today! Oh gosh, why didn’t I realize this sooner?! She looked terrified of me, just like Spoiled! Is that why she ran away, because she believes I’m dead too?

Frustration started to kick in. Pear began to rub her forehead vigorously with her front hooves. What about pony Burnt Oak? Does he think the same way? He acted calm sure, but he looked surprised as Chiffon did. And accused me of being a—whatever is that thing he called me.

She shook her head. Okay, so if Chiffon, Burnt Oak, and Spoiled all believe that I’m dead. Chiffon and Spoiled were terrified of me and ran away. Oak did not act like them, but he was upset with me. He probably thinks I’m dead to. If I put the pieces together, then that would mean—”

Pear’s eyes widened in shock. A chill ran through her spine. She had put all the pieces together, but the truth was harsh. Water began forming on her eyelids. She slumped to the floor, grasping her head as her headache began to worsen.

“Oh my gosh. I’m dead in this world.” Pear bit her lip. Tears began flowing down her cheeks. She felt queasy. The mere thought of this revelation made her head spin.

“M-my counterpart. She must’ve died some time ago,” Pear whispered to herself. “That’s why Chiffon looked so afraid when she saw me. Why Burnt Oak seemed angry at me. And why Spoiled ran away. They must’ve thought I was an imposter or something worse.”

Pear lifted herself off the ground, wiping away the tears from her face. I shouldn’t be here. Who knows what’d happen if I met any other pony counterparts. Can’t image meeting more of my family members here.What would happen if Applejack saw me? Or Big Mac and Granny Smith? Oh god, what about Bright Mac?

She shook her head. The thought of meeting her husband’s counterpart made her feel queasier. Can’t say their reactions would be any good. I don’t think I should stay here any longer. I need to get back to the castle now and return home.

“Um, excuse me, miss?”

Pear’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard a soft female voice all out to her. She turned around to see the filly counterparts of Apple Bloom’s friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The two of them had approached her along with Diamond Tiara.

“Um, we want to thank you for standing up to Diamond’s mom,” said Sweetie Belle. “You really helped us out, especially when she threatened to suspend Apple Bloom.”

“Yeah, Diamond’s mom is nothing but a big meanie,” Scootaloo replied, flinching as soon as she heard herself. “Uh, no offense, Diamond.”

“None taken,” replied Diamond. “It’s not like I don’t disagree with you or anything. My mom can be kind of a jerk sometimes.”

Pear smiled. Hearing the pony Diamond Tiara criticize her mom brightened her mood. Oh, you don’t know the half of it little one. You can’t imagine how good it feels to know that you are aware of your mother’s bad attitude.

“Hey, um, can we ask you something?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Of course,” Pear replied, returning a smile at the young filly. “What do you want to ask?”

“Are you really Apple Bloom’s mom?”

Pear flinched. “I-I—” Oh my gosh, I completely forgot about, Apple Bloom! She turned toward her pony daughter and spotted her. It was the first Pear looked at her pony daughter straight in the eye.

O-oh dear. what should I do? Pear froze in her place. Her head throbbed in pain, while her heart began to beat uncontrollably. She wanted to help this filly so badly, perhaps comfort her in any way. This pony may not her Apple Bloom, yet Pear knew in her heart she had to do something. The filly almost got suspended because of her.

After a moment of hesitation, Pear trotted toward Apple Bloom, hoping that she could perhaps have a brief talk with the filly. Maybe she can figure out what happened to her counterpart too.

“Apple Bloom, are you alright?” Pear asked. She sat down in front of the filly and reached out to her.

“Um.” Apple Bloom remained silent. She looked at Pear in the eye for a brief second, but quickly turned her head away.

“Apple Bloom?” Concerned about her daughter’s silence, Pear stood up and inched closer to the filly, hoping to ease some tension between them. But Apple Bloom refused to open to her, backing away as soon as Pear moved.

Pear frowned at the sight of her daughter’s reluctance. Although she did not run away like Chiffon and Spoiled, Pear noticed that her daughter felt nervous, scared even. The filly was outright trembling at the mere sight of her.

“Apple Bloom, please, talk to me,” plead Pear Butter, hoping that her pony daughter would at least say something. Though her pleas did not work. It’s no use. She won’t speak to me at all.

“Hey! Why aren’t you talking to her, Apple Bloom?!” Pear turned around and saw Diamond Tiara approaching the two of them. “Come on, don’t just sit there all day doing nothing. At least say something to her!”

“Oh, s-sorry,” replied Apple Bloom. She looked up at Pear Butter again; still trembling, but otherwise made a somewhat decent effort to talk to the mare. It was all in vain though, as Apple Bloom immediately shied away again.

“H-hey, are you alright, Apple Bloom?” asked Scootaloo as she slowly approached her friend. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Come on, aren’t you going to talk to her at all? She’s your mom, right?”

Apple Bloom remained quiet, shifting herself away from her friends and Pear Butter.

“Gosh, what’s wrong with her?” Diamond Tiara asked. “It’s like she’s a completely different pony.”

Pear sighed. Perhaps it’s because she doesn’t believe that I’m her mother. I mean, I am supposed to be dead after all. Don’t think makin’ a big statement out loud sayin’ that I’m her mother didn’t help in the slightest. Probably best if I kept my mouth shut.

“Excuse me, miss? Can we ask you something else?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Yes, what is it?” replied Pear Butter.

“Well, remember when I asked you that if you’re really Apple Bloom’s mom?” Pear Butter nodded in reply. “I asked that question because, well, we all thought Apple Bloom didn’t have a mom anymore. We were told something happened to her a long time ago.”

Pear looked at Sweetie Belle with her eyebrow raised. “I see.” This is my chance to know what happened to the other me. I need to ask more questions; see if these fillies know anything. “Can you girls tell me more.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Well you see, Apple Bloom’s mom—”

“What’s going on here?”

Pear Butter and the four fillies’ ears perked up as they heard a voice coming from nowhere. They looked around, trying to figure out where the voice came from. Eventually, they looked back at the school building and found a mare standing next to the school porch.

Pear grumbled. Oh great, I’m gonna be butting heads with another pony today. Goin’ by my luck, it’s probably someone I already know. Wonder who it is this time?

She stared directly at the mare, examining the pony closely. Hmm, a dark pink coat and a light-pink mane with stripes. This mare does look familiar, but who is she? 

Pear scratched her head, trying to think of anyone who could be directly related to this mare. Then, it clicked.

Wait a minute, I know who that pony is! It’s Cheerilee! She examined the mare’s features closely again. No doubt about it. That pony’s her counterpart! Her mane and coat match perfectly! Oh gosh, I’m really getting good at identifying these ponies!

“Can somepony explain to me what happened here?” asked Cheerilee. “I’ve been hearing a lot of noises coming from outside lately. Goodness, it was so loud that I could hear it from inside the school!”

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Diamond Tiara all rushed to Cheerilee, shouting frantically at their school teacher. Each one of them tried to explain what happened, but in their anxiety, could not be understood by the teacher.

“Girls, please, one pony at a time,” pleaded Cheerilee, trying her best to calm the fillies down.

“Mom tried to suspend Apple Bloom!” cried Diamond Tiara.

Cheerilee flinched. “Wait, she did what?!”

“Yeah!” shouted Scootaloo. “She threatened to expel Apple Bloom after she got into a fight with some mare just now!”

“A fight? A mare?” Cheerilee shook her head. “Okay girls, the three of you need to calm down right now! Something big just happened and I need somepony to explain everything!”

Pear sighed. Looks like I have some explainin’ to do. Oh well, I should have seen this coming. She took a deep breath and approached the school teacher.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but perhaps I can help,” Pear said, catching the attention of the school teacher. “I am partly to blame for what happened. Spoiled acted horribly to these children here, so I had to step in. I apologize, I didn’t mean to start a huge ruckus.”

“I-I see,” replied Cheerilee, a bit surprised by the farm pony’s sudden appearance. Pear watched as Cheerilee eyeballed her. It looked like the mare was examining her. “Excuse me for being rude, miss, but I’ve never seen you around town before. Ponyville is a small town, and everypony knows each other well, including me. Are you new in town?”

“This mare says she’s Apple Bloom’s mother,” said Diamond Tiara.

“What.” Cheerilee stared at Diamond, surprised by the filly’s proclamation.

“Yeah, when she and Mrs. Rich were in the middle of their argument, this mare said out loud that she’s Apple Bloom’s mom,” explained Scootaloo. “After she said that, Mrs. Rich left us alone and ran away.”

“I… I see,” said Cheerilee, returning her gaze to Pear Butter.

Pear bit her lip, returning the glare with an awkward smile. She knew Cheerilee was suspicious of her, the look on her face said it all.

Cheerilee sighed. “Well then, looks like I need to get some answers. Ma’am, would you please trot with me inside the school. I need to know what happened during your argument with Spoiled Rich.”

“O-of course. I’ll be happy to tell you,” replied Pear Butter. “But if I may ask, why are we speakin’ inside the school?”

“I just want this conversation in private,” explained Cheerilee. “Since you are the one who got into an argument Mrs. Rich, it’d be best if I heard it from you, right? Besides, Mrs. Rich isn’t here. You’re the only one besides these girls who knew what happened.”

“I see. So, this is basically a parent-teacher conference, right?” asked Pear Butter. Cheerilee nodded in response, causing the farm pony to groan. Just great. Two conferences in one day. Oh well, guess having one more won’t hurt. “Alright, I accept. Let’s just get this over with.”

“Wonderful,” said Cheerilee, clapping her hooves. “Kids, why don’t you all check on Apple Bloom if she’s okay while I talk to this mare, alright.”

“Yes, Ms. Cheerilee,” nodded the fillies. Pear watched as they trotted back toward Apple Bloom. They crowded around her pony daughter, socializing and embracing the filly in attempt to comfort her. She sighed. She wanted to be by her daughter’s side, not get stuck in another conference for who knows how long.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but can we hurry along please?” asked Cheerilee. “Forgive me if I’m prying a bit, but we need to get a move on now. I’d like to get this incident cleared up as soon as possible before Spoiled does anything brash.”

“Yes, I know, I’m coming,” Pear replied. She looked back at Apple Bloom one more time. Don’t worry, sweetie. I’ll be there soon.

She followed Cheerilee into the school building, where upon entering, began surveying the area. The inside appeared to be rather small. Rows of school desks lined up together in one area, all facing the teacher’s desk and chalkboard. There were a few bookshelves at the back corner, but aside from that the classroom seemed normal.

“Alright, now we can talk,” said Cheerilee as she closed the front door. “We’ll have our discussion at my desk. Please follow me.”

She trotted over to the largest desk in the classroom, taking one of the nearby chairs and placed in front of her desk. Pear followed, and climbed onto the chair.

“Alright, now we can get started. So, can you please tell me what just happened out there? The girls said you had an argument between yourself and Spoiled Rich. I assume that the argument involved Apple Boom, correct?”

“Not necessarily,” replied Pear Butter. “I was just passin’ by and I saw Spoiled needlessly scolding on her own daughter for the friends she made. I just felt like that I needed to step in.” Well, that’s technically half true. The real reason I wanted to step in is because I wanted to protect Apple Bloom.

Cheerilee nodded. “I see. So, seeing Mrs. Rich scold her daughter and her friends caused you to step in. I suppose that’s reasonable. Mrs. Rich’s brash attitude can be a bit…. unnecessary sometimes. Especially since her daughter is trying to make up for her past mistakes.”

“What do you mean?” asked Pear Butter.

“Diamond was the former school bully,” answered Cheerilee. “She used to pick on other foals a lot, especially Apple Bloom and her friends because they didn’t have their cutie marks. But she’s progressed rather nicely ever since she stood up to her mother.”

Pear tilted her head. Cutie marks? What the heck is that? The term seems rather, childish. Her eyes widened. Wait, is that what those tattoo things are called on the flanks of all those ponies? That’s what they’re called?! Seriously?!

“Diamond has come a long way,” continued Cheerilee. “I know that, deep down, she loves her mother. Although I do understand that Mrs. Rich can be an unreasonable mare sometimes.”

Pear rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Well that’s one way to describe her. Though I prefer a much more harsher word.”

Cheerilee frowned. “Ma’am, can I please ask you to put your grudges against Spoiled Rich aside? I know you may not like her, but she’s still a well-respected mare of the community. She isn’t the head of the school board for a reason.”

“Fine, have it your way,” Pear replied, scoffing at the thought of Spoiled being an upstanding citizen.

Cheerilee sighed. “All I ask is that you give her a chance. I know she stepped out of line today, but please know that, despite her mistakes, she’s done good for the town here. However, this does bring up another question I want to ask you.”

“What is it?” Pear asked, tilting her head.

Cheerilee leaned forward on her desk, giving Pear Butter a leery stare. “Why are you so concerned about Apple Bloom?”

“W-what?” Pear Butter flinched back on her chair. “W-why wouldn’t I be. The poor little filly was being scolded by that mare for no reason.”

“No ma’am, that’s not what I’m implying at all,” replied Cheerilee. “What you did was the right thing. I believe you did have good intentions and I didn’t mean to pry. I just wanted to ask why you defended a filly that you probably never even heard of until today. You are new in town, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes, I am,” Pear answered.

“Then explain to me how you already know about Spoiled Rich and Apple Bloom?” asked Cheerilee. “I can understand Apple Bloom due to her sister being famous and all, but how are you already familiar with Spoiled? Last I checked, and no offense to her, she isn’t that well known outside Ponyville.”

“Wait a minute, Applejack is famous here too?” asked Pear Butter.

Cheerilee blinked. “Yes, she is. So, I take it you are familiar with her.”

Pear nodded. “Of course! I-I’m just surprised my daughter is popular here too.” She groaned, throwing her head back in frustration. “I can’t believe this! First, she’s becomes popular at Canterlot High, and now I’m hearing she’s popular in this pony place too?! Goodness, what’s with her sudden spike in popularity these last few months?”

Pear’s eyes snapped open. Upon realizing what she had just said, she immediately covered her mouth with her hooves. She looked at Cheerilee. The mare was no longer staring at her out of suspicion, nor was she leaning forward on her desk. Instead, she had a surprised look on her face.

“Um, I—” Pear bit her lip, finding it difficult to find the right words. Before she could say anything else, Cheerilee snapped out of her stupor and shook her head.

“I see. Well, this is…. unsettling. I was hoping that Diamond Tiara was joking earlier, but it looks like she was telling the truth.” Cheerilee leaned forward on her chair and gave Pear Butter a fierce glare.

“Look, let me make this clear. Claiming to be Applejack and Apple Bloom’s mother is low. No, disgusting.” Pear Butter remained on her seat, surprised by the mare’s sudden hostility toward her. “I’ll give you once chance to make this right, so listen up. You’re going to go back outside and apologize to Apple Bloom right now. I don’t know what you’re planning changeling, but you need to come clean with the filly before I turn you in to Princess Twilight!”

Pear sat still in her chair, eyes widened at the sudden threat and accusation. At first, she said nothing. The sudden accusation and threats made by Cheerilee left her dumbfounded. The term, changeling, also caught her off guard, as this was the second time a pony accused her of being.

“Well, are you going to change back or what?” asked Cheerilee, still glaring fiercely at Pear Butter. “I don’t have all day! Do it now or I will report you!”

Pear slouched on her chair, biting her lip in frustration. These ponies were threatening her for some reason she did not understand. She could not sit here and do nothing!

Recovering from her stupor, Pear placed her hoof on her chest and took a deep breath. She looked at Cheerilee again. The mare seemed a bit puzzled at what she’s doing, but nonetheless remained focused on her gaze.

“Alright, now you listen to me, Cheerlee," Pear said in a calm voice. “I am usually a quiet, reasonable woman, but these threats against me have gone too far. So, before you say anything else or report me, shut up and hear me out!”

Suddenly, Pear slammed her hooves on the teacher’s desk, causing Cheerilee to stumble back on her chair. Pear leaned forward and looked at the teacher straight in the eye.

“No one, and I mean no one, threatens me like that, you hear me!” Pear said. Her voice was much more intimidating this time, but remained poised on her seat. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. I am no some…. whatever that thing is you called me, got that! I am Pear Buttercup Apple, and I am Apple Bloom and Applejack’s mother! No accusations will change that fact!”

Cheerilee was left speechless. She tried to speak up, however, Pear Butter slammed her hooves on the desk again, stopping the mare from saying anything.

“Enough, Cheerilee! No more accusations! I am telling you the truth,” continued Pear Butter. “If you’re gonna to continue makin’ accusations against me, I’m leaving!”

The classroom was silent in the wake of Pear Butter’s abrupt outcry. The farm pony continued to glare at Cheerilee for several seconds, who remained slouched and silent on her chair.

“Well? Are we done? Guessin’ since your silent n’ all, this conference is finished.” Cheerilee did not reply. “Good. Now if you excuse me, I have a daughter to attend to.”

Satisfied, Pear removed her hooves off the desk. She leapt off her chair and began making her way toward the exit. She approached the door and was about to open it, but stopped as soon as she heard someone call out to her.

“Wait!” Pear sighed, as she looked back at Cheerilee. The mare called her out in desperation, trying to prevent her from opening the door. Cheerilee immediately leapt off her chair and trotted toward the farm pony.

“What do you want?! Did I not make myself clear earlier?!” shouted Pear Butter. “Leave me alone, Cheerilee! Or do I really have to get rough with you just so I can leave? If that’s the case, then I’m not afraid to do so.”

“W-what?! No! J-just, please, hear me out,” replied Cheerilee, trying to calm Pear Butter down.

“Then what is it?” Pear barked.

Cheerilee opened her mouth to speak, but instead remained quiet. She briefly stared at Pear Butter, then drifted her eyes to the floor. She scratched the hard-wooden floor with the tip of her hoof, mumbling quietly to herself.

“Um, are you going to answer me, or not?” asked Pear Butter, tilting her head in confusion.

After a minute of silence, Cheerilee stopped scratching the floor and looked back at Pear Butter directly in the eye.

“Are you telling me the truth?” asked Cheerilee. She trotted closer to Pear Butter, touching the mare with the tip of her muzzle. The move surprised Pear a little bit, but remained her composure.

“Is it true? Are you really Apple Bloom’s mother?” Cheerilee asked in a more serious tone. “Are you really her and not some changeling who took her appearance?”

Pear grumbled and returned Cheerilee’s glare with one of her own. “Yes, I am Apple Bloom’s mother. And for the last time, no, I am not that thing you keep calling me.”

“I see.” Cheerilee closed her eyes, sighed, and backed away. “Very well, I’ll let you go.”

“Finally, thank you.” Pear Butter trotted past Cheerilee and went straight toward the door. “Bout time this meeting ended! Now if you’ll excuse me—”

“Wait a minute, there’s one more thing I need to say before you leave,” said Cheerilee. Pear Butter groaned again, frustrated that this pony wouldn’t let her leave. But her complaint was ignored by the mare.

“It’s just one more thing, ma’am, hear me out,” continued Cheerilee. She opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated. For a few seconds, her eyes drifted somewhere else. She took one deep breath before turning to Pear Butter again.

“Listen, I’ve lived here in Ponyville for my entire life. This town is my home and my childhood. In fact, his very building is the same place where I got my education, where I met all the colts and fillies who I consider as friends. Most of them have children of their own now, and I’m fortunate that I’m teaching some them.”

“Um, Okay.” Pear Butter gawked at the mare, confused as to why she’s bringing up her life story so suddenly. “What’s your point?”

Cheerilee smiled. “One of the fillies I grew up with was Applejack, who I consider a great childhood friend. We, along with many other children, played alongside each other at Sweet Apple Acres. I remember playing with her at the Apple farm after school and.... having a childhood crush on Big Macintosh.”

“I-I see. You must have had a happy childhood,” said Pear Butter. Wait a second, so this Cheerilee grew up with Applejack instead of me and Chiffon! That would make this pony much younger than the Cheerilee that I know!

“There’s a reason why I’m telling you this, Mrs. Apple,” continued Cheerilee. “Well, if you really are Mrs. Apple is still up for debate. I still don’t believe you, nor do I trust you.”

Pear grumbled. “Just get to the point.”

“Very well. You see, during my times spent at Sweet Apple Acres, I’m met Applejack’s mother and father several times,” Cheerilee explained.

“Wait, what? You know them?” Pear Butter dashed toward Cheerilee. “Can you tell me anything about them? Are they here in town somewhere? What happened to the other me?”

Cheerilee, caught off guard by Pear’s sudden move, stared at the farm pony. “What? Other me? What are you talking about?”

“I beg you, please tell me what happened to those ponies!” asked Pear Butter. “Spoiled said that I’m supposed to be dead, and Burnt Oak also accused me of being that thing you mentioned earlier!”

Cheerilee froze. “I-I, what?”

“If you know anything about those ponies, tell me please,” pleaded an anxious Pear Butter. In desperation, she rushed closer to Cheerilee, hoping that the mare answer her.

“Ma’am, calm down! And stop leaning so close to me!” cried Cheerilee, pushing the frantic farm pony out of her way. “Now, I can see that you’re a bit…. surprised. To be frank, this situation left me even more confused now. Seeing you standing here after all these years is making my head spin.”

“So, you know what happened to them?” asked Pear Butter.

Cheerilee shook her head. “It’s not for me to say. If you really want answers, speak to Applejack. She should be at the marketplace right now at her family’s booth. Once you see her, then you’ll know the truth.”
Pear frowned. She did not like the fact that Cheerilee refused to answer her question, but at least she got something out of this.

“Come on, let’s not keep the children waiting,” said Cheerilee as she trotted toward the exit. She opened to door and trotted outside. Pear followed. She stepped out of the building to find four fillies waiting for her and Cheerilee.

“Hello, girls,” greeted Cheerilee.

“Hi, Ms. Cheerilee,” the four fillies greeted back.

“Are you done with your meeting?” asked Scootaloo.

“Yes, we are,” Cheerilee answered. “I’ve spoken to her and concluded that she did nothing wrong. Mrs. Rich stepped out of line. You girls don’t have to worry about Apple Bloom getting suspended.”

The fillies sighed in relief.

“Before I let you girls go, however, there’s one more thing I need to say,” said Cheerilee. She turned her head toward Apple Bloom. “Apple Bloom, would you please escort this mare to your sister please?

“Huh, why?” asked Apple Bloom.

“The mare has something important to tell your sister,” replied Cheerilee. “It’s important that you take this mare to Applejack as soon as you can, okay? Don’t worry, I’ll be coming along too.”

“Huh, why?” Pear asked, surprised by Cheerilee’s sudden move. “Don’t you have papers you need to fill out?”

“I can fill out those papers at another time,” replied Cheerilee. “Besides, I’ve wanting to visit the Apple family’s stall for some time. Been needing to restock on Apples.”

Pear raised her eyebrow at Cheerilee. Should’ve guessed she wanted to come along. She doesn’t trust me yet. I can’t blame her, but I feel like having her along might bring up more trouble.

“I—um.” Apple Bloom began to fidget. She looked in the direction of Pear Butter, who looked back at her in return. For a moment, their eyes meet again. Pear Butter tried to give her warmest smile, waving back at the filly, but Apple Bloom immediately looked away.

The young filly’s hesitation made Pear Butter frown. Oh, Apple Bloom.

“Mrs. Apple, can you come here please?” Cheerilee said, snapping Pear out of her thoughts. “Now, we’re going to follow Apple Bloom to Ponyville’s Marketplace and find Applejack. Once you meet her, you’ll know the truth.”

Pear Butter nodded. “Alright. Thank you, Cheerilee.” She trotted past the mare and went straight toward her pony daughter. Apple Bloom, still frightened by the whole ordeal, nearly stumbled to the ground as the farm pony approached her.

“It’s alright, Apple Bloom, you don’t have to be scared,” said Pear Butter in the most calming voice she could possible do. “Everything’s going to be fine. Let’s just go to Applejack first. Then we can finally talk. Is that okay?”

“Um, okay,” replied a hesitant Apple Bloom. The filly stood up on her hooves, waving goodbye to her friends one more time. She trotted toward Pear Butter, but kept her distance, standing a few inches away from the farm pony. Pear Butter frowned at the filly’s reluctance, but brushed her feelings aside and followed the filly back toward Ponyville’s marketplace.
> Chapter 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trip back to Ponyville marketplace was long and tedious. At least, it felt that way for Pear Butter. She, Cheerilee, and Apple Bloom had left the school moments ago, trotting along the dirt pathway together. The trip, however, was quiet. Ever since they left the school, none of them had spoken a word.

Pear quivered. All this silence made her feel anxious. Here she was, trotting beside her daughter and childhood friend, yet neither of them would talk.

She glanced over to Cheerilee. Despite their talk earlier today, the mare seemed skeptical she had any relation to Apple Bloom.

Then there was Apple Bloom herself. The filly hadn’t spoken a word to neither her nor Cheerilee in the last several minutes.  What’s more, she had also physically distanced herself from Pear Butter, trotting at a much faster pace. Her reluctance made Pear wonder if it was because she didn’t trust her.

Pear bit her lip. This feels so wrong. I shouldn’t stay silent like this, especially to my own daughter. Maybe I should try to talk to her, bring up a conversation or something.

She stopped and called out to her daughter. “Apple Bloom? Do you mind if we—whoa!”

Before she could say anything, Pear soon found her mouth covered by Cheerilee’s hoof. She could taste the dirt seeping onto her tongue. She looked to her side. Cheerilee now stood very close, and was giving Pear Butter a fierce glare.

Pear raised an eyebrow and gawked at her friend. Huh? What on earth is she doing? She tried move Cheerilee aside, but the mare remained firm and continued to shove her hoof down Pear’s mouth.

It didn’t take long for Apple Bloom to notice this. She looked back at the two mares with her head tilted to the side.

“Um, Ms. Cheerilee, what’s goin’ on?” asked Apple Bloom. “What’re ya two doin?”

Cheerilee simply smiled in response. “Oh, don’t mind us, Apple Bloom. We’re just having a short talk, that’s all. No need to worry, just keep going and we’ll catch up in a little bit, okay.”

“Oh, okay,” replied Apple Bloom. She turned back around and continued moving along the dirt pathway. As she trotted away, Cheerilee shifted her gaze back at Pear Butter. Her smile had shifted to a frown.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?!” Cheerilee whispered in a soft, yet angry tone.

“W-what am I doing? I can ask you the same thing!” replied Pear Butter. “All I wanted was to talk to Apple Bloom, but you went n’ covered my mouth with that dirt-filled hoof of yours!”

She moved her head aside and stuck her tongue out. “Oh gosh, I can still taste the dirt in my mouth. Was it really necessary for you to push your hoof on my mouth like that?”

“Yes, it was,” Cheerilee answered back, bluntly. “You have to understand, Mrs. Apple, now is not the right time to talk to Apple Bloom. She’s too nervous! If you talk to her right now, all she’ll do is just shy away. She doesn’t trust you. To her, you’re just a stranger who showed up out of nowhere!”

“But Cheerilee I—”

“No, Mrs. Apple, I’ve made my point,” said Cheerilee. “Look, I’m sorry if I’m coming off a bit harsh, but we need to keep our conversation to a minimum until we get some things cleared up. Let’s wait until we meet up with Applejack first, then you can talk things over with Apple Bloom, understood.”

Pear raised her hoof to object, but Cheerilee just glared back at her. Realizing that she couldn’t convince Cheerilee otherwise, Pear sighed.

“Alright, you win,” said a defeated Pear Butter. “I won’t say anything else.”

“Thank you,” replied Cheerilee. “Now come on, let’s catch up to Apple Bloom.”

Pear grumbled, but nonetheless nodded her head in agreement. They continued moving down Ponyville’s dirt road and eventually caught up to the filly.

It did not take Apple Bloom long to spot them. She turned her head and, for a moment, looked at her mother in the eye. Seeing this, Pear grew excited and smiled. She attempted to reach out to her daughter, but her hope was cut short as Apple Bloom immediately turned away.

Pear frowned at the sight of Apple Bloom turning away. Guess I got no choice but to keep quiet till I meet Applejack. It’s horrible, but Cheerilee is right. Apple Bloom doesn’t trust me at all.

She bit her lip in frustration. Darn it! This is so frustrating! But I can’t let this get the better of me. Not in front of Apple Bloom. I jus’ need to be patient for a little while longer. Once everything’s settled, I’ll talk to her.

She paused for a moment, taking a few deep breaths to ease herself. Feeling relieved, Pear trotted alongside Apple Bloom and Cheerilee again. The three of them continued down the road in silence, until they spotted several shopping stalls from a distance.

“Good, looks like we’re here,” said Cheerilee. She trotted ahead of Pear and Apple Bloom, and examined the area around her. “Hmm, not lot of ponies in the area right now. There’s a few, but not a lot. I can even see some stalls empty with ‘went to lunch’ signs.”

“It’s ‘lunch hour right ‘bout now, Cheerilee,” spoke up Apple Bloom, surprising the two mares. “Almost everypony here has left ta get a bite to eat. Ah don’t think any of em’ will be back until later.”

Pear sighed, wiping her forehead with her hoof. Good. It’s better this way. The less ponies, the less possibility that we won’t run into any trouble and draw attention. I’ve already had enough problems today, and the last thing we need is a big argument that draws a crowd.

“What about, Applejack?” asked Cheerilee. “Is she still at your family’s stall?”

“Ah think so,” replied Apple Bloom. “She usually doesn’t go ta lunch ‘til much later, depending how busy she n’ Big Mac are at the stall. Ah think if we hurry, we might be able to catch em’ before they leave.”

Pear’s eyes went wide. Oh my gosh, Big Mac is here too?! A bright wide smile formed on her cheeks, something Cheerilee took notice.

This is perfect! I don’t have to worry about a thing anymore. My son’s known for bein’ calm no matter what situation he’s in. With him and Applejack here, I’m sure things will go down smoothly.

“You don’t have to worry about me, Apple Bloom. I’ve been to your family’s stall plenty of times,” replied Cheerilee. “Though it’s good to hear Applejack and Big Mac are here. Just lead the way and I’ll follow you, all right.”

“Okay,” Apple Bloom said, before continuing down the dirt road. Pear moved to follow her, but was again stopped by Cheerilee. The mare had blocked her way.

“W-what the—Cheerilee what are you doing?” Pear asked in confusion. She tried moving past her, but Cheerilee kept getting in her way. “Oh, for the love of—what are you standing there for?! We need to follow Apple Bloom now!”

Cheerilee, however, simply shook her head and remained firm. “I fully aware that we need to keep moving, but before we go there’s something I want to talk about first.”

“Can’t it wait?!” asked an agitated Pear Butter, who was now getting frustrated by Cheerilee’s actions. “Didn’t you hear Apple Bloom? We need to hurry before my children leave!”

Cheerilee groaned. “Please be patient, Mrs. Apple. I want to talk about your kids.”

“Oh, okay.” Pear stepped back and gave Cheerilee some space. “What is it that you want to talk about? And can you hurry up please, we don’t have much time.”

“I’m know of that already, Mrs. Apple, no need to constantly remind me!” replied Cheerilee, rolling her eyes. “Just…. look, I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s very unlikely that those ponies are going to believe you’re their mother. You don’t have any proof, and frankly they might accuse you of being an imposter.”

Pear sighed. “Yes, I’m aware that I’m facing a difficult situation right now, but I have faith my kids will come to understand things once I’m done talking to them. They will believe in me, Cheerilee. I just know it.”

“Your faith in your children is admirable Mrs. Apple, but I don’t think things will turn out that way,” explained Cheerilee, bluntly. “They’ve accepted the fact that their mother is long gone, and it’s going to be difficult for you to convince them otherwise.”

“Wait, so my counterpart did die in this world?” Pear asked. She ran toward Cheerilee and leaned her head against hers. “So, you do know what happened to the other me! Tell me, what happened to her? How did she die? How long ago was this?”

Cheerilee shrieked. “H-hey, stop that! We’re out in public right now! Give me some personal space!” She pushed Pear off and distanced herself from the farm pony as much as she could.

“Do not do that again!” said a bright red Cheerilee. “I know you want answers, but that was very inappropriate!

“Sorry,” replied Pear Butter.

Cheerilee groaned. Her cheeks still flushing bright red. Then, the two ponies soon heard voices not too far away from them. They looked around the vicinity. A small crowd of ponies had gathered. All of whom were staring directly at them, whispering to one another.

“What’s goin’ on? Why are all these ponies looking at us?” Pear asked.

“They’re gossiping, Mrs. Apple,” said Cheerilee, groaning. “Looks like our little scuffle caused some unwanted attention.”

“W-what? Oh, no.” Pear tumbled back, flushed red herself. She lowered her head and used her mane to cover her face. “Oh shoot, I messed up! Getting unwanted attention is the last thing I want to happen!”

“There’s nothing we can do about it. Ponyville is a small town, so gossip spreads pretty quickly,” Cheerilee explained. “It’s just a misunderstanding. I’m sure after I’ve explained myself, things will die down in a couple of days.”

Pear sighed. “If you say so.” So much for not drawin’ any attention! 

“Come on, we have to catch up to Apple Bloom. She’s probably wondering where we are right now,” said Cheerilee. “Ignore these ponies. Let’s just focus on finding Applejack before lunch hour.”

“R-right.” Recovering from her stupor, Pear followed Cheerilee further down Ponyville’s marketplace. The two of them galloped past the onlooking ponies, ignoring their stares and whispers. After losing the crowd, the two of them spot Apple Bloom down the road.

“There she is!” said Cheerilee. “Come on, let’s not keep her waiting any longer. We need to—oh!”

“Huh? Cheerilee why’d you stop?” asked Pear Butter. “Is something wrong?”

“Apple Bloom is speaking to somepony right now,” explained Cheerilee.

“What?! Who?!” Pear asked, frantically. “Is it Applejack?”

“No, I don’t think so,” replied Cheerilee. “But I can tell it’s a mare. I—oh gosh, all these ponies are blocking my vision. Hold on a second, let me get away from these crowds.”

Cheerilee squinted, trying to get a glimpse of Apple Bloom and the pony that was with her. “Let’s see. It looks like she’s speaking to an adult right now, but I can’t figure it out who it is. Darn it, these ponies are just get in the way! I can’t—oh!”

“What is it?”

“Looks like Apple Bloom managed to see me,” replied Cheerilee. “She’s headed this way right now along with the mare.”

    Pear looked at the direction Cheerilee was pointing at. She spotted Apple Bloom not too far away, alongside another pony trotting next to her. It was a mare, just like Cheerilee said, but she had difficulties seeing who it was. The crowd blocked her view. However, she did manage to get a quick glance at the mare’s coat and mane.

Let’s see. She's got a blue coat and a pink mane. She’s also a bit bulky compared to the other mares around here and has a hairstyle that looks like swirled ice cream. Hmm, she looks familiar. Have I met a pony like that before?

“Oh, it looks like Mrs. Cake is with Apple Bloom right now,” Cheerilee said. “Gosh, I can’t believe I didn’t recognize her. Her mane style should’ve been a giveaway.”

“W-what? Chiffon’s here?!” Pear froze. Her teeth chattered, and her body shook uncontrollably. This isn’t good. I didn’t think I’d be see Chiffon again so soon! What’s gonna happen if she sees me? Is she gonna panic like before and run away?

“Hey, are you alright?” Cheerilee asked, raising an eyebrow at the now panicked Pear Butter. “Is something wrong? You’re looking a bit pale and you’re kinda shaking right now.”

Pear’s eyes widened. A cold shiver flowed through her spine as she shifted her head toward Cheerilee.

Oh no. With Cheerilee here, this will jus’ makes things worse! If Chiffon reacts badly like she did before, Cheerilee’s gonna be even be more suspicious of me!

“Hey! Are you listening to me or not?!” Cheerilee asked in a louder tone, trying to get Pear’s attention. “Answer my question, Mrs. Apple! Are you alright?”

Pear gulped. I have no choice. I need to tell her. Listen, Cheerilee, I’m sorry for spacing out like that, but you need to listen to me! Earlier today I ran into Chiffon and—”

“Ms. Cheerilee, it’s good to see you!”

Pear flinched. Oh no, I’m too late! She’s already here!

“Wow, I didn’t think I’d be meeting you and Apple Bloom here this time of day,” said Chiffon. “Doing some shopping right now? It’s an early release today at school, so I assume that’s why you’re here.”

“Oh, yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing,” replied Cheerilee, turning away from a distraught Pear Butter. “My pantry is getting a bit low on food and I need to stock up again. Though there is another reason why I’m here Mrs. Cake.”

“Really?” Chiffon asked. “What is it?”

“I need to talk to Applejack regarding something important,” answered Cheerilee. “You see, Apple Bloom and I have been trotting together with this mare right here. She wants to speak to Applejack right away.”

“What?! No, wait! Cheerilee, please, let me explain first!” Pear panicked. She nudged on Cheerilee’s coat with her hooves, pleading to the mare not to move. But it was too late. Cheerilee had already stepped aside, revealing a distressed Pear Butter to Chiffon.

Pear gulped again. For the second time today, she would meet the pony counterpart of her best friend. She wished that she didn’t encounter Chiffon again, at least until she cleared things up with her family. Unfortunately, luck was not on her side.

“Oh, u-um…. hey there, Chiffon,” greeted Pear Butter, awkwardly. “Fancy meeting you here again.”

“Y-you!” Chiffon gasped. Her hooves began to shake, as she fumbled helplessly onto the ground.

“Mrs. Cake!” Cheerilee quickly dashed toward the bakery pony and helped her up. “What’s gotten into you?”

“I-t’s that mare!” shrieked Chiffon, pointing her hoof accusingly at Pear Butter.

Cheerilee raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between Pear and Chiffon. “What? Her? What about her?”

“W-what about her?!” stammered Chiffon in disbelief. “For goodness gracious, Cheerilee! That changeling is masquerading as my childhood friend!”

Pear groaned. Oh no, not this again.

“I’d really hope that I’d never meet up with this creature again. It was bad enough that I met her earlier today, but now she’s here again still disguised!” Chiffon continued. She pointed her hoof at Pear again. “Why haven’t you dropped that disguise yet!”

“Wait, you two have already met each other?” asked Cheerilee. “When was this?”

“Earlier today, yes,” Pear admitted. “I ran into her and Burnt Oak when I was wanderin’ around town. Chiffon ran away as soon as she saw me while Burnt Oak stayed behind.”

“And he should’ve turned you in!” continued Chiffon. “Cheerilee, how long have you and Apple Bloom been with this changeling?”

“She’s been with me ever since I left the school,” Cheerilee explained. “She wandered into school grounds and got in an argument with Mrs. Rich.”

Chiffon blinked. “Wait, she defended Apple Bloom? Why?”

“Apparently, our head of the school board harassed Apple Bloom and her friends, believing that they were bad influence on her daughter,” answered Cheerilee. “She even threatened to suspend the filly.”

Pear drifted her head away, hiding a nervous smile on her face. Well, that’s not entirely true. She only threatened suspension after I slapped her across the face.

“But that doesn’t explain why she’s here!” Mrs. Cake shouted.

“Like I said earlier, she’s here to meet up with Applejack. There’s something important that this mare needs to tell her,” Cheerilee explained further.

Mrs. Cake gasped. “And you’re letting her do this?! For Celestia’s sake Cheerilee, think of what might happen if Applejack saw her. She’ll panic once she sees this changeling imitating her mother!”

Pear winced. Okay, I’ve had enough of this! Having three different ponies accuse me of something I’m not is one thing. But my best friend? This has gone too far.

Gathering her courage, Pear trotted in between Cheerilee and Chiffon. “Now hold on a second here. Before you go around accusing me of something I’m not, let me—”

Her rant was immediately interrupted when Cheerilee covered her mouth. Pear grimaced, irate that Cheerilee had done this again.

“Oh, come on! What do you want now?!” said an annoyed Pear Butter.

“Saving your flank, that’s what. We don’t need you rambling right now. It will only make our situation worse,” Cheerilee said, whispering in Pear’s ear. “Leave Mrs. Cake to me. I’ll speak to her in private and convince her to leave.”

“Wait, what?! Why should I let you speak to Chiffon alone?” Pear asked in suspicion.

“Because she’s unwilling to listen to you right now!” Cheerilee answered, bluntly. “Just…. leave her to me, alright. I’ll convince her to leave so we can move on.”

Pear groaned. Guess I got no choice. We wasted enough time and I don’t want to end up arguin’ with my best friend. I’ll jus’ let Cheerilee do the talkin’.

“Alright, I understand,” Pear answered back. “Jus’ don’t take too long. Remember, we need to hurry. Applejack might leave at any moment.”
Cheerilee nodded. “You don’t have to remind me.” With her message made clear, she removed her hoof off Pear’s mouth.

“Mrs. Cake, I’d like to speak to you regarding this mare,” said Cheerilee. “There’s something that you need to know about her, and I’d think it’d be best if we speak in private.”

“Wait, what? You want to talk in private?” Chiffon asked, surprised by Cheerilee’s offer. “S-sure, I don’t mind. But what about Apple Bloom? We can’t just leave here unattended.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t be far. We’ll just find a place close by where we can keep an eye on Apple Bloom,” assured Cheerilee. She moved her head to side to side, surveying the area for any good locations.

“Hmm, there’s got to be someplace around here we can talk freely. I just need to find—ah ha!” She pointed her hoof to an empty stall just a short distance away from them. “Let’s have our talk over there. It’s not too far and we can keep a close eye on Apple Bloom pretty easily.”

Chiffon brushed her coat, thinking hard on Cheerilee’s proposal. “Sounds fair I suppose. Very well, I’ll here you out. But let’s be quick about this, alright. I don’t trust this thing being near Apple Bloom at all! She might do something to her.”

Pear rolled her eyes. Gee, thanks a lot Chiffon.

Before she followed Cheerilee, Mrs. Cake took one quick glance at Apple Bloom. “Alright, dear, you wait here, okay. Cheerilee and I will have a quick talk and we’ll be back in a little bit. If anything happens, just let us know.”

“How will I do that?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Try shouting,” said Cheerilee. “There are a lot of ponies here. I’m sure somepony would take notice if you shout really loud.”

Apple Bloom nodded. The two mares soon made their way over to the empty shop stall. As soon as they reached their destination, they began to talk.

Pear watched from afar as her two best friends spoke to each other. She couldn’t hear them; they were too far away to be heard. However, she could still see their expressions.

Chiffon was the worse out of the two. Her body gestures made it easy for Pear to realize Chiffon wasn’t happy. Panic and frustration was written all over her. Her forehead was wrinkled, and she often frowned a lot when Cheerilee spoke to her.

Cheerilee, however, remained calm. Compared to Chiffon, she showed no signs of anger or frustration, and she even attempted to calm the distressed mare.

Pear bit her lip. I hope Cheerilee can convince Chiffon to look the other way for now. Once I get things settled down with my pony family, I’ll go back and befriend her.

She smiled. Thinking about her longtime friend made her feel happy. It’ll just be like the friendship I have with the Chiffon I know! Oh, that’s something I’m looking forward to! It’s like meeting someone new, but that someone is a pony counterpart of a person I already know!

Her excitement quickly died down as frown formed on her face. Still, hearing Chiffon yell at me and accuse me of being that—thing again hurt. I’m supposed to be dead, at least my counterpart should be. Seeing me wandering around town twice today must’ve scared her.

She sighed. Thinking about all these pony counterparts makes me wonder how mine died. How did everyone react to the news? How did my all my family and friends handle my death?

“Hey, what’s goin’ on over there? Where’s Mrs. Cake goin’?”

“Huh?” Pear’s head jolted up. The sound of a filly’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned her head around. It was Apple Bloom. The filly had finally spoken up. Not only that, she was looking directly at Pear Butter.

Pear blinked. Then, a wide smile crept up on her face. Oh my gosh, I’m finally gonna talk to Apple Bloom! Oh, this is so exciting! What should I say to her? Should I ask how her day was? Should I ask what kind of pony Applejack is like? Oh, so many questions!

“Um, miss, are you okay?” asked Apple Bloom.

Pear flinched. “Uh, yes. I-I’m fine.” Calm down, Pear Butter. No need to make a fool out of yourself in front of your pony daughter. “W-what were you saying dear?”

“I said something is goin’ on between Ms. Cheerilee and Mrs. Cake,” Apple Bloom said again. “They stopped talking jus’ a while ago and Mrs. Cake went up and left.”

“What?! They’re finished!” Pear looked back at the vacant stall. Apple Bloom was correct. The two ponies had finished their conversation and left the stall. She could see Cheerilee waving goodbye to Chiffon as the mare galloped away.

“Huh? Where’s Chiffon goin’?” Pear asked. Apple Bloom provided no answer and merely shrugged in response.

Pear stared at the direction where Chiffon ran off. Questions started piling up in her head. What happened over there? Did Cheerilee convince Mrs. Cake to leave them alone? What did she say to her?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she spotted Cheerilee trotting back to her.

“Sorry to keep you two waiting,” said Cheerilee. “Our conversation took a bit longer than I thought, but I did manage to calm Mrs. Cake down.”

“Where is she goin’?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Oh, she’s just going back home,” replied Cheerilee in a casual tone.

“Wait, that’s it?” Pear asked. “She’s jus’ goin’ home?”

“Correct,” Cheerilee replied again. “We had a long talk, but I convinced Mrs. Cake that you weren’t going to hurt Apple Bloom. She agreed to leave us for now and allow you to meet up with Applejack.”

Pear raised an eyebrow. Her eyes were fixated on Cheerilee. “I-I see. Well if that’s the case, I guess we’re done here.”

Cheerilee nodded. She then looked over at Apple Bloom with a smile on her face. “Alright Apple Bloom, let’s go ahead and meet up with Applejack. You lead the way and the two of us will follow you, alright.”

Apple Bloom nodded. She turned around and resumed trotting down the dirt road. Cheerilee followed the filly, showing a bright smile on her face.

Pear glared Cheerilee, now growing skeptical toward the mare. How did Cheerilee convince Chiffon to leave? It doesn’t seem possible. Not with the short amount of time they had. Sure, they may know each other well, but Chiffon made it clear that she didn’t trust me.

Pear bit her lip and began rubbing the dirt with the tip of her right hoof. Cheerilee, are you hiding something from me?

“Are you coming, Mrs. Apple?” Cheerilee asked, turning back toward Pear Butter.

Pear flinched. “Y-yes I am. Sorry ‘bout that, I was lost in thought.”

“It’s fine,” replied Cheerilee. “Let’s hurry and get a move on okay. I don’t want to lose Apple Bloom in the crowd again and waste more time.”

Pear hesitated to move, but eventually nodded in agreement and followed Cheerilee. But in her head, she couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation between her two friends. She believed Cheerilee told Chiffon something, but what? What exactly are those two hiding?

Despite these suspicions, Pear needed to remain focused her family. They are her top priority, not Cheerilee or Chiffon. She’ll talk to them and get some answers later.

With her head held high, Pear Butter galloped to Cheerilee and caught up with her. They started blankly at each other. Pear tried her best to hide any suspicions toward the mare, while Cheerilee remained poker faced. After a moment of silence, the two of them galloped further down Ponyville Marketplace.
> Chapter 13
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey Cheerilee, do ya mind if we talk for a bit?” asked Pear Butter.

“Um, yes, what is it?” Cheerilee replied.

“Well…. you see...” Pear bit her lip. She could feel strange stiffness coming from her neck. “It’s just that, well, I’ve been thinking about that talk you had with Chiffon. I’d like to know what you two talked about.”

Cheerilee groaned. “Mrs. Apple, I thought I made myself rather clear just a moment ago. I convinced Mrs. Cake that you can be trusted. You don’t have to worry about her any longer.”

“But that’s the point!” Pear threw her hoof in the air, stopping Cheerilee from moving. “How were you able to convince her in such a short amount of time! I mean, the first time I ran into Chiffon today, she was terrified of me. And then jus’ moments ago, she accused be of being that—changeling thing you and Burnt Oak called me.”

“Um, okay. What are you trying to prove?” asked Cheerilee.

“I’m sayin’ that none of this makes any sense!” Pear shouted. “Call me crazy all you want, but I don’t think it was possible that you could’ve convinced Chiffon to go home in jus’ a short amount of time!”

Pear trotted up to her friend and looked at her straight in the eye. “Please, be honest with me. What did you and Chiffon talk about? How were you able to convince her to go home?”

There was no response. Nothing but a gentle breeze blowing through their manes. Pear waited for Cheerilee’s answer, but it never came. The mare kept quiet.

“Mrs. Apple, what more do you want me to say? Cheerilee asked, unfazed by Pear’s pleas. “I’ve already given you everything you need to know. What more do you want?”

“The truth!” wailed Pear Butter. She grabbed hold of Cheerilee with her hooves and shook her. “Jus’ the truth, Cheerilee! Is that really so much to ask?!”

As Pear Butter continued to shake her friend, she could feel a burst of power flowing through her. She didn’t know what it was, but she could feel it in her hooves. It surged sharply within her, and Cheerilee took the blunt of it.

Realizing that she was hurting her friend, Pear immediately let go of Cheerilee. “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that to you I swear!”

Backing away, Pear took a deep breath and held onto it for several seconds. She exhaled, but soon felt her body growing weak. The sudden rush of energy from before was now gone and had left her exhausted. Suddenly, the farm pony soon found herself collapsing on the ground.

“H-hey! Are you alright?” Cheerilee immediately ran toward Pear Butter and helped her up.

“I’m fine,” replied Pear Butter. “I-it’s okay, really. I didn’t mean to yell or shake you like that. It’s that…. bein’ left in the dark is makin’ me a bit jumpy. It feels like every pony I’ve met is hidin’ secrets. Not to mention everyone is either treatin’ me like I’m some sort of dead pony or accusin’ me of something I’m not.”

Cheerilee raised an eyebrow. “Everyone?”

“I jus’ want to know what’s goin’ on, okay? I don’t like bein’ kept in the dark like this!” Her eyes suddenly began to water. “What happened between you and Chiffon? What’s that thing you two accused me of? And what happened to the other me?!”

Pear continued to wail at Cheerilee, bombarding the mare with questions and her tears. She grabbed a hold of her friend again, but instead of shaking her like last time, Pear cried on Cheerilee’s coat.

“H-hey, calm down, Mrs. Apple. There’s no need for you to cry,” said Cheerilee, trying to soothe Pear as best she could. “Come on, you’re going to meet Applejack soon. There’s no way you should be crying like this in front of your own daughter.”

“Wait a second.” Pear stopped crying and looked directly at Cheerilee. “So, you believe me now? That I’m Applejack’s mother?”

“N-no, not yet,” replied Cheerilee, much to Pear’s disappointment. “At least not right now. I’m still a bit suspicious toward you, and I’m not sure if meeting up with Applejack will be an entirely good thing for the both of you.”

“Why is that?”

“W-well, it’s because…. um.” Cheerilee flinched. Her lips began to tremble as her eyes drifted away from Pear Butter. “Y-you see, when the Apple siblings lost their mother, Applejack was the one who took it the hardest. She was young filly at the time. When news broke out, it hit her hard. I remember her skipping school for several weeks.”

Pear frowned. “So, it’s true. Their mother.... the other me. She did die a long time ago, didn’t she?”

Cheerilee gasped, immediately covered her mouth and reeled backward. Pear looked at her friend, watching her expressions closely. From what she could tell, it seemed like Cheerilee did not want to mention her pony counterpart.

“Y-yes, she did,” Cheerilee replied, though she was a bit hesitant to respond.

Pear stared at Cheerilee for some time. She felt queasy. Her throat suddenly became dry and her hooves began to shake violently.

“So, what Spoiled said earlier is true. I really am supposed to be dead in this world.” Pear wiped a tear away on her cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? Why all the secrecy?”

“Because I still don’t trust you,” Cheerilee answered bluntly. “Mrs. Apple, I mean no offence, but I panicked when I saw you at school today. You’re supposed to be dead. Everypony in this town knows that. So, when I saw you talking to Apple Bloom and her friends, I immediately thought the worse and decided to step in.”

Pear’s ears drooped. “I see. So, the reason why you held that parent-teacher conference was to separate me and Apple Bloom.”

“That is correct,” continued Cheerilee. “Again, I don’t mean any offense, but I had to be sure that Apple Bloom was safe. Besides, if you really are telling the truth, then I’d thought it’d be best if Applejack tell you. That is if she’ll listen to you.”
Pear sighed. “What about Apple Bloom? How did…. how did she react?”

“Apple Bloom was only a few years old when her mother passed away. She doesn’t remember much about her. Only stories,” explained Cheerilee. “Though come to think of it, I heard she and her siblings went around town a few moons ago asking ponies around town about their parents.”

Pear Butter’s jaw dropped. Apple Bloom was only a baby when my counterpart passed away! Oh my gosh, that’s insane! It’s no wonder why she won’t talk to me.

“O-okay, what about Big Mac and Granny Smith?” asked Pear Butter. “How did they handle the news? Or what about my husband, Bright Mac? Was he able to cope after I died?”

Cheerilee flinched. “W-well, about Bright Mac. Y-you see he—”

“Um, excuse me?”

Pear and Cheerilee both turned their heads and found Apple Bloom standing next to them. The filly had been staring at the two ponies for some time, though neither of the mares knew how long.

“A-Apple Bloom!” Pear shrieked and tumbled onto the ground. “H-How long were you sitting there?”

“Jus’ for a little bit,” replied Apple Bloom. “Ah looked back and noticed you and Ms. Cheerilee aren't followin’ me and were instead talkin’ to each other. So, Ah came back to check up on both of ya ta see how yer doin’.”

“Sorry about that, Apple Bloom. We were just having a short conversation, that’s all,” Cheerilee explained, giving the filly a warm smile.

“Well, can we not stop anymore? My family’s stall ain’t too far away from here and if we don’t hurry, we might miss out on Applejack,” said Apple Bloom.

Pear’s ears perked up. “Wait, we’re almost there?” She looked at Apple Bloom, then back at Cheerilee. Suddenly, a warm smile crept up on her face. All her doubt and wariness from before had faded away, now replaced with a sense of excitement.

“This is wonderful! Finally, I can meet your sister and the rest of the family!” Pear Butter turned to her pony daughter and gave her the brightest smile she had all day. “Lead the way, Apple Bloom. We’ll be followin’ you shortly, okay.”

“O-okay,” Apple Bloom replied, nervously. She hesitated to move for a bit, but eventually, she turned around and continued trotting down Ponyville’s dirt road.

Pear sighed. Looks like Apple Bloom still doesn’t trust me yet. Poor girl. All these years growing up and she’s never known her own mother. Oh well, it can’t be helped. I’m sure she’ll talk after I speak with her siblings.

With her confidence returned, Pear looked up with her head held high. After readying herself, she leapt forward and made a mad dash toward Apple Bloom. But as soon as she made her move, Cheerilee called out to her yet again.

“Hold on a second!”

“Huh?” As Cheerilee’s voice rang inside her ears, Pear quickly stopped and looked back at her friend. “Cheerilee? What are you doin’? Don’t jus’ stand there! We need to move before Applejack leaves!”

“I know we’re in a hurry, but there’s one more thing I need to tell you,” said Cheerilee

“Unless this is about my children, then it can wait!” wailed Pear Butter. “Let’s get a move on already! I want to meet up with my kids!”

“Please be patient, Mrs. Apple. This will be quick,” assured Cheerilee. “And yes, this is about your children. So please, stop whining and just listen to me!”

“Ugh, fine. But be quick about this okay. We don’t have time!” Pear sat back down and began tapping her hoof on the dirt, waiting for Cheerilee to speak up. “Well, what are you waiting for? Are we gonna talk about my kids or are we gonna sit here all day?”

Cheerilee groaned. “Look, I know you’re excited to meet up with the rest of your children, but convincing them that you’re their mother is going to be difficult. I’m certain that neither of them will be convinced right away. You’ve been dead for years, and they’ve pretty much accepted that fact for a long time now.”

“I already know that, Cheerilee. You don’t have to remind me again,” replied Pear Butter. “It’s gonna be hard, yes, but I’m very certain my kids will listen to me.”

“I…. wouldn’t be too sure about that,” said Cheerilee

“Huh, why’s that?” Pear leaned forward and gave her friend a suspicious glare. “Are you doubting my kids?”

“What? No! I-it’s not that. Please, hear me out!” Cheerilee staggered away from Pear Butter, trying to gain some distance away from the mare.

“It’s just that, Applejack doesn’t respond well in some situations,” explained Cheerilee. She’s a good pony, but when under pressure, she doesn’t think right. Especially when her family is involved.”

Pear nodded. “Eeyup, that’s definitely Applejack alright. She’s a good, honest, hardworking girl. But I swear, when it comes to other issues, the girl has a lot to learn.”

“Now I wouldn’t say that. I think she’s done a good job raising Apple Bloom,” Cheerilee protested. “Sure, she got help from her brother and Granny Smith of course, but she has plenty of good influence on Apple Bloom.”

“I see. If that’s the case, then I shouldn’t be worried,” Pear said with confidence. “If she’s as mature as you say she is, then I’m certain Applejack will listen to me.”

“What about Big Mac? You’re not worried about him?”

“Not really,” replied Pear Butter. “Big Mac is a lot calmer compared to the rest of his siblings. When put into a difficult situation, he won’t let his emotions get the better of him. He takes things slowly and moves at a steady pace.”

She smiled. A sense of pride welled up in her as she spoke about her son. “He’s a good boy. I’m proud of him, and my other children, but I think we’ve talked long enough. Let’s keep moving. I don’t want to keep my kids waiting any longer.”

Gently moving her friend aside, Pear ran in Apple Bloom’s direction. Cheerilee, now annoyed by Pear’s eagerness, tried to call out to her again. But Pear ignored her and continued to move.

As she galloped down the Ponyville’s road, Pear couldn’t help but smile. At one point, she squealed. The thought of her children as ponies made her very joyful. It felt as if she was a young girl playing with a set of new toys.

It didn’t take long for Pear to catch up to Apple Bloom. She spotted the filly not too far away from her. She was about to make a run toward her, but quickly noticed that she wasn’t alone.

Seeing this, Pear slammed her hooves onto the ground, stopping her momentum. She immediately regretted her decision as her hooves skid across on the dirt road, nearly causing the farm pony to fall flat on her face. As she regained her balance, Pear glanced over to her daughter and the two ponies standing next to her.

Hmm, I wonder who they are? She squinted at the ponies to get a better look. Let’s see. One is a mare and the other is a rather large stallion. The mare’s coat is orange and has a pale blond mane, while the stallion’s coat is bright red and has an orange mane.

Pear rubbed her chin, her eyes drifting back and forth between the two ponies. Those ponies sure look so familiar. Why do I get the feeling I’ve meet them before?

“There you are!”

Pear’s ears perked up when she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her. She looked back; it was Cheerilee. The mare was running straight toward her.

“Finally, I’ve caught up with you!” said Cheerilee, panting heavily as she stopped in front of the farm pony. “Please don’t run off like that again, Mrs. Apple. I almost lost you! Last thing I want is you getting lost or me having to look for you in the big crowd!

“Oh, sorry about that. Though I’m a bit worried about you,” Pear replied, taking note of Cheerilee’s constant breathing. “Looks like you’re a bit out of shape, Cheerilee. Is work not giving you enough time to exercise or something?”

Cheerilee looked away as her cheeks flushed red. “Oh be quiet.”

Pear giggled at her friend. “I was joking, Cheerilee. No need for you to get embarrassed like that.”

“That’s enough, Mrs. Apple!” Cheerilee replied in frustration. Her cheeks were getting redder now. “Did you manage to find Apple Bloom?”

“Yes, I did.” Pear pointed her hoof directly at her child. “She’s right over there talking to those two ponies. Though I think she’s been talking to them for some time now. Does she know them or something?”

Cheerilee moved her head, glancing over to the two ponies who Pear was pointing. She paused for a moment, then looked back at the farm pony with a raised eyebrow. A smirk formed on her cheeks. Then, she laughed.

“W-what’s so funny?” asked Pear Butter, caught off guard by Cheerilee’s fit of laughter.

“Oh, Mrs. Apple, of course she knows who they are!” replied Cheerilee who was still laughing. “They’re her siblings!”

Pear’s eyes went wide, her jaw dropped. She looked back at the two ponies, glaring at them for several seconds. Images of her own children began popping up in her head, and Pear found herself comparing them to the two ponies in front of her.

“I-it’s them. It’s really them, isn’t it?”

Cheerilee nodded. “That’s correct.”

Pear gasped. Oh my gosh, why didn’t I realize it sooner! Those ponies, they’re my kids!  Oh my gosh, they’re even more adorable than I thought! Yet, why do I feel like they’re different than the kids I raised?

She shifted her head back and forth between her three children. Apple Bloom. she’s small and childish. She’s more like a young girl rather than a teenager. And Big Mac. Goodness, he’s so big! He’s more muscular than most of the horses we own back at the farm!

Pear’s eyes drifted to her eldest daughter. And Applejack, she looks almost exactly like me. The freckles, the body type. Everything’s there. But she looks a bit more muscular than me. I wonder why?

“Mrs. Apple, is something wrong?” asked Cheerilee. “You’ve been awfully quiet for some time. Are you alright?”

“Oh, y-yes, I’m fine,” stuttered Pear Butter. “W-well, no actually, I’m not alright. It’s jus’ that…. well, I’m a bit shocked right now and—”

“Mrs. Apple, relax. Everything’s going to be alright,” Cheerilee moved over to Pear’s side and attempted calm the mare down. “There’s no need for you to be so stressed out.”

“You’re right. Sorry ‘bout that. Let me jus’ calm down for a bit here, okay,” Pear sat down and took several deep breaths to relax herself. “Oh gosh. Why am I so nervous? I shouldn’t be acting like this, especially in front of my own kids!”

“Just relax. There’s no need for you to be so stressed,” Cheerilee continued. “I mean, they are your children, so there shouldn’t be any reason for you to be so stressed out.”

“It’s complicated, alright!” Pear shouted in response. Realizing what she just did, Pear covered her mouth. She looked over to Cheerilee and found her friend flat on the ground.

“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry! Here, let me help you!” Pear hurried over to her friend and helped her up. “So sorry about that, Cheerilee. I didn’t mean to yell at you like that! It’s just that you—”

“It’s alright, you don’t have to worry about me. I apologize, I went too far with my questions,” said Cheerilee. “Just focus on your children, okay.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t be actin’ like this. Especially with my own kids,” Pear said, nodding in agreement. “I’ll be settin’ a bad example for my kids if they see me like this. Need to calm down and relax.”

“That’s the spirit!” said Cheerilee. She glanced over to the Apple siblings again. “Looks like they’re still talking. Come on, let’s go. We can’t just stand here all day. Let’s go and meet up them.”

Pear nodded, and the two of them trotted toward the Apple siblings. As they got closer to them, her ears wobbled. A familiar voice rang inside her ears. It was difficult to hear at first due to the crowd of ponies, but she could pick out a southern accent coming out of that voice. It didn’t take Pear long to realize who this she was, and for a smile to form on her face.

Eeyup, that’s Applejack alright. Gosh, she sounds like daughter. Though I really shouldn’t be surprised at this point. All the ponies I’ve meet today look and sound exactly like my friends and family back home. Makes me wonder if they all act alike too. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

“So, let me get this straight, Apple Bloom,” said Applejack, her voice being much clearer as Pear got closer to her children. “Mrs. Rich scolded you and yer friends for being friendly with Diamond Tiara and tried to suspend you for it?”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Eeyup. She was outright yelling at us too. Ah don’t think Ah’ve ever since Mrs. Rich that mad before.”

“But didn’t you say earlier that she only got mad after that stranger came up and defended ya?” asked Applejack.

“Well, it’s true that Mrs. Rich got madder after that mare slapped her in the face,” replied Apple Bloom. “But sis, she was insultin’ me n’ my friends even before all that happened. She started callin’ me names n’ said that Ah was a bad influence on Diamond.”

“Wait, you did what?!”

Pear flinched as she heard Cheerilee’s loud voice rang inside her ears. Uh oh. Looks like the secret’s out. She turned around to find a fuming Cheerilee staring at her in disbelief.

“You slapped Mrs. Rich in the face!” said a flabbergasted Cheerilee.

“Only because she was insultin’ my daughter!” Pear replied in defense. “I couldn’t jus’ stand there and let that snarky mare yell at my daughter and her friends like that. For goodness sake Cheerilee, she was even scolding her own daughter for making friends!”

Pear watched as her now agitated friend began to fume. Her cheeks turned red again, and it appeared that she was grinding her teeth.

“Fine, we’ll talk about what really happened between you and Mrs. Rich later,” scolded Cheerilee. “Don’t think I’m letting you walk away from this, Mrs. Apple."

Pear rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll talk about what happened later, alright. Can we please jus’ focus on my kids now?”

Ignoring her friend’s tantrum, Pear continued to move toward her children, despite Cheerilee’s attempts to get her to listen. As she got closer, the crowd of ponies dispersed around her, making it easier for Pear to listen to her children's conversation.

“Looks like ya really had one heck of a school day, didn’t ya Apple Bloom?” said Applejack. “Between yer science project explodin’ on yer face, Mrs. Rich threatening ya with a suspension, and that mare who came and defended you, Ah’d say it was one crazy day.”

Applejack turned to her brother. “Don’t ya think so Big Mac?”

Big Mac simply nodded in reply. “Eeyup.”

Pear chucked. Short and to the point as always aren’t you Big Mac?

“Well, if I’d ever meet that mare who defended ya, I’ll give that pony one big thank you,” continued Applejack. “Do ya know what happened that mare after her hustle with Mrs. Rich, Apple Bloom? Is there anyway Ah kind find her?”

“W-well, that’s the next thing Ah wanted to talk about,” replied Apple Bloom. “You see, after her fight with Mrs. Rich, she n’ Ms. Cheerilee had a talk inside the school.”

“A talk?” asked Applejack, raising her eyebrow. “What kind of talk?”

“I don’t know. It was jus’ between her n’ Ms. Cheerilee,” answered Apple Bloom. “Me n’ my friends we’re aloud come inside with them.”

“Ms. Cheerilee ain’t gonna punish that mare, is she?” asked Applejack.

“N-no, I don’t think so. Everything seemed fine,” continued Apple Bloom. “I don’t know what they talked about at school, but when we left they seem ta okay with each other.”

Applejack tipped her stetson hat and glared at her sister. “Apple Bloom, are you alright? You’ve been kinda avoidin’ eye contact with me ever since we started talkin’ and you’ve been rubbin’ yer foreleg fer some time now. Is something wrong?”

“N-no, sis, nothing’s wrong!” Apple Bloom replied, reluctantly. “It’s jus’ that…. um.”

“Jus’ what?” Applejack moved closer to her sister. “Speak up, Apple Bloom. Did something else happen at school today? Did Mrs. Rich do more than jus’ threaten you and yer friends?!”

“What?! No! That’s not it, Applejack!” Apple Bloom squealed.

“Then what is it?!” asked Applejack, her tone being bit higher this time.

Pear frowned. Applejack, don’t overdo it. There’s no need to push your sister like that.

“I-it’s about that pony who defended me n’ my friends,” admitted Apple Bloom. “You see she—”

Before the filly could finish her sentence, Apple Bloom froze. “Um, Applejack, she’s standin’ right over there.”

“Huh? Who is?” asked Applejack.

“The mare that defended me n’ my friends,” Apple Bloom answered as she pointed her hoof toward Pear Butter. “Look, she’s standin’ right over there.”

“Huh, really? That’s great. Guess that means Ah don’t have to run around town lookin’ fer her. I can jus’ thank her here.”

Applejack tilted her hat up and began trotting toward direction where Apple Bloom had pointed. “Come on, Apple Bloom, don’t jus’ sit there. Ya need to introduce me to that mare who stood up fer—ya, what?”

Applejack gasped, her jaw began to stutter. “W-what the hay? What’s goin’ on here? W-why is she here?”

“Applejack, what’s wrong?” asked Big Mac, who grew concerned about his sister that he felt like he needed to speak up. “Something the matter? It sounds like you saw a ghost or something?”

“M-ma?”

“What? Ma? AJ what’re you talking abo…. ahhhh!”

Big Mac gasped, his voice got surprisingly loud. As he looked in his sister’s direction, the large stallion’s legs faltered, causing him to fall flat on the ground.

Pear watched as her children reacted to her presence. She could tell Applejack and Big Mac were the most surprised. Their jaws were open wide, and they could not help but stare at her in disbelief.

Apple Bloom acted differently. The young filly had shied away and hid behind her siblings. Although Pear expected this, seeing her youngest daughter look so scared hurt. It was if she was being slapped on the face.

Regardless of their reactions, Pear needed to talk to her kids. Only they will listen to her, no one else. With her head held high and her posture stern, Pear trotted toward her kids and said the only words she could think of.

“Hello kids. I’m home.”
> Chapter 14
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Pear Butter had learned of the pony versions of Applejack and Big Mac, she had been very eager to meet them. And for good reason, too. She needed ponies who were willing to listen to her, and she’d hoped her eldest children filled that role.

Now here she was, standing in front of them. Yet for some reason, Pear couldn’t say a word. All she did was smile, saying nothing. Her smile was no longer warm; now, it was awkward, stiff. Her lips were trembling and her eyes constantly drifted away, shifting back and forth between her children.

Um, oh dear. What should I say? Should…. should I speak to Applejack first? Or perhaps Big Mac? Or maybe I should talk to them both at the same time with Apple Bloom and hope for the best? But wouldn’t that make things worse? Good gracious, why was it that the first thing I said to my pony children was ‘I’m home?’ So stupid of me!

Pear immediately shook her head. Come on, Pear, quit thinkin’ too hard! These ponies are your children! I’m sure they’ll listen to me, I just need to give them a chance! So, stop doubting them and yerself. Just talk!

Casting her doubts aside, Pear recollected herself and trotted toward Applejack. Her daughter gasped, immediately jolting backward. Her hat nearly fell off her head as she fell to the ground.

Pear sighed. She’d expected a reaction like this from Applejack.

“Applejack,” Pear said with a stern voice. “We need to talk. Can I have a word with—”

“There you are! Finally, I found you!”

Pear’s ears perked up as she heard a familiar voice behind her. She turned her head; it was Cheerilee. The mare had finally caught up to her.

Cheerilee! Oh my gosh, I was so focused on my kids that I completely forgot about her.I—wait, why’s she out of breath? We were only separated for a few minutes. I swear I didn’t run off that far. 

“Please don’t run away like that again, Mrs. Apple,” moaned Cheerilee as she tried to catch her breath. “When I didn’t see you or the Apples at the stall, I panicked! I thought I lost you in the crowd, so I ran around the marketplace searching for you.”

Pear blinked. Well, that explains why she’s out of breath.

“This place may not be as crowded, but there are still quite a few ponies here!” Cheerilee yelled, still panting. “Do you know how many ponies were staring at me, or how many ponies I accidentally ran into?! I made myself look like an idiot out there all because—”

“Cheerilee, calm down,” Pear said, interrupting her friend’s rant. “I’m sorry I left you behind like that, but can you please stop ramblin’ for jus’ a sec. I’m sorta busy right now.”

“What are you talking about?” Cheerilee looked up to see Pear Butter and the Apple siblings all staring her. She gasped, eyes shifted back and forth between the four ponies, unsure of what to make of the situation.

“Oh…. dear. Um, I, well this is awkward,” Cheerilee said to herself. “Um, Applejack, I’d like to reintroduce you to—”

“Cheerilee, please, don’t make this more awkward as it is,” Pear sternly replied, glaring at the mare. “Keep quiet and leave the rest to me, got it?”

The harsh tone made Cheerilee wince. She nodded, hesitantly.

Pear Butter groaned and face-hoofed. So nice of you to make my situation worse, Cheerilee. She turned her head back toward Applejack, who had tipped her hat down, avoiding any eye contact with her mother.

“Now, Applejack, I know you’re in a bit shocked right now, but hear me out,” Pear said, as she slowly moved closer to her daughter. “You probably have a lot of questions, but that’s fine, we’ll talk about it. I’ll even go slow since there’s a lot that needs to be taken in. Jus’, please listen to me.”

Pear, now inches away from Applejack, reached out with her hoof. She was about to wrap herself around her daughter, but as soon as she did, Applejack immediately smacked Pear’s hoof away.

“Huh?” Pear flinched, immediately reeling her hoof back in pain. The strike her daughter did to her hurt, it felt harder than a hammer blow.

“Ow! Applejack that hurt! What did you do that for, sugarcube?”

Pear waited for Applejack to respond, but none came. Her daughter remained unmoved, and has not spoken a word.

Oh no, did I go too far? Pear panicked. Her teeth chattered, fearful at the possibility that she must’ve startled her pony daughter. I didn’t mean to do make her jump like that.

She sighed. Perhaps embracing her was a bit too much. She’s still trying to get over the fact that I’m standin’ here alive n’ well. I need to take this slow. Can’t take any more risks, or else Applejack might run away like Chiffon.

As the pain on her hoof subsided, Pear began making her way toward Applejack again, determined to get through to her pony daughter.

“Sugarcube, I know yer a bit surprised to see me, but we need to talk,” Pear said, as she inched closer to Applejack once more. “Now, I know I went a bit too far that time, but please, hear me out, okay? We can talk about this. Jus’ tell me what’s wrong and I’ll help you!”

Applejack, again, remained silent. The mare continued to ignore her mother’s words, and has now turned her head away.

Pear frowned, her ears began to wilt as she realized Applejack wasn’t going to talk. “I see. I-I guess yer not ready yet. I understand. I’ll leave you alone; but if you want to talk later, I’ll be here, okay.”

With a defeated sigh, Pear trotted away from Applejack. Real shame that I can’t do anything, but it’s no use talkin’ to Applejack if she doesn’t want to. I guess…. I guess I’ll try again another time. I mean, I still have a chance with Big Mac, though. He’s a big boy, so I’m sure that he’ll listen to me and see reason. 

“What the buck do ya think yer doing?”

“Huh?” Pear’s head jerked up, as she heard a familiar voice from afar. Though it was only a whisper, it was loud enough to get her attention.

That voice. Was that Applejack? As Pear looked back, her eyes widened. Applejack had stood up. Not only that, the mare was slowly trotting toward her with her hat down, still avoiding direct eye contact with her.

Seeing this, Pear squealed and clapped her hooves in excitement. She galloped back toward Applejack with glee, giving her daughter the brightest smile she had all day. As they approached each other, she noticed that Applejack’s hat was still covering her face. She cocked an eyebrow, wondering why her daughter was still avoiding direct eye contact.

“Sugarcube!” Pear said, as the two ponies finally meet again. “Oh, thank goodness. For a second there, I wasn’t sure you weren’t gonna to talk to me, but here we are now! Say, ‘bout what you said earlier. I couldn’t hear you last time. Could you ahead and repeat you said? please?”

“Will you be quiet?!”

Pear Butter froze. A loud ringing sound pierced through her, deafening her ears for a split second. She could feel her legs moving, but didn’t know why. To her, it felt like the whole world just suddenly stopped.

As she tried to recover from her stupor, Pear shifted her eyes back again toward Applejack. To her surprise, she noticed Applejack was glaring at her. For the first time since their encounter, the two ponies were finally making direct eye contact, but Applejack’s facial expressions left Pear uneasy.

“A-Applejack?” Pear Butter flinched. Though she finally made eye contact with Applejack, it was not a pleasant sight. Her daughter was not happy. The mare was giving the meanest look Pear had ever seen. If looks could kill, this would be it.

“Jus’ what the buck do ya think yer doin’?” yelled Applejack as she trotted her way toward a confused Pear Butter.

    “W-what? Sugarcube, what’s gotten into you?” Pear asked as she tried to calm her daughter down as best as she could. “Please, Applejack, you need to calm down. Jus’ relax and let me explain myse—”

    “Would ya quit talkin’!” Applejack yelled again. Her voice was getting louder now. “That face, that voice! Jus’ what the buck are ya tryin’ to pull?!”

“Huh?” Pear stuttered, suddenly finding it difficult to talk. She had never seen Applejack get so angry before. Yes, she’s known for losing her temper sometimes, but she’s never screamed like this.

Pear glanced over to Cheerilee, hoping that her friend had some answers, but this wasn’t the case. Cheerilee was just as shocked as she was. She then looked over to Big Mac and Apple Bloom. They fared no better. Big Mac was taken back by his sister’s screaming and Apple Bloom was outright shaking.

“What were ya plannin’, huh? Were you plannin’ on gainin’ mah sister’s trust and kidnapping her?” accused Applejack. “Ah thought you bugs were better than that now!”

Pear raised an eyebrow. “W-what? Bug? Applejack, what are you talking about?”

“Shut up! J-jus’ stop usin’ her voice!” Applejack yelled back, slamming her hoof to the ground. “If this is some kind of joke, it ain’t funny! Now turn back to normal, changeling! Stop usin’ my Ma’s face!”

Pear Butter gasped. Oh no. No! Not this again! Please, not my own daughter!

“Well, what are ya waitin’ for? Are ya gonna shift back or not?!” Applejack shouted, her voice becoming louder by the second. “If you don’t change back in the next few minutes, Ah swear Ah’m gonna buck you up so hard yer flank will be poppin’ holes again.”

“I—what?” Pear Butter stared at Applejack in shock, her lips puckered dry. Tears began dropping from her eye, as her daughter’s appalling accusations hit her hard. It was if she was being rammed by a tow truck.

A-Applejack…. is threatenin’ me?  Her throat suddenly became dry as she let her thoughts sink into her head. My little girl…. is threatenin’ me?

Pear’s head sunk low as more tears began to flow down on her cheeks. No! First Chiffon, then Cheerilee, a-and now my own daughter?! I-I, this is not how our meetin’ is supposed to go!

“Hey!” Pear flinched, her daughter’s loud voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Quit fakin’ the tears, changeling! Ah’m still waitin’ over here! Now, are ya gonna change back or not!”

“A-Applejack, I—”

“Quit talkin’ and change back already!” screamed Applejack, furiously. Her yelling had gotten so loud that it got the attention of other ponies nearby.

“That’s enough, Applejack! Leave her alone!”

Pear’s ears perked up. Huh? Someone’s defending me? Who?

She wiped her tears away and looked around, trying to figure out who spoke up in her defense. Soon, Pear felt a hoof touch her shoulder. Turning her head, Pear looked behind her and found Cheerilee standing right above her shoulder.

Pear gawked at her friend. “C-Cheerilee?”

“It’s okay. I got this,” Cheerilee whispered in Pear’s ear. “Leave Applejack to me, alright?”

Pear didn’t have a chance—or perhaps the strength—to respond as Cheerilee made her way toward her daughter.

“Cheerilee?! W-what the hay are ya doin’?” cried Applejack. “Get the out of the way and leave that bug to me!”

“No, Applejack, I believe that’s quite enough!” Cheerilee said as she scolded the young farm pony. “Stop screaming at the poor mare and calm down! There’s no need for you act this way!”

“Don’t you lecture me, Cheerilee,” Applejack countered, snarling back. “Don’t ya know this changeling is impersonatin’ my Ma?! Why in the hay are ya think yer doin’, standin’ up fer that thing?!”

“Because losing your temper isn’t helping!” countered Cheerilee as she slowly made her way toward Applejack, eyes leering at the young farm pony. The two ponies glared angrily at each other for some time, causing Pear Butter to worry that something bad might happen.

Then, out of nowhere, Cheerilee smacked Applejack across the face with her hoof, an action that caught both farm ponies by surprise.

“Ow! Cheerilee, what was that for?” asked Applejack.

“Quiet! You need to see the consequences for your outburst,” said Cheerilee as she used her hoof to force Applejack to turn her head around. “Look around you, Applejack. See all these ponies here. Because of your temper, everypony here is now focused on you!”

Applejack lifted her hat and looked around the area. Pear did too. A large crowd of ponies had gathered around the area. All eyes were focused on the young apple farmer, whispering amongst themselves.

“What the hay? Where’d they all these ponies come from?” asked Applejack who immediately pulled her hat down in embarrassment. “Aw shucks. W-was my yellin’ really that bad?”

“Yes, it was,” Cheerilee answered bluntly. “And believe me, these ponies are not the least of your worries right now.”

“What’d ya mean?” asked Applejack.

“Look behind you,” replied Cheerilee, pointing her hoof behind the apple farmer.

Applejack, though a bit hesitant at first, begrudgingly turned her head around. Much to her dismay, both of her siblings were staring at her, each having their own reaction to the situation. Big Mac was shaking his head in disappointment, while a startled Apple Bloom hid behind her big brother.

    Seeing this, Pear grew worried for her youngest daughter. Oh dear. Looks like Applejack’s screamin’ scared little Apple Bloom. 

“Aw shucks, looks like Ah really done it this time,” said Applejack as her cheeks flushed red. “Dang nabbit. Ah didn’t mean to cause a scene like that, let alone embarrass mah family and scare my little sister.”

She sighed, and tilted her head down in shame. “Looks like Ah’m gonna have to apologize. Jus’ hope Apple Bloom will forgive me fer my outburst…. and that Big Mac won’t lecture me.”

“Hold on a second!” said Cheerilee, preventing Applejack from trotting toward her siblings. “Before you go anywhere, there’s still one pony that you have to apologize first.”

“Huh? There is?” Applejack asked. “Who?”

“You need to apologize to her,” said Cheerilee, pointing her hoof directly at Pear Butter.

“What?!” shouted Applejack.

Pear covered her ears. Applejack’s loud outburst took her by surprise, as well as Cheerilee and several other ponies in the area. Though she wished her daughter would stop yelling, she was surprised by Cheerilee’s actions.

Gosh, I didn’t think that Cheerilee would do this for me. Especially since she accused me of being that changeling thing earlier. I wonder what caused her to change her mind about me?

“First of all, Applejack, calm down. You’re going to cause a scene again if you keep shouting like that,” said Cheerilee as she removed her hooves from her ears. “Second, what you did, although understandable, was not appropriate. This mare may be a changeling, or may not be one. Regardless, what you did wasn’t right, Applejack. You need to apologize.”

“B-but, Ah can’t,” said Applejack. “Ah shouldn’t apologize to this thing. She’s the one who started this mess when she impersonated by Ma.”

“Applejack, apologize.”

Pear’s ears perked up again, as well as Cheerilee and Applejack. A pony with a deep masculine voice had spoken up amongst the crowd, taking the mares by surprise. They looked to see who it was and almost immediately found Big Mac staring right at his sister, standing perfectly firm.

“Big Mac?” Applejack raised an eyebrow and turned to her sibling. “Was that you who spoke up?”

“Eeyup, Ah did,” he admitted. “Go on, AJ, apologize to that mare now.”

“What?!” Applejack’s voice became loud again. “Big Mac not you too!”

“Jus’ do it, Applejack,” said Big Mac, sternly. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“Why?!” whined Applejack. “She’s the one who started this whole mess by turnin’ into our Ma! Ah shouldn’t—”

“Land’s sakes, Applejack, stop bein’ so stubbon and jus’ apologize,” said Big Mac, interrupting his sister’s rant. “Believe me, Ah know you don’t want to, but can ya at least do it fer yer sister?”

Big Mac tilted his head over to Apple Bloom, who was still hiding behind him. The young filly refused to make eye contact with Applejack, still shaken by her sister’s outburst. Seeing this, Applejack sighed, kicking the dirt in frustration.

“Fine, Ah’ll do it,” muttered Applejack. “Jus’ let me make this clear, Ah’m only doin’ this fer Apple Bloom, alright. Ah owe it to her, since mah yellin’ scared her.”

“Thank you,” said Big Mac. “Now swallow that pride of yers and go apologize.”

“Yeah, alright, Ah get it. Ya don’t have to keep repeatin’ yerself.” Applejacked huffed, before she begrudgingly trotted back toward Pear Butter.

Pear watched as Applejack approached her for the second time today.

“Alright, let me jus’ make myself clear,” said Applejack. “The only reason Ah’m apologizin’ is because of Apple Bloom, ya hear! Don’t think yer off the hook jus’ yet, changeling. Ah’m still mad that ya decided to turn into mah ma!”

Pear sighed. “Applejack, I’m glad that you're apologizing for your mistake, but there’s clearly some misunderstandin’ here. If you would jus’ give me time and explain myself, I’m sure we can clear this up.”

“Misunderstanding?” Applejack said. “What the hay are ya talking about? Yer the one who started this mess!”

“Sugarcube, calm down. Please, let me explain myself, okay? If you would give me jus’ five minutes to explain everything, I swear I’ll give you the answers you’re looking for.”

Applejack scowled. “Fine, but Ah’m only givin’ you a minute, understand? Yer excuse better be worth mah time, or else Ah’m gonna be kickin’ ya right in the flank!”

Pear groaned, smacking herself in the face with her hoof. Oh gosh, she’s so stubborn! I don’t recall my Applejack ever acting like this! Did my counterpart allow our daughter to behave like this, or did Applejack start actin’ this way after the she died?

“Hey! Are ya gonna keep smakin’ yerself in the face or are ya gonna talk?” asked Applejack. “Didn’t Ah jus’ say ya only have a minute to talk! Come on, Ah haven’t had all day!”

Pear sighed. Oh well, guess I should bear with it for now. After shrugging of her daughter’s poor attitude, Pear stood up and looked at Applejack in the eye.

“Alright, sugarcube, I’ll explain myself as quickly as I can. I don’t know if I can do it in one minute, but I’ll try,” said Pear Butter. “You see, Applejack, I—”

“Princess, I found her!”

Pear flinched, her ears perked up again. A loud voice had spoken up within the crowd of ponies. The voice came out of nowhere, interrupting the talk between herself and Applejack.

“This way, Princess! She’s right over there!”

Pear groaned. Oh, come on! What now?! Can’t these ponies see that I’m tryin’ to talk to my daughter! 

Begrudgingly, Pear turned away from Applejack to face the pony. I swear, these ponies are startin’ to aggravate me! Why can’t I have at least one normal conversation with one of them! I—

Pear froze. As she turned to face the pony who had interrupted her talk, her eyes widened. Standing in front of her was a familiar mare with a blue coat and pink mane that looked like swirled ice cream.

“C-Chiffon?” Pear’s jaw fell agape as she saw her friend’s pony counterpart standing in front of her once again. What…. what is she doin’ here? I thought she went home earlier after her talk with Cheerilee.

“Here she is, Princess,” yelled Chiffon as she called out to some pony in the crowd. “She’s over here with Applejack! Please, you need to see this for yourself.”

Pear tilted her head. Huh? Who is she talking to?

Just then, the crowd of ponies behind Chiffon began to move. The ponies scattered away, splitting the crowd into two groups. Chatter began arising amongst the ponies too, their murmurs got so loud that it could be heard from a distance.

Pear raised an eyebrow. What in the world? What’s gotten these ponies riled up all of a sudden? She tilted her head and tried to get a look past Chiffon, trying to catch whatever caught these ponies attention.

Then she spotted it. In between the crowd stood another pony.

At first glance, Pear noticed that the new pony was a bit taller than the others. Not as tall as her son, but this pony was much taller than average. Even taller than Applejack, Cheerilee, and most of the adult mares she encountered today.

Who is that pony? And why’re all the other ponies around movin’ outta the way? Is this pony important or something?

Deciding that she needed a better look, Pear trotted past Chiffon and squinted at the newcomer. As soon as the new pony moved out of the crowd, Pear gasped. Standing in front of her was not just any normal pony.

What in the world? This pony. She has a pair wings and a horn! How?

Quickly, Pear examined the newcomer’s features as the mare got closer to her. Hmm, she has a purple coat and a blue mane with purple streaks. Doesn’t look like anyone I know from my world. I wonder who this she is?

“Twilight! Boy am I glad to see you!” said Applejack, quickly trotting toward the newcomer’s side.

Hearing this, Pear’s eyes went wide. Wait a second! This is Twilight?! The same girl who befriended my daughter at Canterlot High? 

Her jaw fell agape again. This mare. She’s the one that I’ve been looking for this whole time! The same one that Starlight Glimmer pony mentioned back at the castle! And if I recall correctly, that mare said that this winged-horned pony is also a Princess!

Pear twitched. Oh my gosh! All this time, my daughter has been associating with a Princess from pony world! This is so crazy!

“Thank goodness yer here, Twi’,” said Applejack. “Ah’m in a really tough spot right now. Ya think you can help me out a bit here.”

“It’s alright, Applejack,” replied Twilight. “I’m already aware of the situation. You don’t really have to get into too much detail, Mrs. Cake already informed me about what’s going on.”

“Oh, thank Celestia,” said Applejack, sighing in relief.

Pear tilted her head, confused by Twilight’s words. Wait what? What did she mean when she said she’s already aware of the situation? And what does Chiffon have to do with any of this?

“That pony over there,” said Twilight, pointing her hoof toward Pear Butter. “Is she the one whose causing all this trouble around town?”

“What?! Trouble?!” Pear said to herself, wincing at Princess Twilight’s accusations.Pear What the heck?! Why does this princess pony think I’m causing trouble around town? I’ve done no such thing! 

“Yeah, that’s her,” replied Applejack.

“I see.” Twilight frowned. “Have you tried talking to her, Applejack? Try and convince her to change back?”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah don’t think Ah did any good, Twi’. Ah let mah temper get the better of me. In the end, Ah ended up scarin’ Apple Bloom. Think it’d be best if Ah leave rest ta you.”

Twilight nodded. “I understand. No offense, Applejack, but Mrs. Cake and I heard you screaming from so far away. To be honest, I’m quite shocked. I’d never thought that you of all ponies could get so angry. I mean, I heard you got really upset when somepony around town insulted you, but this.”

“Sorry that ya heard that, sugarcube,” said Applejack, as she pulled her hat down in shame. “It’s jus’ that, when it comes to mah family, Ah can get pretty—”

“You don’t have to talk about it, Applejack,” said Twilight, throwing her hoof around her friend’s body. “I’ll deal with this. Just stay near Mrs. Cake and let me do the talking.”

Applejack slowly nodded. “Thank ya, Twilight.”

Pear Butter watched as Applejack silently made her way toward Chiffon. Out of pure instinct, she almost called out to her, hoping that her daughter was alright. However, Pear immediately reeled herself back as soon as she saw Princess Twilight flying toward her.

“Hello, Miss,” said Twilight as she greeted Pear Butter with a straight face.

Pear flinched as Princess Twilight descended upon her. She could feel her regal presence overshadowing her at every whim.

“Oh, um, why hello, there, Princess. C-can I help you with something?” Pear twitched. Oh gosh. I’ve never spoken with an actual princess before! What should I do? What should I say? Is my mane alright? Do I look good enough for a princess?

“Miss, please, there’s no need for you to get all worked up over me,” replied Twilight. “And yes, you can help me. I just to get some answers from you, that’s it.”

“O-oh, I see. So, you jus’ want talk then, huh? That’s fine, I’m okay with that,” said Pear Butter, feeling a bit relieved by Twilight’s words.

“Perfect!” said Twilight as she sat down in front of Pear Butter. “It’d be better off if we do this quickly though. I don’t want the both of us to linger here for too long. We’ve already dragged enough ponies into this mess and we don’t want any more attention.”

“O-of course, thank you!” said Pear Butter, happily. Yes! Finally, a pony who is willing to listen to me! She inched closer to Twilight, ready to respond to any questions the princess had to ask. “Okay, what is it that you want?”

“Answers,” Twilight replied bluntly with a stern face. “You see, I’ve been hearing a lot of commotion around town lately. Ponies chatting about a newcomer arriving in town.”

“I-I see. So, you think your ponies have been talking about me?” asked Pear Butter. Wait a second. How is it that these townsponies are already talking about me?!  I’ve only been here for only half a day fer cryin’ out loud!

“That is correct,” answered Twilight. “You see, Ponyville is a small town. The ponies here know each other like the back of their hoof. So, when a newcomer comes into town, everypony gets…. excited, to say the least.”

“Huh? You say that like it’s a bad thing,” said Pear Butter, taking notice of Princess Twilight’s hesitation.

“Well… there have been a few incidents where this town’s friendliness got a bit over the top,” said Twilight. “But I assure you, we treat our newcomers well.”

“Um, okay. What does this have to do with me?” Pear asked.

“Because I’ve been notified by quite a few ponies that you’ve been causing some trouble around town,” answered Twilight.

“What?!” Pear gasped, throwing her head back. “I-I’ve done no such thing! All I’ve been doin’ is jus’ wanderin’ ‘round town, enjoyin’ the scenery!”

“That’s not what I heard,” said Twilight. “I had two mares come up to me today, yelling fanatically that they’ve seen a disguised changeling wandering around town today.”

Pear’s jaw dropped. No! Are you serious?! This Princess is gonna accuse me of bein’ that thing too? She slid down to the floor, shocked that these allegations came up again. First, Chiffon, then Cheerilee, then my own daughter, and now this town’s Princess?! When will this accusations end?!

“Um, ma’am? Are you alright?” asked Twilight.

“No, I am not alright!” wailed Pear Butter as she frantically threw her hooves up in the air. “All day I’ve been accused of something I’m not! By my family, by my friends, and now by this town’s Princess!”

She groaned and threw herself onto the ground, landing on her backside. "Why can’t anyone jus’ listen to me?! I’m not that changeling thing, alright! Can’t you all see that I jus’ wanted to talk to my family?!”

“No, miss, you misunderstand,” Twilight replied as she tried to calm Pear down. “I’m not accusing you of being a changeling at all. Just hear me out, alright! We can have a civil discussion.”

Pear blinked, her eyes fixated on Princess Twilight. “Wait, you’re…. not accusin’ me of being that changeling thing?”

“No, I’m not,” assured Twilight as she helped Pear Butter off the ground. “Like I said earlier, I just want answers. I’m not going to jump into any conclusions just yet. So, just calm down, alright. I’m willing to listen to whatever you have to say.”

Pear stared at Twilight in silence. For the first time since she arrived in Ponyville, she felt at ease. “T-thank you, Princess,” said Pear Butter. “You don’t know how much this means for me.”

“Believe me, I understand,” replied Twilight. “There have been plenty of times where the ponies in this town refuse to listen to reason. We try to learn from our past mistakes, but they always find a way back.”

“I see.” Pear stood up and brushed off the dirt from her coat. “So, how are you gonna convince your ponies that I’m not a threat?”

“Simple,” said Twilight. “I’m going to cast a magic spell on you.”

Pear blinked. “Wait, a magic spell. An actual magic spell?!”

Twilight nodded. “That is correct. The purpose of this spell is to reveal your true nature. It’s supposed to be a countermeasure against actual changelings, or any other magical beings that can shapeshift.”

Pear blinked again, her mouth began to stutter. Oh my gosh. Actual magic! If I was a little girl, I’d be screaming with joy right now!

“I-I see,” Pear said as she tried to remain tempered. “So, what’s going to happen to me when you cast that spell? It’s not gonna hurt, right?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, it won’t. What’s going to happen is that this spell will encircle your entire body and reveal your true form. Again, if you’re not a changeling, it won’t affect you. At worst, you’ll just float off the ground and fall flat when the spell is over.”

Pear raised an eyebrow. She was a bit skeptical of the Princess’ plan. After all, she’d just met the pony, nor has she ever scene magic before. Was there a possibility that the spell could fail, or could this be a trick?

Pear grumbled, thinking about all the possibilities made her head hurt. She tilted her head and spotted her children from afar. Their eyes were all on her and their Princess, waiting for something to happen.

Seeing this caused Pear to sigh. She’d hoped that her pony children would listen to her, but nothing went according to plan. If she wanted to be with her children, she needed this Princess’ help.

Looks like I got no choice but to accept the Princess’ offer. I’m a bit nervous, but if I want to prove to my children that I’m their mother, then I need to do this.

Pear looked at Princess Twilight in the eye. “Alright, do it. Cast yer spell. Do it so I can be with my family.”

Twilight nodded. She stepped away from Pear Butter and raised her head, her horn began to ignite. The crowd of ponies watched as sparks of purple enveloped their Princess’ horn, all of whom anticipated something magical is about to happen.

As magic flowed through Princess Twilight, she pointed her horn at Pear Butter and fired the spell on the farm mare. Pear closed her eyes, expecting to experience some sort of pain, but none came. Instead, Pear found herself floating. The magical energies began to surround her entire body.

With a flick of her head, Twilight stopped Pear Butter in mid-air. Her horn lit brighter, as the bright lights soon engulfed the farm mare, covering Ponyville marketplace with a shroud of purple.

And at that moment, where the light shined its brightest, Pear Butter screamed.
> Chapter 15
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just as the bright purple light quickly illuminated Ponyville Marketplace, so too, did it quickly fade away.  In the blink of an eye, the light all but dispersed into thin air. But as it disappeared, so did Pear Butter’s levitation. The minute it dispersed, the farm pony soon found herself dropping in mid-air. A loud thud could be heard as Pear landed flat on her belly.

“Ow!” Pear yelped as she landed on the ground with a loud thud. “Gosh, I’m gonna be feeling that one in the morning.”

Pear Butter groaned, dazed by the aftermath of Twilight’s spell. She tried to stand up, but the pain in her belly prevented her from doing so. And not only that, but her head was throbbing. She could feel it thump as she rubbed her forehead with her hoof.

Gosh, feels like I’ve woken up from a hangover. Whatever that spell thing the Princess did really left my head spinning. I can’t even see properly.

“Hey! What happened? Did yer spell work, Twilight?”

“Yup, it looks like the spell worked properly, Applejack.”

“Huh?” Pear rolled her head. She saw Applejack and Twilight talking from a distance.

“But, nothin’ happened. That pony didn’t change or anything.”

“Correct. Things turned out exactly as I expected.”

“What?! But Twilight—”

“Applejack just calm down, alright. I’ll explain everything in due time. Just let me tend to our guest first. I think she’s still reeling a bit from the spell.”

Pear Butter’s ears perked. She could hear the Princess’s voice getting louder.

“As for everypony else here: by my right as Princess, I request that you all leave.” Pear could hear the crowd of ponies chattering amongst themselves. “I know all of you have a lot of questions, but rest assured, everything’s going to be fine. I’ve got everything covered.”

Pear sighed in relief. Thank goodness. The girl’s convincin’ the crowd to leave. Hopefully, now I can talk to my family in peace!

“Hey! Are you alright?”

“Huh?” Pear Butter looked up to see Princess Twilight standing next to her.

“Oh gosh, sorry about that. I should’ve cushioned your fall with my magic.” She extended her hoof in front of Pear Butter. “Do you need some help getting up? Here, grab hold of my hoof. It’s the least I could do.”

“Oh, thank you.” Pear grabbed a hold of Twilight’s hoof and pulled herself up. “So, what happened? Did your spell thing work?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, I think it worked just fine.”

“R-really?” Pear sat down and examined herself, touching every inch of her body. “I don’t feel any different. Was something supposed to happen?”

Twilight shook her head. “No. Like I said, what I cast was simply a revealing spell meant to reveal your true form. If you were really hiding your real identity, then your disguise would’ve vanished along with the spell.”

“Oh, I see. So, I guess that means everything went okay?”

“Correct! The spell was a complete success!” Twilight assured with a smile on her face. “Though, admittingly, the only thing that was affected was your bag.”

Pear blinked. “M-my bag?” She looked to her side and noticed her bag dangling around her neck.

“Oh my gosh, my bag! I completely forgot about it!” Quickly, Pear removed the bag from her neck and examined it, looking for any signs of any damage or missing items. Much to her dismay, she found the bag’s cover completely wide open.

“M-my bag's open? How? When did this happen?” Pear panicked. She frantically moved about, trying to locate any lost items that might have fell out. “Oh no! They’re gone. My phone, my wallet. They must’ve fell out! How am I supposed to find them now?!”

Twilight coughed. “Ahem. Miss, can you please calm down. I can assure you that your belongings are safe.”

“What makes you say that?!” asked a panicking Pear Butter.

“Because, I have the right here.”

Pear turned to see Twilight’s horn shimmering again, with her items enveloped in a purple light.

“My wallet! My phone! Oh, thank goodness, they’re both okay.” Quickly, she grabbed hold of her bag and allowed the Princess to place them back inside. “Thank you so much! I don’t know how you did it, but thank you for finding these for me.”

“Your welcome, ma’am,” said Twilight. “I was lucky enough to notice both items flying my way and used my magic to catch them mid-air. Again, sorry about that. I wasn’t expecting something like that to happen.”

Pear shook her head. “No, it’s alright. Thanks for keepin’ my things safe.”

“No worries, ma’am. We all value what we own. And I know that the people from the other world do the same as well. Especially those small devices that you all carry around.”

Pear Butter gasped. “Wait, so you…” But her voice faltered and the words would not come.

They didn’t need to, for Twilight nodded. “That is correct. I know who you really are, Mrs. Buttercup. You don’t have to hide anything anymore. You can trust me.”

Pear Butter froze. The mere mention of her nickname caused her eye to twitch.

“Buttercup. That’s the name my husband gave me when we were little kids.” Pear bit her lip. “Where…. where did you hear about that?”

“From Applejack. She told me everything there is to know about you,” said Twilight. Immediately, her eyes went wide. “Oh, um, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you like that, I swear.”

“No, it’s fine. You caught me off guard, that’s all,” said Pear Butter. She looked away from Twilight and began rubbing her foreleg. “How…. did you know I was out here? Didn’t you say earlier that a couple of ponies decided to report me or something?”


“That’s correct,” answered Twilight. “Now I know you’d like to hear who reported you, and while I’m not exactly inclined to let you know, I’ll let this slide. The ponies who talked to me earlier were Spoiled Rich and Mrs. Cake.”

“W-what?” Pear’s jaw fell agape again. “Hold on a sec, Spoiled Rich and Chiffon? They’re the ones who told you about me?”

Twilight nodded. “Yup. Mrs. Rich came to me first, then Mrs. Cake.”

“W-what?!” Pear stared at Twilight in disbelief. “B-but that doesn’t make sense! I mean, I expected that snobby Spoiled Rich told you ‘bout me, but Chiffon?! I was told that she went home after I met her again today.”

“About that,” interrupted Twilight. “Mrs. Cake mentioned that she saw you twice in the marketplace today, but she only came to me just a few minutes ago.”

Pear Butter stuttered, completely at a loss for words. “B-but if that’s true, then she went to you after she met me the second time. If that’s the case then—”

She gasped. Moving her head to the side, Pear spotted Cheerilee from afar. The mare stayed behind, despite Princess Twilight’s message earlier, and was carefully observing their conversation.

Cheerilee, you lied to me.

“Is something wrong, Mrs. Apple?” asked Twilight.

“W-what? Oh no, nothing’s wrong. I was jus’ thinking ‘bout a couple of things, really.” Pear quickly glanced back at Cheerilee one more time. Cheerilee, when this is over, you and I are going to have a talk. “So, how many times have you’ve been to my world? I assume you’ve familiar with my Applejack, correct?”

“Yes, I do. I’ve been to Canterlot High three times in the past year, and I’ve gotten to know your daughter several times,” said Twilight. “And just between the two of us, she and this Applejack are alike in almost every way possible.”

“I see.” Pear smiled as images of two Applejacks acting alike played in her head. The mere thought of this made her chuckle.

“Okay, funny thoughts aside, how’d you figure out that I’m not from here? From what you’re saying, it seems like you knew from the beginning that I wasn’t a threat.”

“Yes, about that. You see, I was informed by my student that she found somepony wandering around my castle and had to escort her out,” Twilight explained. “It just so happened that, earlier today, somepony recently used my mirror portal.”

“Wait, I know what you’re talking about! You’re talking about that Starlight Glimmer pony, aren’t you? And that weird crystal mirror thing that goes to my world.”

Twilight nodded. “You are correct. After I spoke with Starlight, I inspected the mirror portal again, only to find out that it had been used again. I nearly panicked, but then I thought back to the pony Starlight mention. We guessed that you were the one who used it, so we split up and searched the town.”

“And eventually you ran into both Spoiled and Chiffon,” said Pear Butter as she filled in the details herself. “Well, you found me, but what’s gonna happen now? Are you going force me back through that mirror portal thing?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, I won’t.”

“Wait, what?” Pear Butter froze. She blankly stared at Princess Twilight. Her eyes blinking just a few times. “You’re gonna let me stay? You’re not gonna drag me back to your castle and sent me home?”

“Of course not!” replied Twilight, giggling at Pear Butter’s outrageous comment. “No, I’m not forcing you to go back home. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll have to head back eventually, but not right now. You still have something to do here, don’t you?”

Pear’s jaw dropped. “So, what your saying is…. I can stay? You’re going to let me see my kids?”

Again, Princess Twilight nodded.

Pear’s eyes went wide. She sat flat on her flank staring at Princess Twilight in shock. For a moment, she remained quiet, causing the Princess to worry.

“Um, Mrs. Apple? Are you alright?” Twilight asked.

Then, out of nowhere, Pear squealed. Her voice was so loud that it caused Twilight to fumble back.

“Yes! Thank you! Thank you, so much!” Pear said heartily as she continued jumping with joy. “Thank you! Now I can have a second chance with my pony kids! Oh, you don’t know how much this means to me!”

“Y-yes, you’re quite welcome, Mrs. Apple,” said Twilight who was a bit overwhelmed by Pear’s excitement. “With everything settled, I’m pretty certain that Applejack will listen to you now. Though to be honest, I’m a bit worried about her though.”

Pear stopped jumping about and raised an eyebrow at the Princess.

“Huh? Why is that? You doubin’ my daughter or something?”

Princess Twilight shook her head. “No, it’s not that. It’s just that—well...” The Princess bit her lip. “I’m worried that Applejack may not handle this situation well. Emotionally, mind you. She hasn’t seen her mom in years. When she finds out that you really are her mother, she might—”

“Don’t worry about her,” Pear interjected. “Leave my daughter to me. I’ll make sure she’ll be alright.”

Twilight blinked. “Um, okay then. Are you sure you don’t need any of my help?”

“No, I don’t,” said Pear Butter, firmly. She trotted up to the Princess and put a hoof on her shoulder. “Jus’ leave her to me, got it?!”

Twilight hesitated to reply. She was unsure of Pear’s proposal. But after a moment of silence, she nodded in agreement.

“Alright! I’ll leave her to you.”

“Hey! What the hay are you two blabberin’ about?!”

Pear’s ears perked, and so did Twilight’s. The two ponies moved their heads to find Applejack standing alongside her siblings, Chiffon, and Cheerilee. All of whom were waiting for an answer from their Princess.

“Twilight, are ya gonna jus’ sit there ‘an talk all day or what?” Applejack asked. “Come on, sugarcube, quit stallin’! Tell us what’s goin’ on!”

“Y-yeah, Ah’d like do know what’s goin’ on too,” said Apple Bloom, meekly. “Can you tell us who this mare is please?”

Pear watched as her family and friends all gaped at their Princess, eager for some answers. She immediately moved forward and was about to say something, but she was stopped by Princess Twilight.

“Hold on a second,” said Twilight as she pushed Pear back. “Before you talk to them, let me speak to Applejack first.”

“Huh? Why? Didn’t I jus’ tell you that I can handle this?” objected Pear Butter.

“I know that, but Applejack’s one of the few ponies in Equestria that know about the mirror portal,” explained Twilight. “If I explain to her that you’re from the other world, she’ll believe me. Besides, I don’t think she’s that eager to talk to you yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if she still thinks you’re an imposter.”

Pear tilted her head. “Okay. But what makes you think that she’ll believe you? I mean no offense, Princess, but we both know that AJ can be stubborn like a pack of mules sometimes. What makes you think you’ll convince her to listen?”

“Don’t worry. I’m confident that my she’ll listen to me,” said Twilight. “Applejack has the ability to catch ponies lying. She’ll know that I’m telling the truth once I pull her aside and talk to her privately.”

Pear raised an eyebrow at Twilight, still feeling a bit doubtful of the mare’s proposal. At first, she felt like ignoring the Princess and just push the pony aside. Her mind changed, however, when she saw Applejack.

The mare was outright glaring at her, and not exactly in the most pleasant way.

“Alright, go ahead,” Pear said to Twilight. “Jus’ be quick about it, alright? Convince them that I’m not what they think I am so I can finally talk to them.” And hopefully you’ll get Applejack to stop lookin’ at me like that.

Twilight nodded. She turned and made her way toward her subjects.

“Alright everypony, I know you all are probably confused right now. But rest assured, I can say with confidence that this pony here is no threat to us.”

“What makes you say that, Princess?” asked Chiffon. “Did your spell work, or were you able to talk some sense into this pony?”

“It’s actually, a lot more complicated than that, Mrs. Cake,” said Twilight. “The five of you will be coming with me to my castle. There, I will explain what happened and who this mare is.”

“Wait, five of us?” Cheerilee asked. “What do you mean by only five of us?”

“Applejack will stay behind,” answered Twilight, surprising the group of ponies. “She’ll be keeping this mare company and show her around town.”

“What?!

Applejack and Pear Butter shouted in response. Both surprised by Twilight’s proposal.

“What the hay? What’re you sayin’, Twilight?” Applejack asked. “Why do Ah have ta stay behind?”

“I’d like to know too,” said Pear Butter. “Princess, I thought I made myself clear that I want to spend time with all of my kids. Not just, AJ.”

The Princess, however, remained calm and replied, “I believe that it’s better this way. For the both of you. You, Mrs. Buttercup, will get the grand tour of Ponyville without causing any more confusion. Applejack will be your guide, and at the same time apologize for yelling at you.”

“What?!” Applejack trotted over to Twilight and butted her friend on the forehead. “What do ya mean by that, sugarcube? Why do Ah have ta apologize, let alone stay behind with this imposter?!”

Twilight pushed her friend back and flared. “Because she’s not an imposter!”

The group of ponies gasped.

“W-what?” Applejack stuttered. Twilight’s sudden burst seemed to have mellowed her out a bit. “What’re you sayin’, sugarcube?”

“You heard me loud and clear, Applejack. This pony is no imposter.” Twilight lit her horn and used her magic to push her friend away from the group. “Come on, there’s something you need to know about this mare. Let me talk to you in private and I’ll explain everything.”

The ponies watched as their Princess dragged her friend away. Once far enough, Twilight’s horn lit up and a light purple dome enveloped around her and Applejack. The Princess then turned to her friend again and began to talk, though no pony within the vicinity heard a thing.

The group of ponies exchanged worried glances, unsure about their Princess’s motives. Then, Apple Bloom quietly spoke up.

“Um, what’re my sister and Twilight talkin’ about? Does it have something to do with that mare over there?”

“I suppose so,” replied Cheerilee. “But is it really necessary that she needed to cast a silence spell? Why all the secrecy?”

“Maybe they’re talking about something important,” suggested Chiffon.

Pear thought the same way. Curious, she slowly trotted closer to the purple dome and watched as Applejack and the Princess spoke to one another. They talked back and forth, though she couldn’t really make out what they were saying. Whatever the Princess did, it prevented Pear and the rest of ponies from hearing anything.

Then, something peculiar happened within the dome. It was a sudden shift in mood, something Pear quickly noticed. Reacting quickly, she moved to get a better look. When she arrived, she noticed something strange happening to her daughter.

Applejack was sitting still. Her head looking down on the ground. Princess Twilight stood next to her with her hoof wrapped around her friend. Though Pear was confused at first, the look of her daughter’s expression made her gasp.

Applejack was crying.

Suddenly, the purple dome surrounding the two mares began to fade, and the light enveloping Twilight’s horn dimmed. As the magic disappeared, Pear could hear her daughter again, though all she heard from her were sobs.

Soon, Pear could hear loud hoofsteps behind her. She looked back to see her pony family and her friends rushing toward their Princess. They were about to ask some questions, but all of them abruptly stopped as they saw Applejack crying on the dirt road.

Apple Bloom spoke up first. “Applejack?” Worried, the filly slowly made her way toward her sister. “What’s wrong, big sis? Why’re you cryin’?”

“AJ!” Big Mac hurried to his sister, trying to comfort her as best as he could. “W-what happened? What did Twilight tell you?”

“The truth,” replied Twilight. She trotted over to Applejack and nudged her backside. “Come on, Applejack, chin up. Now’s not the time to be upset. There’s a pony over there that’s waiting for you.”

Applejack looked up at her friend, simply nodding in response. She wiped the tears away with her hooves and stood up, straightening her hat in the process. Though her siblings and her friends loaded her with questions, Applejack ignored them and made her way to her mother.

Pear Butter examined her daughter’s expression. All the anger she had earlier was now gone, replaced with tears and sobs. Her body was outright trembling, and the tears just couldn’t stop flowing. For all that Pear knew, it looked like Applejack was about to collapse on her.

“Applejack?” Concerned, Pear reached out to Applejack with her hoof. “Are you alright?

Then, unexpectedly, Applejack dashed and leapt toward Pear Butter. She clenched her hooves tightly around her mother and buried her face in Pear’s coat. The sobs were beginning to get louder as the young farm pony began to cry in her mother’s arms.

“Mama! It’s you!” Applejack hiccupped as she looked at Pear Butter with a teary face. “Oh gosh. Ma, Ah’m so sorry. A-Ah swear, I didn’t mean to yell at you like that! Ah didn’t know!”

“Sugarcube.” Pear Butter looked down at her crying daughter and hugged her tightly in return. “Shh, it’s okay, Applejack. Everything’s going to be okay. You don’t have to apologize for nothin’. You were jus’ lookin’ out for your family, that’s all. And I appreciate that.”

“Y-ya do?” asked Applejack.

“Of course,” assured Pear Butter as she too got teary eyed. “For all it’s worth, you’ve shown me how dedicated you are into protectin’ your kin. And that’s admirable sugarcube. I’m proud of you.”

“Ma.”

As mother and daughter embraced, the rest of the group of ponies stared at them in shock. They were left completely speechless, both by Applejack’s sudden shift in emotion and her willingness to accept this pony as her mother. It wasn’t until Cheerilee broke the silence and finally spoke up.

“W-what in the world? Just a minute ago, Applejack was outright fuming at the mare. And now she’s accepting her as her mother?!” She turned toward the Princess. “Twilight, just what in Celestia’s name is going on here?”

“Ah’d like to know myself,” said Big Mac. “Princess, what did ya say to Applejack? Is that pony not a changeling? I-is that really our Ma?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, she is.”

Her response surprised the group, causing them all to gasp.

“But that can’t be,” said Chiffon. “Pear Butter died over ten years ago. How is it that she’s standing here right now?’

“I know it’s hard to believe, but that pony standing there right now is Pear Buttercup Apple,” said Twilight. “And to prove it, I’d like you all to accompany me to Castle Friendship. There, I’ll prove to all of you that this mare standing right here is in fact your longtime friend and mother.”

The group exchanged looks again, unsure what to do. Big Mac and Apple Bloom were left speechless while Cheerilee and Chiffon looked at each other with worry.

“Y’all better go along with Twilight,” Applejack said, surprising her family and friends. “Believe me, all of this seems unreal, but she’s tellin’ the truth.”

Apple Bloom and Big Mac made to protest, but the farmer mare held up a hoof.

“Big Mac, Apple Bloom, Ah promise that Twilight is telling the truth and this pony here is the real deal,” continued Applejack. “Please, jus’ give her a chance. You’ll see. She’ll explain everything. And once she’s done, we can all meet up at Sweet Apple Acres ta catch up and talk.”

Big Mac and Apple Bloom exchanged looks again, unsure how to respond. Then, Big Mac spoke up.

“Alright, sis, Ah’ll believe ya. If what yer sayin’ is true, then Ah’ll be happy to go along with the Princess.”

Applejack smiled. She went up to her brother and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Big Mac. Ah swear to you that what yer seeing now is real deal. Pretty soon we’ll all be a family again.”

Pear Butter blinked. Wait, what? Applejack, what’re you sayin’?

“Ah…. Ah hope so too AJ.” Big Mac glanced up at Pear Butter and gave a worried look. “Ah hope so too.”

He turned around and faced the Princess. “Alright yer highness, Ah’ll follow ya back to yer castle. If yer really tellin’ the truth and Applejack believes in you, then Ah’ll listen.”

“I’ll go too,” said Mrs Cake. “If the Princess and Applejack trust this mare, then I’d like to hear their explanation.”

“Same. I’ll go will everypony too,” replied Cheerilee. “But what about, Apple Bloom? Will she go with us too?”

Cheerilee’s question, however, got Pear Butter riled up.

“Now hold on a sec! Don’t I have a say in—”

“Ah’ll go too,” replied Apple Bloom. “Ah…. Ah’d like to know what’s goin’ on. See if this pony really is my Ma.”

The Princess smiled at the filly. Then replied with a smile on her cheek. “Thank you, Apple Bloom. I promise, by the time our meeting is over, all of your questions will be answered.”

She then glanced over to Pear Butter one more time. “Mrs. Apple, I want you to follow Applejack to Sweet Apple Acres. From there, you can tour around the farm and we’ll all meet you two over there once everything’s been settled down.”

“Now wait jus’ a minute! Don’t I have a say in this?” asked Pear Butter. “I mean, I appreciate y’all are tryin’ to help, but you can’t jus’ make any plans without gettin’ me involved. Can’t I speak to my other kids first before we leave?”

Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, ma’am, but I think it’s best if I’d gather everypony you’ve met today and explained the situation. That way there will be no more confusion and we can all talk on agreeable terms.”

Pear Butter was about to protest, but was immediately held back by her daughter.

“Ma, it’s okay. Twilight’s my best friend, you can leave everything to her,” said Applejack.

“But I came all this way! I jus’ can’t let Big Mac and Apple Bloom walk away like this. There’s so much that I want to talk about!”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, Ma, you’ll get yer chance,” Applejack replied. “Besides, there’s a pair of ponies that Ah’d like ya to meet at Sweet Apple Acres.”

Pear blinked. “Wait, really? Who are they?”

“You’ll see when we get ta the farm,” said Applejack as she tugged on her mother’s hoof. “Come on, let’s go.

Pear sighed. Oh well. Guess there ain’t no point in protestin’. Especially, when you’re dealing with your daughter and her princess friend.

“Alright, AJ, you win. I’ll follow you were ever you go.”

Applejack smiled. “Yes! Thanks, Ma. Ah promise you’ll talk ta Big Mac n’ Apple Bloom soon. Jus’ follow me ta the farm! There’s a lot of things Ah gotta show ya!”

Pear giggled at her daughter’s bright enthusiasm.

“Of course, dear. Lead the way.”
> Chapter 16
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trip down Ponyville road felt serene for Pear Butter. It wasn’t like her trip down Ponyville Marketplace, where the streets were loaded with stalls and the buildings got in the way of the scenery. The road toward Sweet Apple Acres had none of that. Surrounding her were nothing but lush green hills and a sun that shone brightly in the horizon.

Pear was at ease. For her, it felt like she was at home. Not to mention she was accompanied by her Applejack, who was more than happy to lead the way.

Though her happiness was a bit of an understatement. Ever since they left the marketplace, Applejack had been merrily skipping up and down the road. It was if she were a young girl prancing about a new toy she’d gotten.

“Applejack, would you please slow down,” Pear said to her daughter. “There’s no need to rush. It’s not like we’re in a hurry or anything.”

“But Ma, there’s so much Ah have ta show ya,” replied Applejack. “Sweet Apple Acres is a really big farm now. The place is pretty much half the size of Ponyville! Trust me, yer gonna be amazed at all the hard work we’ve done.”

“That may be so, AJ, but the farm ain’t goin’ anywhere. Let’s jus’ calm down and have a nice relaxing walk, alright. Also, could you please stop bouncing all over the place. Yer acting like a child!”

Applejack’s eyes widened. Her cheeks flushed red as she pulled down her stetson down in embarrassment.

“Oh, uh, sorry ‘bout that. Guess Ah got a little too carried away.”

“That would be an understatement, sugarcube,” said Pear Butter as she approached her daughter. “Skipping up and down the road, really? Yer a full-grown adult, Applejack. There’s no need to act like that.”

“Well excuse me if Ah’m a bit excited! Ah haven’t seen you in years, remember.” Applejack moved her head timidly away from her mother. “In fact, Ah didn’t think Ah’d ever see you again. You poppin’ up so suddenly at the marketplace caught me by surprise. Didn’t even know how to react when I first saw ya.”

“You yelled at me and accused me of something I’m not,” Pear bluntly replied. “That jus’ happened a few minutes ago. You do remember that, don’t you?”

Applejack’s eyes widened, then gave an awkward smile in return.

“Heh, whoops. Sorry ‘bout that.”

Pear Butter sighed. “It’s alright dear, I forgive you. But now that I have your attention, I’d like to take this time to get to know you.”

“Huh? Get to know me? What do ya mean by that?” asked Applejack.

“What I mean is that…. well.” Pear stuttered, a bit hesitant to answer her daughter’s question. “Look, AJ, I don’t mean any offense. But right now, you’re nothing but a stranger to me. Yes, you are my daughter, but you are not the same one that I raised. Just like I’m not the same mother that you grew up with.”

“Um, okay. What does that have to do with anything?” asked Applejack. “Yer still my Ma and Ah’m still yer daughter. Ain’t that enough?”

“Maybe, but that’s not the point, sugarcube. Even if you share the same qualities, I’d still like to know more about you. Who knows, maybe there might be some differences between you two. But we’ll never know if we don’t talk.”

Pear Butter watched as Applejack froze stiff, then rubbed her neck with her hoof.

“Gosh, Ah never thought about it like that. Ah jus’ assumed that you were the same Ma that Ah always knew.” She tipped her hat up and looked at her mother. “So, what do ya wanna know about me?”

“Well for starters, I’d like to know how you’ve been doing?” replied Pear Butter. “Have you been taking good care of yourself?”

“What are ya talkin’ ‘bout, Ma? Course Ah’ve been takin’ care of myself,” said Applejack boldly. “Why jus’ this morning Ah hauled in barrels full of apples. All of them were rip n’ ready to be sold at the store. In fact, we made a bunch of bits before we ran into you, Apple Bloom, and Ms. Cheerilee today.”

“Well, looks like my little girl has become quite the hardworking adult,” Pear said, chuckling. “I take you had plenty of help with your Big Mac and Apple Bloom?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, they’ve helped me a lot over these past few years. Been needing it, too. Ever since Ah became a national hero, things have been mighty hectic. There were plenty times when I couldn’t take care of the farm because it.”

Pear blinked. “Wait a second, Applejack. You are a national hero?”

“Yup, sure am. Ah’m the bearer of the Element of Honesty. Which makes sense because Ah’m the most honest pony there is in Equestria.”

Pear stared at Applejack with an eyebrow raised. Okay, so my daughter is considered a hero in these parts. Wasn’t expectin’ that.

“Maybe Ah should start from the beginnin’, Ma. Fill ya in on all the details while we make our way toward Sweet Apple Acres,” proposed Applejack. “That way, we can have our talk and you can get ta know me n’ everyone else better.”

Pear Butter smiled. “That would be lovely, sugarcube.”

As the two ponies trotted down the road, Applejack told her mother about Equestria and all the adventures she had with her friends. Pear was surprised by everything her daughter had been through. From the cleansing of Nightmare Moon, to Princess Twilight’s ascension, to her capture by the changelings.

“Gosh, AJ, you’ve really been through a lot. I’m surprised that you’ve managed to go through all that and still have time to take care of the farm. Even more so than Celestia and Luna being magical princess ponies.”

“They’re not princesses from where yer from?” asked Applejack.

“No. They’re just a principal and a vice principal at a local high school. The only sense of authority they have is that every student must heed by their rules. Though managing a school full of teenagers may prove just as difficult.”

Applejack chuckled. “Ah hear that. What ‘bout you, Ma? How’s life goin’ on over there? And how’d ya make it ta Equestria?”

Pear Butter smiled. In return, she told Applejack her story. From her childhood friendship with Mrs. Cake and Cheerilee, to the Apple and Pear family feud, to her eventual marriage of Bright Mac, and how she got to Ponyville in the first place.

“Wow, I can’t believe it. Everything’s almost like the same for my Ma n’ Pa,” said Applejack. “Ah’m kinda surprised that you knew Cheerilee when you were little. Over here she grew up with me.”

“Yes, she did mention that. She admitted that she often came over to the barn to play with you.” Pear smirked as she thought back to her conversation with Cheerilee. “And her childhood crush with Big Mac.”

Applejack chuckled. “Yeah, well, Ah think she’s moved on from that crush a long time ago. Besides, it’s not like she can get him anytime soon. Big Mac’s got marefriend now.

“Wait, marefriend?”

“Yeah. Couple months ago, he hooked up with a unicorn mare named Sugar Belle,” continued Applejack. “The mare doesn’t live here, but Big Mac makes trips to her town occasionally when he’s free. Same with Sugar Belle too.”

Pear Butter froze. Her eyes twitched at the mere thought of her son dating a girl.

“Uh, Ma? Are you okay?” asked a concerned Applejack.

Pear Butter flinched, snapping herself out of her stupor.

“Oh, yes, I’m fine! Sorry ‘bout that, sugarcube. It’s just that…. when you said that Big Mac is dating, I kinda froze.”

“Yeah, Ah should’ve guessed you’d react that way. Being that it’s kind of a delicate topic n’ all,” replied Applejack. “Still, I’d like you to meet Sugar Belle. We’ve met before and she is a good pony. Thing is, she’s not in town right now.”

“Oh, that’s fine Applejack. I can jus’ meet her at another time,” said Pear Butter. And when I do, I’ll see if she really deserves my son.

“So, um, are there any other questions you wanna ask, Ma? Like how me n’ Apple Bloom are doin’ or how’s Granny feelin’?”

Pear’s ears perked.

“Oh, yes, ‘bout that. You see, I’ve been meaning to ask you this for some time now. I know that you ‘an your siblings took care of each other well, but there’s something I gotta ask.”

Before Pear could ask her question, Applejack interrupted her. “Ma, Ah don’t mean to be rude, but that question is gonna have ta wait. Look! We’ve made it to the farm.”

“What?”

Pear Butter shifted her head in Applejack’s direction. She gasped. Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock. In front of her laid Sweet Apple Acres in all its beauty. Apple trees stretched for miles and the lush green hills gave the farm a great scenery.
It’s…. beautiful. Why, it looks jus’ exactly like the Sweet Apple Acres back home, but I think it may be bigger! There’s so much land here. Nothing but apple trees green hills as far as the eye could see!

“Ya like what yer seein’, Ma?” asked Applejack. “This is all the hard work we’ve done. Me, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom too. We worked our flanks off to get Sweet Apple Acres the way it is now, and we’re proud of it.”

“Yes, I can see why.” Pear Butter smiled. She trotted up to Applejack and gave her a hug. “You’re amazing, Sugarcube. Not only did you learn how to take care of yourself, but you managed to raise Sweet Apple Acres to its peak! You have no idea how proud I am of you right now.”

Applejack blushed. “Aw shucks, it’s nothin’ Ma. Ah did the best Ah could raising the farm the way it is now. Had a lot of help from Big Mac n’ Apple Bloom. Granny helped out a lot too despite her age.”

“I see. That reminds me, Applejack, how is Granny right now? Is she movin’ about okay?”

“Granny’s doin’ jus’ fine,” replied Applejack. “In fact, she’s one of the ponies that I wanted you to meet today.”

“Really?!” A smile crept up on Pear’s face. “That’s great! I was hopin’ I’d meet her sooner or later. How’s that big old lady doin’?

Applejack tilted her head. “Big? Who Granny? She ain’t big at all, Ma. She’s skinny! As skinny as a garden snake, but she’s doin’ fine.”

“Wait, are you serious? Granny’s thin?!” Pear asked in shock as an image of a skinny version of her mother-in-law popped in her head. “That’s…. strange. Back at home, Granny is big! Healthy, but big!”

“Granny is big? That’s…. a bit hard to believe,” replied Applejack. “Uh, maybe we can talk about her at another time. We’re kinda gettin’ off-topic here.”

“I agree. Besides, there’s no point in dragging this conversation if we’re gonna run into her sooner or later,” Pear said while nodding in agreement. “So, where we heading next, Applejack?”

“Oh, um, Ah was hopin’ that we’d drop by the house first. Been wantin’ ta pick up something before Ah show ya round the farm. If we’re lucky, then maybe we can run into Granny and Grand Pear while we’re there.”

“Wait, Grand Pear?” Pear Butter raised an eyebrow. “Applejack, who’re you talkin’ about?”

“I’ll explain later, Ma. Jus’ follow me!” Ignoring her mother’s question, Applejack turned tail and ran, going deeper into the farm.

“Applejack, wait! Oh, darn it! Can I at least have my question answered?!” Pear sighed. Having no choice, she followed her daughter into the farm. As she ran, a gush of wind blew on her face, carrying the scent of apples. She took a sniff and exhaled, sighing happily as the scent gushed down her nose.

Bein’ here on the farm; it feels like I’m at home. Which is…. strange. I wonder if it’s because I’m at the pony equivalent of Sweet Apple Acres?

She soon spotted Applejack at a distance, waving her hoof at her. Immediately, Pear planted her hooves onto the ground and stopped her momentum.

“We’re here, Ma!” said Applejack. She pointed her hoof her right side. “Look n’ see the proud home of the Apple family.”

Pear Butter looked to where her daughter was pointing and saw Apple Family house. Much to her surprise, the house looked normal. In fact, it looked exactly like any other farmhouse she’s been to.

She trotted closer, examining the building and the area around it. The house itself was painted in red, decorated in all things relating to apples. Surrounding its exterior were animal pens and other farm crops. She could also see a small carrot farm from a distance, most likely belonging to the Apple family.

Wow, this farm! It’s so big! Much bigger than our own farm back home. How in the world did the Apple family get so much land?

“So, what do ya think?” asked Applejack.

“Honey, I-I don’t know what to say,” replied Pear Butter. “This place, it’s amazing. The house, the farm land. Everything here is so…. wonderful. I’m surprised that our family owns so much!”

“Yup, Sweet Apple Acres is one of the biggest farms in all of Equestria,” Applejack boldly claimed. “Though if it weren’t for Princess Celestia, this farm wouldn’t be here at all.”

“What do you mean?”

“Princess Celestia gave this land to mah great-grandparents. Granny’s Ma n’ Pa,” Applejack explained. “If it weren’t fer the Princess, we wouldn’t have any of this. Heck, Ah don’t think Ponyville would’ve existed if it weren’t fer her. It was our family that turned this patch of land into an entirely new town.”
“The Princess gave the Apple family all this land?! And this entire town was built because of Granny n’ her parents?!” Pear stared at her daughter in disbelief. “Gosh, that’s…. incredible. I’d never dreamed of having farmland like this. Especially one this big.”

Applejack, confused by her mother’s words, tilted her head again.

“Wait, so ya don’t have a big farm like this back in the other world?”

Pear Butter shook her head. “No, we don’t. The Apples have a farm located at the edge of Canterlot City. It’s pretty big for one jus’ outside city limits. But it doesn’t compare to the farm you have here, Applejack. Not even close.”

“Well, ta be fair, all this land didn’t belong to us. We bought some of it when the Pear’s moved out of Ponyville.”

“Wait, what? The Pears were here too?!” Pear asked.

“Well, yeah. Of course, they were here, Ma,” replied Applejack. “How else were ya—Ah mean mah Ma supposed to meet up with Pa?”

“Oh, um, right. Yes, that does make sense,” said Pear Butter. Of course, they’d be here. How else would I be talking to Applejack or see my other kids?  “Tell me, AJ, when did the Pears arrive in Ponyville? And when did they leave?”

Applejack shrugged. “Ah actually don’t know when the Pears arrived in town. All Ah know is that they arrived sometime after Ponyville began growin’ as a town. Granny may know something ‘bout that. But what Ah do know is that the Pears left after you—Ah mean the other you married Pa.”

“I see. So, the pony Pear family left after my counterpart married Bright Mac.” A frown formed on Pear Butter’s lips. “Tell me, sugarcube. Did the Pear family happen to move to another city?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, they moved ta Vanhoover.”

“Did you ever hear from any member of that family at all?” Pear asked.

Applejack shook her head. “No, not really. ‘Cept for Grand Pear. He came back to Ponyville jus’ a couple of months ago.”

“What?!” Pear Butter shouted in shock. Her voice was so loud that it caused Applejack to flinch. “Your grandfather is here?! In town?!”

“Yeah, he is,” Applejack said. “He came back to make it up ta Granny after all these years. And he wanted to meet with me, Apple Bloom, ‘an Big Mac. He…. he never came back ta see ya—I mean before mah Ma passed away.”

Applejack pulled her hat down. Her eyes drifted away from her mother, trying her best to hide her frown. Though Pear paid no attention to her. All she could think about was her father.

Daddy’s here? Right here at the farm? A tear dripped down her cheek. He…. he came back. He came back n’ apologized to Granny. He also came back to get to know the grandkids.

“Ma! You’re cryin’, what’s wrong?!”

“What?” Pear snapped out of thoughts and looked at Applejack. The mare clung to her like a child, desperate for some answers.

“Are you alright?” Applejack asked. “When Ah mentioned Grand Pear, you started cryin’ all a sudden.”

“I did? Oh, gosh. Sorry ‘bout that, Sugarcube. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” Pear said as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “You don’t have to worry ‘bout me. It’s jus’ that…. when you mentioned your grandfather bein’ here, it caught me off-guard.”

“Do ya want ta talk about it?” asked Applejack.

Pear shook her head. “No not right now. Maybe some other time, okay Applejack.” And I pray that I will not run into him today. No way am I ready to talk to him. Not yet!

“O…. okay then.”

Without saying a word, Applejack trotted toward her home with Pear Butter close behind her. They soon reached the front door. Applejack opened it. Immediately, a sound of a bell was heard as the door opened wide.

“Granny, I’m home!” shouted Applejack as she entered her home. “Is anyone here? Ah have a guest.”

As Applejack looked for her Granny, Pear stepped inside and examined the house. The Apple family home looked just like any other home. There were furnishings and tables, some apple themed decorations. Everything looked normal.

Wow. I’d never expect ponies to decorate a house like this. Feels like I’m home, already. Pear thought. All that’s missin’ is the rest of my kids givin’ me a warm welcome and Bright Mac givin’ me a kiss.Speakin’ of my husband, where is he? I haven’t seen him yet. I wonder if he’s working at the farm right now? Or maybe he’s with Granny?

“Hey, Ma! It looks like Granny ain’t home,” Applejack said as she came back to her mother. “Ah looked everywhere. She ain’t here.”

“Then she’s probably out somewhere in the farm,” deduced Pear Butter. “Should we go look for her, or should we stay here and wait?”

“Nah, Ah wanna show you ‘round the farm a little bit before we reunite with Twi’,” Applejack replied. “Besides, there’s something Ah gotta show ya first. Then after that, we’ll meet up with everypony else here.”

“If you say so. But what is it that you want to show me, Sugarcube? Is it something important?”

Applejack hesitated to answer, but then replied, “Y-yeah. It’s something important. Look, we’ll head out in a minute, but first, let me get something from my room. Jus’ sit tight somewhere n’ stay here. Ah’ll be back in a little bit.”

Pear nodded. “I understand. Go and do what you need to do, Applejack. I’ll wait here.”

As Applejack went off deeper into the house, Pear sat at a nearby couch. She breathed a sigh of relief as she relaxed herself on the comfy furniture.

Finally, a little break. I was hopin’ I’d get one after this hectic afternoon. Walkin’ back n’ forth around town and dealin’ with these ponies is tiring. But at least I’m here with Applejack. And that Princess pony will be here along with my friends and the rest of my kids. Though I’m a bit worried about meetin’ Daddy. I wonder, what should I say to him?

“Ah told ya, Ah ain’t doin’ no such thing!”

Pear’s ears perked up. “Huh?”

“Granny, please be reasonable. There’s no harm in doing it.”

“No! There’s ain’t no way Ah’m doin’ something like that. Especially with you!”

Pear Butter tilted her head. Is someone outside? Who’s there? Is it the Princess? She was about to make it for the front door; but before she could get up, it flung open. Soon, two ponies stepped inside the house. One was an elderly mare, while the other is an elderly stallion.

“Granny, I thought we agreed to put the past aside and move on. Didn’t we talk about this with the grandkids at our kid’s wedding grounds weeks ago?”

“Ah know that, but Ah still don’t like it. Sorry if Ah’m soundin’ a bit cranky Grand Pear, but Ah’m not ready ta work with ya jus’ yet!”

“It’s just one afternoon at the marketplace, Granny. Surely you don’t mind working together for just a few hours.”

“Ah said no and that’s final!”

The elderly mare rebuked the stallion’s offer while the other attempted to reason with her. They were so focused on each other that none of them had noticed Pear watching from afar. Though she didn’t know what they were arguing about, she did recognize them.

Oh my gosh. These ponies. It’s Granny Smith and…. daddy. Pear’s body began to quiver. I can’t believe he’s here! And he looks so thin. Granny too! Oh boy, Applejack wasn’t kiddin’ when she said Granny is like this! I’m surprised she ain’t fallin’ down or have any crutches to help her walk.

“Look, my offer still stands, Granny,” said Grand Pear. “If we’re finally going to put an end to this feud, we need to work together. We have to show both our families that we’re willing to let the past go.”

“Ah know that, but lettin’ the past go is hard, Pear!” Granny replied. “Our families been fightin’ each other fer years. Competin’ in all sorts of manner. Ta be honest, a part of me still wants to hold a grudge, but my old body is tellin’ me enough is enough.”

“Tell me about it. It took me years to let go of all my hate. For you, your son, and my daughter.” Grand Pear sighed. “I just wished I’d let go of my anger sooner. If I did then maybe I could’ve seen my Pear Butter before she passed away.”

Pear watched from a distance as her pony father began to whimper. There was a look regret in his eyes. She could see it. All these years of resent against the Apples had left him tired and frail. It almost looked like he could collapse at any moment.

Pear’s ears wilted. Seeing her father like this made her upset.

Daddy. You look so tired. All those years of hate, and you end up like this. She frowned. Seeing this pony version of him makes we wonder how my daddy’s doing? Is he like this too?

“It’s alright. Ah know how ya feel,” said Granny, comforting her old rival in her own way. “Trust me, Ah would’ve done the same thing ta mah son, but Ah loved too dearly. But that don’t mean Ah’d let go of mah grudge jus’ because he married a Pear. No sir ree! Took me a long get over it, includin’ the rest of the family! We eventually did, but that wasn’t until after Big Mac was born.”

“I see. To think Pear and your son went through all that.” Grand Pear bit his lip. “Tell me, do any of our grandkids know anything about that?”

“Anything about what?”

Granny, Grand Pear, and Pear Butter all jumped. A voice had seemingly come out of nowhere, interrupting the elderly pony’s conversation.

“Uh, Granny, Grand Pear, Ah’m over here.”

They looked to see Applejack standin’ not too far away from them. The mare had returned from her room, and was now wearing a bag over her neck.

“Uh, hiya Granny. Hiya Grand Pear. Ah’m back!” Applejack replied as she gave the two ponies an awkward smile. “Um, am Ah interruptin’?”

“What in tarnation! Applejack?! You were here the entire time?!” Granny shouted. “How long were ya here? And when did you get back from the marketplace?”

“Uh, jus’ a while ago,” replied Applejack. “Ah’ve been home fer a while now.”

“Well, don’t go creepin’ up on yer elders like that!” Granny scolded. “Fer lands sake, you scared the willikers outta me!”

“Same here,” said Grand Pear as he tried to catch his breath. “Please don’t do that again. I don’t think this old body of mine can take any surprises.”

“Uh, yeah, ‘bout that.” Applejack rubbed her neck, drifting her eyes away from her grandparents and toward her mother. “Didn’t y’all notice that there’s been another pony here in this room?”

“Huh? Sorry, Applejack, Ah couldn’t here ya. Here let me take this out.” Granny soon pulled out an ear trumpet out of seemingly nowhere, and placed the smaller end on her ear. “That’s better! Now, what was it that ya said again?”

“Ah said we have a guest!” said Applejack in a louder tone.

“What?! We have a guest?! Why didn’t ya say so, Applejack!” Granny shouted in surprise. Her response got so loud that it caused Applejack to flinch. “Well, don’t jus’ stand there. Introduce us to this guest of yers!”

Applejack sighed. “Fer one, Granny, our guest has been here the entire time. Ah brought her home with me. In fact, she’s sittin’ right over there on our couch right now.”

“Say what! Ya mean she’s been here in our livin’ room n’ we didn’t notice?!” Granny panicked. “Dang it, are my eyes deceiving me or something? Ah swear, Ah didn’t see anypony at all when Ah came in.”

“Huh. Guess it must be our old age,” Grand Pear replied, casually. “Why don’t you go ahead and introduce us to this guest of yours. We’ll be happy to meet this pony.”

“Uh, actually, Ah don’t think any introductions are needed,” said Applejack. “Both of ya already know this pony well.”

Both elderly ponies exchanged looks. Then, Grand Pear spoke.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

“Jus’ turn around n’ see fer yerself,” replied Applejack.

Grand Pear shrugged. “Well if you say so.”

He and Granny Smith did what Applejack instructed, and spun around to face their guest. As soon as they caught eye of Pear Butter though, they nearly collapsed to the floor in shock.

Granny was the first to recover, speaking up in a loud tone no less.

“What in tarnation?! Are mah eyes deceivin’ me?!” Granny rubbed her eyes intensely, then looked back at Pear. “Buttercup, is that really you?! How…. How’s this possible?”

Pear swallowed her throat. At first, she did not want to reply to her mother-in-law. If she did, then she would have to talk to her father as well. Something that she wasn’t prepared for. Nevertheless, Pear sighed and waved back.

“H-hi, Granny. It’s me. No, you’re not hallucinating or anything. What you’re seeing is real. It’s me, Buttercup.”

Granny stared wide eyed at Pear, then at Applejack, and then back to Pear again.

“Uh, yer gonna have ta excuse me. Ah really need to lie down.”

Pear Butter watched as her mother-in-law trotted over to a nearby couch. She laid her hoof on top and collapsed, seemingly fainting on the spot. She wasn’t moving.

Applejack rushed over to grandmother, trying to wake her up. Pear was about to get up and follow, but soon came in eye contact with Grand Pear. The two of them were deadlocked. Neither one of them looked away, nor talked to the other.

Then, after a moment of silence, Grand Pear finally spoke.

“Pear Butter? Is that you?” he asked as a tear ran down his cheek.

Pear opened her mouth to reply, but immediately stopped. Unable to get herself to answer her father’s question, she closed her eyes and looked away.

“Yes, she is,” Applejack said out loud, answering Grand Pear’s question for her mother. “Ah know it’s kinda hard to believe, but what yer seeing now ain’t a lie. That’s Momma standin’ over there!”

“Are you certain, Applejack?” Grand Pear asked as he looked at his granddaughter for answers. “Do you have any proof of this?”

“Ah don’t, but Ah swear by mah element, Ah’m tellin’ you the truth,” replied Applejack. “She’s the real deal! Go on n’ try to talk to a her!”

“I…. but.” Grand Pear flinched. He continuously shifted back and forth between Pear and Applejack, unsure of what to do.

Pear watched as her now anxious father struggled to maintain his composure. She had no doubt that her appearance caught him and Granny off-guard. And who wouldn’t be? After all, she is supposed to be dead.

She looked at her father and then back at the now collapsed mother-in-law. She sighed.Regaining her posture, Pear called out to Grand Pear.

“Daddy?”

Upon hearing her daughter’s voice, Grand Pear’s eyes went wide.

“P-Pear?”

Pear’s ears perked. She’d gotten her father’s attention. Now all she needed to do was talk.
Realizing this, Pear slowly trotted to him, doing her best to remain calm.

However, remaining calm it wasn’t easy. Pear felt her legs shaking with every step she took. Dizziness encumbered her head as questions popped up in her mind. What should she say to her father after all these years? Should she forgive him or not?

“P-Pear? Is that you?” Grand Pear asked again. His eyes watered as tears flowed down his cheeks. “Is that really you?”

“Y-yes, daddy, it’s me,” Pear hesitantly answered. “I know all this is a bit difficult to explain, but what you’re seein’ is real. I need to…. No, we need to—”

Pear froze. Despite her posture and willingness to talk, Pear could not say a word. Her lips quivered the moment she attempted to speak.

“I…. I”

Seeing her mother’s hesitation, Applejack spoke up.

“Ma? What the hay are ya doin’?” she asked. “Why are ya bein’ so quiet? Aren’t ya gonna talk ta Grand Pear?”

Pear gritted her teeth. If only it were so easy, Applejack!

Calming herself down, Pear looked directly at her father again and forced herself to talk.

“Dad…. I know that you have a lot of questions right now; but I assure you, what you’re seein’ is real. It’s me, Daddy. I’m…. I’m back.”

“I-I see.” Grand Pear’s eye lids began to water as he sobbed helplessly in front of his daughter. “That’s wonderful. Oh, Pear, it’s so good to see you again.”

“Y-Yeah, same here,” Pear replied while watching her father cry. As she gazed at him, her past echoed in her head. Memories of her wedding day flowed through her, as well as her father outright disowning her.

Pear bit her lip. “Daddy, I want to ask you something. You see, It’s about my wedding. Why did you—”

“Wait.”

Pear stopped talking as she heard her father’s voice. He was looking straight at her, and his hoof was raised. It seemed like he wanted to speak first.

“Pear Butter,” he said, softly.  I just want to let you know that…. I’m sorry.”

Pear’s jaw dropped.

“I’m sorry that I left you on your wedding day. I’m sorry that I disowned you, and I’m sorry for not trying to make contact with you.” Grand Pear whimpered as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “I never should’ve left. I should’ve stayed here, with you and your husband. Supported you and our family. I let my anger and the feud get the better of me, Pear. And for that, I am so sorry.”

Pear gawked at her father. Her jaw was still hanging.

“Ma?”

Pear blinked. The sound of her daughter’s voice snapped her out daze.

“Ma, your crying again,” said Applejack.

Again, Pear blinked. She touched her cheek with her hoof and felt a touch of water flowing down her hoof. She’s crying, just like Applejack said. And not only that, her face was completely covered in tears.

Pear bit her lip. Immediately, she turned away from her father and ran straight for the front door, surprising both Applejack and Grand Pear.

“Ma!” Applejack shouted. “Where are ya goin’?”

Pear stopped dead in her tracks. She was hesitant to answer, but then replied, “Applejack, I’m sorry. Your grandfather, I…. I’m jus’ not ready!”

“Not ready for what?” asked Applejack. “Aren’t ya gonna at least try to talk ta Grand Pear?”

“No!” Pear shouted back. “No, I’m not! At least not yet. I’m sorry, AJ, but I need some time alone. Tend to your grandmother and meet me back outside. We’ll think of something to do once you’re done.”

“But Ma!” Applejack’s pleas were ignored as her mother opened the door and went outside. Pear Butter turned back one last time at her father, her panicking daughter, and a collapsed Granny before slamming the door shut.

Applejack stared wide eyed at the door. Her jaw agape. She looked at her grandparents, before finally pulling her hat down in shame.

“Oh, horseapples.”
> Chapter 17
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pear Butter sat alone outside the Apple family house with tears still falling down her cheeks. All she could think about was her father. Her brief encounter with him was still fresh in her mind.

She looked behind her. Applejack had not followed her out. Instead, the young mare had opted to stay inside and tend to her grandparents. To Pear, that was a good thing. She didn’t want Applejack to see her. Not like this.

I’m so stupid. Actin’ so poorly in front of AJ and walkin’ out on her like that. What the heck was I thinkin’?

Pear wiped the tears off her face. The soft fetlocks of her hooves were starting to get wet.

“How am I supposed to be a role model for my girl if I can’t even face my own problems!” she shouted as she slammed her hooves down out of frustration. “So stupid of me!

She flopped her head down, allowing her tears to drip onto the dirt.

Guess I’m not ready to talk to daddy yet. Even if he’s an old frail pony, I jus’ can’t do it!” She groaned and slumped down to the ground. Coming here was a mistake. The farm is nice ‘an all, but I wasn’t prepared for daddy. Should convinced Applejack ta take me on a tour ‘round the farm first.

Pear sighed. Recollecting herself, she stood up and wiped the last drop of tears before turning back toward the Apple house.

Reckon Applejack would pop out anytime soon. Gave that girl plenty of time to tend to her grandparents. When she does, she’ll probably ask me why I acted poorly. Won’t be surprised if she came out frantic as a little filly.

Suddenly, the front door of the Apple house burst open. Applejack popped out and, as expected, the mare was in complete disarray. Her mane was shriveled, and Pear could tell that there was some sweat coming off her forehead.

“Ma!” Seeing her mother, Applejack ran toward her, stopping just inches in front of her. “What the hay, Ma?! Why’d ya go walk out on me like that? And Grand Pear too?! Fer Celestia’s sake, he even wanted to talk to ya.”

“I’m sorry, Applejack,” said Pear Butter, who remained calm despite Applejack panicking all over the place. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you like that. I jus’ needed time to myself. Are your grandparents alright? Granny fainted before I left the house.”

“Granny’s fine. She’s jus’ sleepin’ right now. But she ain’t the one who you should be worried about!” yelled Applejack. “Why’d you run away from Grand Pear, Ma? Why’d ya refuse ta talk ta him?” 

“Applejack, I—”

“He apologized, Ma! He apologized right in front of you!” Applejack continued ta yell at Pear Butter. Her eyes began to water as she continued talking about her grandfather.

“Ma, he…. Grand Pear spent years regrettin’ what he did. What’s worse is that he never properly apologized before ya passed away! Now he’s got the chance to make things right, but ya left after he apologized!”

She then glared angrily at Pear Butter.

“You had a chance ta make things right, but ya blew it away! Why didn’t ya talk ta Grand Pear?!

Pear bit her lip. She has had enough of Applejack’s yelling. It frustrated her to no end. A scowl formed on her face as Pear marched toward her daughter and lashed out.

“You think it’s that simple, Applejack?! To make it up with a man who disowned you and left you behind? A person who not once came to visit his own family? A person who you’ve tried so hard for years to reconnect with, only to have your hopes dash away because his stubborn pride won’t accept his daughter marryin’ an Apple?!”

Silence. No response came from Applejack. The mare had flinched backward the moment Pear yelled back. Seeing this, Pear’s eyes widened and immediately gave her daughter some space.

“Oh gosh. I’m sorry, Applejack. I didn’t mean to yell at you!” Pear said. “Daddy is a sensitive topic. I get emotional whenever I talk about him.”

Applejack sighed as she tipped her Stetson down. “It’s okay, Ma. Ya don’t have ta panic. Besides, Ah kinda deserved that outburst. Ah did yell at you again.”

“No, sugarcube! That’s not it at all,” Pear replied. “No mom should yell at her kin without reason. Especially fer issues they had no part it.”

“It’s alright, Ma. Ya don’t have ta worry ‘bout me,” assured Applejack. “What Ah’m really worried about is Grand Pear. Why don’t ya wanna talk ta him?”

Pear sighed. “You’re not letting his one go are you, Sugarcube?”

“Not unless ya give me an honest answer,” replied Applejack.

“Then I guess I got no choice. Alright, I’ll tell you everything, AJ. But ya better get comfortable. This is gonna be a long story.”

“Is this about the feud between the Apples and the Pears?” asked Applejack. “Because if it is, ya don’t have ta tell me. Ah already know everything ‘bout that.”

“This ain’t about the feud itself, Applejack,” said Pear Butter. “What I’m about ta tell you is what happened after I married your father.”

Applejack tilted her head. “After? What do ya mean by that? Pretty sure you ‘an Pa lived a happily married life here in the farm. Only real problem you had was Grand Pear leavin’ you behind and adjustin’ to the Apple way of life.”

“What?” Pear raised an eyebrow. “Applejack, jus’ how much do you know about what happened after your real parents got married?

“Uh.”

Applejack did not reply. For a while, the mare said nothing. Then, after a moment of silence, Applejack finally answered.

“Sorry, Ma. Ah don’t know nothin’ ‘bout what happened after. Ah jus’ figured you ‘an Pa lived happily together after yer wedding.”

Pear groaned. So, she doesn’t know. Guess she never heard from her Granny ‘bout how bad she and the Apples treated the other me after their marriage. Gosh. To think we both had to go through all that. Makes me dizzy just thinking about it.

She sighed. “Alright, I’ll tell you what happened. But jus’ to be clear, what I’m ‘bout to tell you is what happened between me ‘an my Bright Mac. Not your real parents.”

Applejack nodded. “Ah get it. So, what happened between you, Grand Pear, and the rest of the Apple family?”

“Let’s see.” Pear closed her eyes as she tried to think of a way to start her story. “I guess it’d be best if start off on my wedding day.”

“Oh, did you ‘an Pa have your wedding on a farm like mah parents?” asked Applejack. “Their wedding spot is not too far from here. It sat on the border of the Pear ‘an Apple farm before the Pears moved away.”

“Applejack, please, don’t interrupt me. I haven’t even started yet!” Pear replied. “And no, we didn’t have our wedding at the farm. We had ours at a local chapel.”

“Oh! Uh, okay. What’s a chapel?”

“I’ll tell you later. For now, let’s get back to the story. You see, my wedding day was supposed to be special. Before the Pears moved out of Canterlot City, Bright Mac proposed to me on the day before the move.”

Pear smiled. “That was one of the happiest moment of my life. For days, I thought I had to give up on my relationship because of the move, but Bright Mac wanted to be with me no matter what. I…. I cried when he showed me the wedding ring.” 

“Wait a minute. You got married before the Pears left town?!” Applejack said in surprise. “Mah Ma ‘an Pa did the same thing! Their wedding was the night before the Pears left.”

“What?!” Pear’s eyes widened. She paused for a moment and stared at Applejack, unsure if she was telling the truth. But the look on her face said otherwise.

“I-I see. Looks like she and I have a lot more in common than I thought. Anyway, after he proposed, he took me to the local chapel. There, all our friends were waitin’ ‘an dressed up in fancy cloths. Bright Mac even had my friends get a special wedding dress jus’ for me!”

A smile returned on Pear’s face as memories of her wedding day filled her head.

“It looked like our day was going to be perfect, that is until both of our families stopped the wedding.”

“What happened?” asked Applejack. “Was it Granny ‘an Grand Pear who stopped the wedding?”

Pear nodded. “Yes, it was. Along with several other members of both families. Someone had notified them and they immediately came to the chapel to stop our wedding.”

Before she continued, Pear took a quick glance at Applejack. She was getting nervous. Her hat was tipped down, and Pear heard a loud gulp coming from her daughter’s throat.

“What did they do?” Applejack asked. “Did they try ta separate you ‘an Pa from bein’ together?”

“They did,” Pear replied, immediately. “Both of your grandparents ordered us to stop and come back to them, but we refused.”

Pear sighed. The wide smile she had earlier was gone, and replaced by a frown.

“We told both our families that we love each other and that we wouldn’t let some stupid feud get in the way. Thankfully, the chapel’s pastor ignored them and pronounced us husband and wife. But before we had our first kiss as a married couple, a fight broke out.”

“A fight?! On yer weddin’ day?!” shouted Applejack. “Who started it?”

“The Pears,” Pear Butter answered, which caused her daughter’s jaw to drop. “One of my kin stepped up ta the alter ‘an hit your father right in the jaw. No one saw it comin’. Not even your grandfather.”

“What?! They hit Pa?! Tell me that ain’t true, Ma!” screamed Applejack. She stared at her mother, hoping that it was a lie. Much to her dismay, Pear meekly nodded her head. 

“Yes, it happened, Applejack. Your father was hurt because of my family. When it happened, was devastated. I didn’t think my family would ever stoop that low.

Pear sighed. “After that, I immediately rushed to Bright Mac, along with our friends and the Apples. They immediately pushed Daddy’s goon away, but Granny was angry. A fight was about to break out, but your father stepped in and told both families to stop.”

“Wow, ta think Pa had the guts to step in after he got hit in the face,” said Applejack. “That’s bold. A real stallion Ah tell you what.”

“Darn tootin’! It’s one of the reasons why I married him,” Pear replied, pridefully. “Anyway, after he stopped the fight, I joined him. We told our families again that we love each other and refuse separate. Your grandpa got mad and asked if I’d rather be an Apple than a Pear. As soon as I said yes, he denounced me ‘an left the chapel.”

Applejack stared at Pear Butter in dismay. For a time, the young mare kept quiet. She was too bewildered by her mother’s story to even speak. Finally, after a moment of silence, Applejack spoke up. 

“Gosh, ta think all that happened. Mah parents never went through any of that. Sure, Grand Pear left Ma alone, but he never ordered anyone to hurt Pa. Did you ever hear from him again?”

Pear shook her head. “No, I haven’t. I never heard from him again after the wedding. I can only assume he still hasn’t let go of his grudge. And to be honest, sugarcube, I’m not plannin’ on tryin’ anytime soon.”

“What?! But he’s your Pa!” shouted Applejack. “Shouldn’t ya at least try ta talk to him?”

“I have, Applejack,” Pear replied rather quickly. “Even after my wedding I still loved my daddy, so I sent him letters and phone calls every so often. But he never replied.”

“What the hay is a phone call—Uh, Ah mean, Grand Pear never spoke with ya again? He’s still holdin’ a grudge after all these years?”

“I assume so, yes. I hoped that one day he’d let go of that grudge, but I gave up when he sent back all the letters I mailed to him shortly after Apple Bloom was born.”

Applejack flinched. “Gosh, no wonder ya don’t wanna talk ta him. Ah mean, our Grand Pear is a completely different pony, but Ah get why yer hesitant. But where do the Apples fit in all of this? Didn’t they take you in jus’ fine?”

Pear shook her head. “No. They begrudgingly took me in. Granny loved Bright Mac too dearly, so she agreed to our marriage. But that don’t mean they accepted me. Some of your Pa’s relatives harassed and bullied me for a while. The feud was still fresh in their heads even with the Pears gone.”

“What?!” Applejack’s head twitched. “Bullying?! Harassment?! How in the hay did this happen in our family?! Did Pa or Granny know anything about it?”

“They did,” Pear answered. “Bright Mac stepped in plenty of times to protect me, and Granny had to constantly berate other family members to stop. But I knew they wouldn’t accept me anytime soon. I had to prove it to them that my marriage with Bright Mac wasn’t a mistake.”

“What did you do?” asked Applejack.

“I worked my hiney off,” Pear answered, bluntly. “I had to relearn everything I knew about farming and learn it the Apple family way. Over time, I gained the respect I needed to slow the bullying. By the time Big Mac was born, the entire family accepted me as their own.”

“W-wow. Ta think my own family treated ya so badly.” Applejack whimpered. “Ah…. Ah had no idea.”

“AJ, please, I don’t need you to worry about it,” said Pear Butter. “It’s all in the past. Only thing we can do is move on.”

“But what about mah parents!” yelled Applejack. “Hearing your story makes me think about them! Did they go through the same thing too?!”

“Calm down, sugarcube!” replied Pear Butter. “Remember what I jus’ said.”

“But—”

“No! Stop it, Applejack. Don’t judge your kin or your grandparents for their past. So, what if Granny and the Apples mistreated me at first, so what if your grandfather abandoned me. It’s in the past! And may I remind you that you have two grandparents instead of one! Be grateful for them, sugarcube!”

The farm suddenly went quiet as mother and daughter stood still. Their eyes were deadlocked. Applejack remained silent, while Pear eyeballed her.

“Look,” Pear stated as she finally broke the silence. “I will never look back at those harsh few months of my marriage with regret. I endured because your father and I loved each other. No amount bullyin’, harassment, a family feud, or even a punch to the face will stop us. We endured, and in the end, it all paid off.”

Pear grabbed hold of her daughter, tipped her hat back, and looked at the mare straight in the eye.

“AJ, someday your gonna find someone you love. And when you do, don’t think it’ll be smooth relationship all the time. Ya’ll face plenty of hardships together! But if you truly love one another, you’ll endure and become better because of it.”

“Um, okay. Wow.” Applejack rubbed her neck as a flush of red brightened on her cheeks. “Ya really think Ah’ll find my own special somepony someday?”

“If that’s what ponies you mean by lover, then yes.” Pear replied. “If you are lucky, then you’ll find a man who’ll accept and love you no matter what. If you’re really lucky, then you’ll find a man who’ll not only love you, but will also be outright handsome like your father.”

“A man? I take it ya mean stallion?” Applejack asked with a wry grin. 

“Applejack! My point stands!”

“Okay, I get it! Sheesh.”

“Thank you! Now come here and give your mother a hug.”

Applejack smiled. She grabbed hold of Pear and pulled her close. They hugged each other tightly with neither pony wanting to let go. After several minutes later, Pear finally released her daughter and looked her with a smile on her face.

“So, what do you want to do now?” Pear asked

“Well…. I was hopin’ to show you ‘round the farm. See how big Sweet Apple Acres is,” answered Applejack. “And if ya don’t mind, Ah’d like to show you the place where mah parents got married.”

“Oh, yes, about your parents. I’ve been wanting to ask you something regardin’ those two ever since we got here.”

“Yeah. What is it?”

“Where is your father?”

Applejack winced. “Ah…. Uh.”

“Applejack?”

Pear watched as her daughter had suddenly grown nervous. Her eyes were shifting left and right and her body was shaking, so much so that Applejack fell flat on the ground. It was if the mare had some sort of breakdown.

“Sugarcube, what’s wrong?” asked Pear Butter. 

“You…. you wanna see, Pa?” Applejack replied, nervously.

“Of course, AJ! He may not be my real husband, but I’d still like to see him,” Pear answered. “But why are you so shaken up all of sudden? You were fine jus’ a minute ago.”

Applejack bit her lip and looked away. “Well, it’s jus’ that…. Ah was hopin’ you wouldn’t mention Pa.”

“Huh? Why’s that?” Pear asked.

“Cause it’s really difficult ta explain,” replied Applejack.

“Difficult to explain? Now what in the heck are you talkin’ ‘bout? Where’s your father? And why don’t you want to talk about him?”


“Well because…. because, um.” Applejack sighed. “He’s gone, Ma. He’s not here with us anymore. He’s gone.”

“What? Gone?” Pear Butter tilted her head. “What do you mean by that, AJ?”

“Come on, Ma, please. Don’t make this harder fer me. Ah feel bad enough talkin’ ‘bout this already,” said Applejack.

Pear Butter looked at her daughter with a raised brow. “What’s that supposed to mean? Applejack, what on earth are you not tellin’ me?”

“He’s dead, Ma!” Applejack shouted in frustration. “He’s dead. Gone! Passed away a long time ago!”

Pear Butter’s jaw dropped. “What? He’s…. he’s dead?”

She looked at Applejack in the eye, not sure if she was telling the truth. “Sugarcube, please, tell me that this is some sort of joke.”

Applejack shook her head. “Afraid that’s the truth, Ma. He’s gone. Passed away ‘round the same time you did.”

Pear’s jaw dropped again as her daughter’s words pierced through her.

“No.”

She covered her mouth and looked down, unsure of what to think or say. For a while, Pear remained still and kept to herself, causing Applejack to worry for her. Then, she collapsed. Tears fell down her cheeks as she plumped down to the ground.

“Ma!” Reacting immediately, Applejack rushed toward her mother and tended to her. “Are you okay?”

“Sugarcube, Ah jus’ learned ‘bout my husband’s death! Do I look like I’m okay?” Pear shouted.

“Oh, uh, sorry. Didn’t mean to rub it in the wrong way.” Applejack sighed. “Guess now ya know why Ah didn’t want ta talk ‘bout this. Ah’d figured you’d know eventually, but not till everyone was here.”

“No, what ya jus’ told me was the right thing, AJ. Because now I know where I want to go next,” Pear replied as she stood up and wiped her tears. 

“You do?” asked Applejack.

Pear nodded. “Yes. AJ, we’re gonna visit your parent’s graves.”

“What?!” Applejack shouted. Her jaw fell out due to shock. “Why’d ya want ta go there?!”

“Because I want to pay my respects,” Pear answered. “Applejack, please, let me see them. It’s the least we can do.”

Applejack bit her lip. “Well, okay. If that’s what ya want, then Ah’ll lead ya there. Follow me into the farm. We need ta past through it ta get there.”

Adjusting her hat, Applejack turned around and entered the apple farm. Pear followed shortly, and the two of them trotted together again. But unlike before, there was no talking. Applejack refused to say a word, leaving Pear alone with only her thoughts.

Poor Applejack. To think she lost both her parents. Must’ve been hard for her ‘an everyone else in the family. I wonder, how did Bright Mac and the other me die? I know from Cheerilee that she died a few years after ‘Bloom was born, and AJ told me Bright Mac died the same time she did.

She sighed. Maybe it’s best if I don’t ask. Don’t want ta put my daughter in an uncomfortable position.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Pear noticed the absence of Apple trees in front of her. Instead, they were replaced with lush green plains and hilltops. It didn’t take her long to figure out that they had left the farm.

“We’re jus’ outside Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack, why are we here? And what does this place have to do with your parents?”

“Because this is where they are, Ma,” answered Applejack. She then pointed to a nearby hill not too far away from them. “See that hill over there? That’s were mah parents are. They’re restin’ place is right up top that hill.”

“Oh, alright. Well, what are we waitin’ for? Let’s go up that hill,” Pear said.

“O… Okay.” Applejack slowly made her way up the hill while avoiding any eye contact with her mother. This caused Pear to look at her with concern as Applejack’s attitude has changed ever since she got here.

AJ looks really upset. I wonder, is she upset because she doesn’t want to be here? Pear thought. If that’s true, then perhaps coming here wasn’t the best idea. Guess I just have to pay my respects quickly and leave.

As they soon reached the hilltop, a gush of wind started blowing on Pear’s mane. She looked back and saw Sweet Apple Acres in all its glory. The farm stretched for miles with Apple trees covering the entire hills and grassland.

“Now that is a view,” Pear said out loud.

“Ya like it?”

Pear turned to see her daughter slowly approaching her. Her voice was very quiet and it seemed like her attitude hasn’t changed. 

“Of course. This is wonderful, Applejack! We can see the entire farm for miles!”

Applejack smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, it is a nice view. Ah always appreciate seein’ this every time Ah come up here.”

“Yes, I can see that. But, Sugarcube, this isn’t the reason why we’re here, right?”

Applejack shook her head. “No, Ma, it’s not.”

“Then can you please tell me where the graves of your parents are?”

Pear waited patiently for her daughter to answer, but none came. The mare kept quiet and was still avoiding eye contact. Then, a sigh came out of Applejack’s mouth as she slowly lifted her hoof and pointed at a certain direction.

Pear followed her daughter’s hoof and saw two strange looking pillars at the very tip of the summit.

Hmm? Is that the gravesite?

She looked at Applejack for a response, but the young farm pony shied away and hid behind her hat.

Judging by reaction, it looks like I’m right. Well, guess I better get a move on.

Pear slowly made her way toward the pillars, ready to pay her dues. Though for reasons unknown, she felt nervous. A cold shiver had swept through her spine and her entire body began to shake. She didn’t know why, but looking at the gravesite made her uneasy.

Superstition aside, Pear continued to move forward and eventually reached the gravesite. She looked at the pillar to her right, scanning to see if there was anything it could tell her.

Then, she found it. Plastered on pillar’s center was a plaque and some engraved words lined up together on it in three separate lines.

What’s this?

She leaned her head to get a better look at the plaque. The words were small to read, but still manageable if she moved her head in close. As she drew closer to the plaster and its words became clear, Pear read the line of words out loud.


Here lies Pear Buttercup Apple


Beloved wife and mother


May she rest in harmony


Pear stared at her counterpart’s resting place and sighed. Seeing it made her upset, but she couldn’t take her eyes off it. The more she looked, the more she thought about her counterpart and how her death had a heavy impact on her family.

A real shame you had to die so young. You had your whole life ahead of you. ‘Bloom was just born and your two oldest kids were going up fast. But all of it was taken away in just a snap. Makes me sad just thinking about it.

  She then glanced over to the second pillar to her left.

Now all that’s left is my husband’s grave. She whimpered. Well, here goes nothing.

  Reluctantly, Pear made her way toward the second pillar. Her body began to shiver again as she moved closer to the gravesite. But that didn’t stop her. No way. She wanted to see this grave for herself and pay her respects.

As she approached the pillar, she immediately noticed that it looked exactly as her counterpart’s grave. The décor was similar, and like her counterpart’s, there was a plague plastered on the pillars center. On it where lines of words that were difficult to read.

Pear gulped. She hesitated to read at first, but nonetheless inched closer to the plague and read the lines.


Here lies Bright Macintosh


Beloved Husband and Father


May he rest in harmony


Pear sniffled. She stepped away from the pillar as she finished reading the plague. Water poured down her eyes as she stared upon her husband’s grave. Then, she collapsed to the ground and cried her eyes out.

“Ma!” Seeing this, Applejack ran toward Pear Butter and tended to the mare. “Are you alright?”

“N…. No, AJ. No, I am not,” replied Pear Butter as she wiped her tears away. “Seeing the graves of your parent’s makes me sad. To think that they passed away so young.”

“Yeah, well, it all happened when Ah was jus’ a little filly,” explained Applejack. “Apple Bloom was jus’ a few years old at the time too. Can’t really remember her exact age though. It was hard fer me ta think back then since our family was goin’ through such a tough time.”

Pear gasped. “So, what Cheerilee said was true. Apple Bloom grew up without her parent’s raisin’ her.”

“Yeah. It was tough raisin’ ‘Bloom by ourselves. Ah remember wakin’ up a couple of nights with her cryin’ in her bedroom askin’ where you ‘an Pa were.” 

Applejack bit her lip. Her eyes were starting to water again as she buried her face under her hat. “Gosh, thinkin’ about those days still hits me bad. It was tough growin’ up without ya Ma. We missed you. I missed you.”

Pear watched as Applejack began to cry again. Remembering her childhood memories had worsened her mood, and her sobs were getting louder every second. Not wanting to see her daughter like this, Pear reached and wrapped Applejack around her hooves.

“Calm down, sugarcube. It’s okay. I’m here now, so quit cryin’,” Pear said in a soothing voice as she hugged Applejack tightly around her body. “Everything is gonna be alright. You’re not alone anymore, nor are your siblings. I’m here now and that’s all it matters.”

“Ma.”

Upon hearing Pear’s words, Applejack dropped her hat and squeezed her mother. As the Stetson fell to the ground, the two ponies embraced for what seemed like hours. Neither one wanted to let go. Instead, both mother and daughter embraced the moment as Celestia’s sun shone brightly upon them.

“Hey, Ma? Ya mind if Ah ask ya a question?” asked Applejack.

“Yes? What is it, sugarcube?”

“Do you think that…. um, aw shucks how do Ah put it? Here, let me whisper it to ya in the ear first.” Applejack leaned closer and muttered something in her mother’s ears. Her words caused Pear’s eyes to widen and push her daughter away.

“Applejack! What…. what on earth are you sayin’?” Pear asked in surprise.

“Ya heard me loud ‘an clear, Ma,” replied Applejack. “Do ya think you can do our family a big favor ‘an stay here in Equestira?”
> Chapter 18
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In all her years of being a farmer and business woman, Pear has heard her fair share of outrageous ideas. Some were odd. Some were stupid. Some were so stupid she’d never want to hear them again ever.

But this proposal she just heard was bizarre. And what’s worse is that this proposal come from her own daughter.

Pear leaned away from Applejack, giving herself some room between the two of them. She remained quiet. The proposal her daughter had given was so outlandish that it left Pear speechless.

“Ma? Are you okay?” asked Applejack. “Ya got all quiet all of a sudden. Something wrong?”

Pear shook her head. “Oh, um, sorry ‘bout that, AJ, I…. uh, couldn’t make out what you said earlier. Can you, um, repeat that please?”

“Ah asked if you can do us a big favor and stay here in Ponyville,” Applejack answered. “Ya know, stay here in the Apple farm with me ‘an the rest of the family.”

Pear’s jaw dropped.

“Wait, what?! Applejack, you cannot be serious?! Why on earth would you ask me something like that!”

“Because Ah want ya back, Ma! Ah want ya back in my life.” Applejack cried out. Her response was straight forward. “And it’s not jus’ me. Big Mac, Granny, Grand Pear, and Apple Bloom. They miss you. We all do!”

Pear remained quiet and listened to Applejack’s pleas. Her daughter’s offer was still ludicrous to her, but she was willing to hear her out.

“Please, Ma. Come back to us,” pleaded Applejack. “With you back in the farm, Apple Bloom can finally spend time with ya. Or maybe start makin’ those sweet Apple pies with Granny again!”

“Applejack, I….”

“Then Big Mac will introduce ya ta Sugar Belle when she’s in town. She’s a great pony, Ma. You’ll really like her once ya get ta know her! And after that, you can talk ta Grand Pear again ‘an finally make amends. Ah know ya ain’t ready ta talk yet, but I swear he ain’t a bad pony! All ya need ta do is jus’ give him a chance!”

Applejack lowered her hat and looked at Pear Butter, waiting anxiously for an answer. Pear responded with a look of her own, and she did not like what she saw. Years of doing deals with business people allowed Pear to read facial expressions.

Applejack was serious. The mare desperately wanted her to stay here in Ponyville.

Pear sighed. Applejack. Just what on earth are you thinking, sugarcube?

“So, what’ll it be? Are ya gonna stay here in Ponyville with me at the farm?” asked Applejack. “Please, Ma, answer!”

“No,” Pear answered bluntly. “No, Applejack, I will not.”

Applejack gasped. “What?! Why not?”

“Because you don’t need me anymore,” Pear answered again. “You are perfectly fine of takin’ care of yourself.”

“But Ah do need ya! Our family needs ya!” Applejack collapsed to the ground. She looked at Pear again, pleading for her to reconsider. “Come on, Ma, don’t say things like that! Please stay! Ah don’t want ta be alone again.”

Pear shook her head. “I’m sorry, sugarcube, but my answer is no. And don’t you dare say that you are alone. Didn’t I tell you earlier that you have your siblings and grandparents lookin’ out for ya? Or did that jus’ cross yer mind?”

“But…. Ah.”

Applejack stuttered, completely at a loss for words. She looked at her mother again, believing her answer to be some sort of joke. To her dismay, Pear returned a stern look. Her answer was honest and straightforward. Nothing is going to change it.

Upon realizing this, Applejack broke down and cried. She buried her head on the ground and bawled her eyes out.

Pear sighed as she watched her daughter grieve. She didn’t like this. Seeing her children cry always made her feel bad. Usually when this happens, her instincts would kick in and she would do anything in her power to cheer them up. Yet, she made no such move. She remained still, waiting patiently for Applejack to calm down.

As the last drop of tears fell on Applejack’s face, Pear moved to her daughter again.

“Ya done cryin’, sugarcube?” she asked, bluntly.

“M…. Ma?”

“Come on, Applejack, you are a better pony than this. Wipe your tears and look at me when I’m talkin’ to ya.”

“O…. Okay.” At her mother’s behest, Applejack stood up and wiped the last of her tears away.  Though she didn’t give any eye contact to her mother, much to Pear’s annoyance.

“There, that’s better.” Pear said as she brushed away all the dirt off her coat. “Now that yer calmed down, we can finally talk. So, listen up, AJ. And again, look at me in the eye when I’m talkin’ to ya.”

Applejack nodded. She moved her head and faced her mother. A bit slow, but at least Pear was finally able to get a good look at her.

“Good. Now that I fully have yer attention, I can finally say this to you out loud,” said Pear Butter. “Applejack, I cannot stay with you here in Equestria. Period. Now don’t cry on me again, sugarcube, you’ve done enough cryin’ today. But let me make myself clear one more time. I can’t stay with you here.”

“But why?” asked Applejack. “Can’t ya at least reconsider? We have everything you need here, Ma! So, why can’t ya stay?”

“Because this place isn’t my home,” Pear answered. “I’ll be frank, I love it here, sugarcube. This town is so nice. So peaceful. But I live in another world, AJ. I don’t belong here. Not to mention that I’m not a pony to begin with.”

“But, what’s that got ta do with anything?”

“Everything! Look, I love you AJ, but the reason why I can’t stay is because there’s another family waitin’ fer me back home! 

Pear closed her eyes as images of her family back in Canterlot City popped in her head. 

“Bright Mac, he is takin’ care of the entire farm ever since Granny retired. He needs my help more than ever. Then we have our son, who jus’ got out of school a few months back ‘an is tryin’ to make a name fer himself. I need to be there, so he won’t make a fool of himself. And my Applejack, the other you, she ‘an Apple Bloom are young. They haven’t fully blossomed yet. I need to watch over them so that they’ll be ready fer the rough times ahead.”

“But what ‘bout us?” Applejack asked.  “Don’t we have a say in this? We need ya too.”

“Please, that’s nonsense, Applejack. Ya don’t need me piggybackin’ you anymore.”

Pear watched as Applejack gasped. Her head flinched back too. Seems like the answer she had given surprised the young mare.

She sighed. “Look, I know my words may be harsh, but it’s the truth. Turn around, AJ. See all those plains ‘an mountains full of apple trees? This entire orchid was done by you!”

Applejack blinked. “M-ma.”

“Now, when it comes to the farm, I know you had some help from our family, but that don’t excuse yer other accomplishments. May I remind you that you are a national hero, AJ? Does a pony that saved this nation so many times really needs a mother to cuddle to?”

Applejack sat still as she took in all her mother’s words. All of Pear’s complements and praises seemed to have calm her down. She’d finally stopped crying, and even a smile crept up on her face.

“And let me be frank, sugarcube, even if I wanted to stay here with you, I’d be leavin’ behind my other family back home in Canterlot City,” Pear explained. “Do you really want me to do that? To abandon one family over another?”

“N-no!” Applejack answered. “Ah never want ya ta do something like that!”

“Then don’t force me to choose!” Pear stated. “Again, I love you, Applejack, but ya have ta realize I can’t stay here. There are things I have ta do back home. You ‘an yer siblings are perfectly fine of takin’ care of yourselves.”

Applejack sighed. “Alright, Ah understand. Ah’m sorry, Ma, Ah never should’ve asked in the first place. But, Ah’m still a bit worried ‘bout Apple Bloom. She never spent any time with ya at all, not ta mention that she hardly even knows you.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout her. You can leave Apple Bloom to me,” said Pear Butter. “And AJ, don’t think this will be the last time you see me. I may not stay here in Ponyville, but I promise I’ll come by ‘an visit.”

“R-really?!” Applejack asked. Her smile grew a bit wider.

“Of course! You may not need me anymore, but that don’t mean a mom can’t visit her children. Who knows, maybe I’ll bring your father along next time.”

“Really?! Is that a promise?”

Pear Butter and Applejack both jump. A loud childlike voice had suddenly come out of nowhere and took them by surprise. They looked around to see who it was, but couldn’t find anything. It wasn’t until Pear saw a familiar pink bow popping up on the hillside.

“Apple Bloom? Is that you, sweetie?” Pear asked out loud. Her question caused Applejack’s eyes to widen and look in her mother’s direction. Pretty soon she too spotted the bow and immediately called to her sister.

“Apple Bloom?! Now when in the hay did she—never mind. Come on out, little sis ‘an say hi to yer Ma!”

The two mares waited patiently for the little filly to respond. Sure enough, Apple Bloom came out of hiding spot and climbed up the hill.

“Hiya, sis,” said Apple Bloom, meekly.

“Apple Bloom!  Why are ya here?” asked Applejack. “Ah thought you were over at Twilight’s castle.”

“She finished explain’ everything a while back,” replied Apple Bloom while avoiding eye contact. “Soon as she got done, Ah ran all the way back home. You weren’t there, but Granny and Grand Pear Pear told me where y’all might be.”

Grand Pear Pear? Pear thought herself with a raised brow. “So, does that mean the Princess is done explainin’ everything?”

“Y-yeah. She did,” Apple Bloom whimpered. For a while, the little filly did not do anything. She just sat still, kept quiet, and avoided eye contact. 

Her silence caused Pear to worry. Immediately, she stood up and made her way toward Apple Bloom. Though she was a bit cautious when approaching the filly. After all, their previous introduction did not turn out so great. Perhaps a slow approach might be best.

However, the moment she stood up, Apple Bloom ran and delve head first onto her mother, knocking Pear back to the ground. Tears flowed through the filly’s cheeks as Apple Bloom bawled out on Pear’s lap.

“Mama!”

Apple Bloom cried her heart out. She hugged her mother tight as she let her tears fall down her mother’s coat.  

“Mama!” cried Apple Bloom. “Ah’m so sorry Ah didn’t recognize ya earlier! Ah didn’t know that you were the real deal. If Ah did then maybe…. then maybe….”

“Shhh, it’s okay, dear. You don’t have ta worry ‘bout a thing,” Pear replied in attempt to soothe her little filly. “It’s perfectly understandable why ya hesitated like that. You ‘an yer siblings would’ve done the same thing.”

“R…. really?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Well, of course! After all, yer sister yelled at me and called me a fake. What you did was a lot more civil than her!” Pear explained, which earned a disgruntled pout from Applejack.

“Oh, Applejack, I’m just joking. There’s no need ta be upset.”

“Yeah, I know,” replied Applejack with a sigh. “So, AB, how long were ya at that hillside over there? Did ya hear everything Ma said?”

Apple Bloom nodded.

“So, ya know full well that Ma has ta leave, right? She can’t stay here fer long.”

Apple Bloom nodded again. She then squeezed Pear tightly as she whimpered on her mother’s chest.

“Ma, do ya really have ta leave?” she asked.

“Yes, ‘Bloom, I do,” Pear answered. “I have more family waitin’ back home.”

Apple Bloom frowned. She then buried her face on her mother’s coat, saying nothing. However, after a moment of silence, she looked back at Pear and gave her an answer neither she or Applejack were expecting.

“Okay, Ah understand.”

“Huh?!” Applejack’s jaw fell open as she yelled at the top of her lungs. She stared at Apple Bloom with eyes wide, completely surprised by her sister’s answer.

“Applejack, don’t yell!” Pear lectured.

“What? Oh, uh, right.” Applejack chuckled nervously as her cheeks flushed bright red. “Sorry ‘bout that. Ah didn’t mean ta shout. Ah was jus’ surprised by Apple Bloom’s answer.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then your sister is much more mature than you, sugarcube.”

“Hey!”

Pear rolled her eyes. “Again, AJ, it’s only a joke. But puttin’ jokes aside, I’m surprised that you are okay with me leaving, Apple Bloom. Did the Princess convince you that? Or maybe Big Mac or my friends?”

Apple Bloom sheepishly nodded. “Yeah they did. Twilight said that ya can’t stay fer long ‘an yer gonna have ta go back home soon. Ah didn’t like that so Ah yelled back at Princess, but she kept tellin’ me that there’s no other choice.” 

“I see. Well, what ‘bout Big Mac? Did he take everything well?” Pear asked. 

“Yeah, he did. And so, did Mrs. Cake, Cheerilee, and Burnt Oak.”

“Burnt Oak was there too?” asked Applejack.

“Yeah, we kinda ran into him while we were headin’ toward the castle. He ‘an everypony else agreed that you need ta go back.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “Ma, Ah don’t want ya ta go. Ah want ya ta stay here with us. But…. Ah know ya can’t. Twilight said that ya need ta head back because you have another family ta take care of, right?”

Pear nodded. “Yes, I do, Apple Bloom. “They’re waitin’ for me.”

“So that means there’s another me over in that mirror world place?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Yes, there is. Yer Pa’s over there waitin’ too,” Pear replied as her response earned a smile from both her daughters. “He’s probably worried ‘bout me. Been gone fer way too long. Applejack and Big Mac are probably panickin’ right now too.”

“There’s an Applejack over there too?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes, but ta be fair, your sister is much more mature than my Applejack,” Pear answered, earning a giggle from Apple Bloom and a prideful smug look from Applejack.

“Tell ya what. Why don’t we all go back to the Princess ‘an I’ll tell you jus’ about everything Ah know ‘bout my world. We can have some fun along the way too!”

“Okay!” said Apple Bloom, gleefully. “Twilight’s should be at our house along with everypony else. We planned on meetin’ up over there once she got done explainin’ everything.”

“Then it’s settled. Apple Bloom, Applejack, let’s go back home ‘an meet up with everyone, alright.”

“Um, alright then. But Ma, what ‘bout Granny ‘an Grand Pear?” asked Applejack. “They’re still over at the house right now. Don’t you wanna say goodbye to them too?”

Pear gasped. Oh dear. I completely forgot about daddy being at the house. 

She closed her eyes and thought about the possibilities. What should I do when I meet him again? Should I finally make peace with him? But does it make a difference though? He’s not the same daddy I grew up with.

“Ma, what’s wrong?” Pear flinched. The sound of Applejack’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Yer awfully quiet. Is everything okay?” her daughter asked.

“Oh, uh…. yes, I’m fine, Applejack. I was jus’ thinkin’ that’s all,” Pear explained.

Applejack raised a brow. “Are ya sure? Ya kinda kept quiet when I mentioned Grand Pear again. Are you gonna talk ta him or not?”

Pear sighed as she made her way toward the hillside. “I will deal with your grandfather when we get there, Applejack. Don’t worry ‘bout me. I will try to talk ta him. I promise.” 

“What’re you two talkin’ ‘bout?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Oh, it’s nothing dear,” Pear casually replied. “Tell you what, ‘Bloom. Why don’t you climb up on my back? I’ll carry you all the way back ta the house. How does that sound?”

“Yay!” 

Apple Bloom ran up toward her mother and immediately jumped on her back. Though Pear did not expect her filly to outright jump on her, she let it slide when she saw Apple Bloom snuggled up on her backside.

Aw, how adorable. “Alright, ‘Bloom, hang on tight. We’re gonna be goin’ down this hill really fast!”

“Huh?”

Before Apple Bloom could react, Pear dashed forward and jumped off the hillside. Her action caused both of her daughters to panic. Applejack called out to her while Apple Bloom held on tight and covered her eyes.

To their relief, no accident came. Pear landed safely on the ground, but to their surprise, they noticed her quickly sliding down the hillside. She had adjusted her forelegs upward, using the back tip of her hooves to accomplish the feat. Dangerous, yes, but Pear wanted to entertain her little filly as much as she could.

Realizing she wasn’t in any danger, Apple Bloom smiled and cheered as she and Pear made their way down. When the two of them reached the bottom, she merrily squeezed her mother fondly.

“Well, dear, was that fun?” Pear asked Apple Bloom, to which her filly nodded rigorously. “Good. Cause the rest of yer day is gonna be jus’ like that, Bloomy.”

“Yay!” cheered Apple Bloom.

“Oh, thank Celestia you two are safe!” Both Pear and Apple Bloom looked behind and saw Applejack making her way down the hillside. “Jeez, Ma! Don’t do something crazy like that again! You ‘an Apple Bloom could’ve gotten hurt!”

“Oh, Applejack, you don’t have ta worry ‘bout me,” Pear casually replied. “I was jus’ havin’ some fun with ‘Bloom here, that’s all. Don’t see any harm takin’ any risks if ya know what yer doin.”

“Uh, if ya say so. Anyway, let’s get back ta the house. Pretty sure everypony there is waitin’ fer us.”

“Of course.” Pear looked back Apple Bloom one more time. The filly had buried her face on Pear’s coat and was happily cuddling her mother’s back. 

She smiled. With her filly saddled comfortably, she and Applejack trotted back into the Apple farm and headed home.
> Chapter 19
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“And that’s how Ah got mah Cutie Mark!” Apple Bloom yelled at the top of her lungs. She had just finished telling her mother the story of how she earned her Cutie Mark, and how she used her talent to help other children find their destinies.

Pear Butter listened closely as she and her daughters trotted down the Apple farm. Though he found the topic of Cutie Marks interesting, she couldn’t help but find the term somewhat silly. Yet despite that, she couldn’t help but feel proud of Apple Bloom.

“Gosh, Bloom, I never thought that a filly yer age helps inspire other kids to find their purpose. I never expected such maturity.” Pear took a minute to stop and muzzled Apple Bloom. “I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”

Apple Bloom smiled. “Thanks, Ma.”

“But I gotta be honest with you two, the term ‘Cutie Mark’ seems rather childish to me. The part about havin’ these magical tattoos on your flanks put me off a bit. Don’t really see the point of havin’ these things when I first saw them.”

“Why? They don’t have Cutie Marks where yer from, Ma?”

“Goodness, no! No one would dare get a tattoo on their behind. It’d be awkward. Besides, even if we had these marks, no one would see them. We wear clothes to cover our bodies.”

“Why’s that?” asked Apple Bloom.

Pear flinched. “Err, well…. let’s jus’ say we don’t want our privates showin’ in front of everyone around us.”

“Huh? What’d ya mean by that?” Apple Bloom glanced over to her sister. “Applejack, do ya know what Ma’s talkin’ ‘bout?”

“Uh, let’s not pry Ma with any more questions like that, okay. We’re kinda getting’ off topic here,” said Applejack, which earned a sigh of relief from Pear Butter and a displeasing one from Apple Bloom.

“So, ‘bout Cutie Marks,” she continued. “They’re really special with it comes ta ponies. Not only does it tell us that we found our special talent, but it tells us we found our purpose.

“Purpose? So, what yer tellin’ me is that all ponies in Equestria rely on these marks? And they jus’ simply follow what their marks tell them to do?”

Applejack nodded.

“I see. But what if another pony wants to do something other than what those marks tell them? Can they branch out or is that not allowed?”

“‘Course ponies can try out other things. Havin’ a special talent in one thing don’t mean ponies can’t have other hobbies. Speakin’ of which, I’ve been wantin’ to ask ya ‘bout yer Cutie Mark, Ma. How did ya manage to get one?”

“Oh, this?” Pear asked as she pointed to the Cutie Mark on her flank. “I honestly have no idea. This jus’ appeared on my flank when I got here.”

Applejack raised a brow. “Huh. Guess that’s one thing Ah have ta ask Twilight about later.”

“Anyway, enough about these Cutie Marks. There’s something I want to ask your sister,” Pear said, which immediately got Apple Bloom’s attention. “Bloom? Can you tell me how the Princess convinced you and everyone else that I was real?”

    “Oh, well, Princess Twilight ‘an Starlight took everypony ta a room that had some sorta weird crystal mirror inside,” explained Apple Bloom. “They told us ‘bout the mirror ‘an explained what it does.”

    “Yup, I know that mirror well,” Pear replied. “It’s a portal to my world. It leads straight to Canterlot High School.”

    “Yeah, Ah remember Twilight tellin’ us the mirror is supposed ta be a magic portal. None of us believed it at first, but then Twilight actually stepped inside the mirror.”

    “She went to my world?” Pear said in surprise, to which Apple Bloom merely nodded back.

    “Huh, well, I’m not in any way surprised she did that. I mean, how else was Twilight goin’ ta prove yer real, Ma?” asked Applejack.

    Pear sighed. “Well, I guess that makes sense. But how long did the Princess stay in my world?”

    “Not very long,” answered Apple Bloom. “She came back only a few minutes later. But what surprised us is that another pony showed up along with her.

    “What?”

“Yeah. It was a unicorn. She had an orange coat with red ‘an yellow hair. She kinda surprised us when she came out the mirror with Twilight. And Ah remember Mrs. Cake faintin’ too when it happened.”

“Wait, why’d Mrs. Cake faint?” asked Applejack.

That’s yer question, sugarcube? Pear thought as she rolled her eyes. “Did that unicorn ever introduce herself, Bloom?”

“Yeah, she did,” Apple Bloom replied, nodding. “She said her name is Sunset Shimmer.”

“Wait, I remember her!” said Applejack. “She’s that one pony Twilight made friends with a long time ago!”

“You know that girl, Applejack?” Pear asked in surprise.

“Only bits ‘an pieces. All Ah know is that she used ta be Princess Celestia’s student back before Twilight came along. Then something happened ‘an she wound up leavin’ Equestria. Guessin’ she somehow got ta yer world and stayed there.”

Pear’s jaw dropped. The news shocked her. A unicorn pony from Equestria somehow managed to come to her world! When did this happen? How did that pony gain access to such an important object? Did her Applejack know any of this? And if she did, how much did she know?

“What happened after Twilight ‘an Sunset came out of the portal, Apple Bloom?” asked Applejack.

“I don’t know,” admitted Apple Bloom. “After she came back, Ah left the castle ‘an went straight home.”

“So, ya went ‘an jus’ left?” Applejack tipped her Stetson back and stared at her sister. “Couldn’t ya jus’ waited a bit longer? Pretty sure Twilight would’ve teleported y’all back ta the farm. That way ya didn’t have ta run all the way back.”

“Ah didn’t want ta wait! Ah wanted ta see Ma!” Apple Bloom whined.

“Okay, girls, that’s enough. What’s done is done. There’s no point in arguin’,” Pear said as she calmed her kids down. “We are almost home. I’m pretty sure we’ll get some answers once we get back ta the house.”

They continued their way down Sweet Apple Acres, resuming their conversation about Cutie Marks. Applejack told Pear her story, how she left Sweet Apple Acres and moved into a big city with big dreams. But thanks to a friend, she came back days later after realizing her heat belongs to the farm.
    
Pear paid close attention to Applejack’s story. Her tale itself left her surprised. It amazed her that Applejack was so connected to her friends’ years before they met. But as touching as the story is, it left her with a lot of questions.

Was it by mere luck did Applejack see that rainbow? What would’ve happened if she didn’t see it? Would she have stayed in that big Manehattan city she talked about?

Pear shook her head. Ugh, I really shouldn’t be thinking about this. There’s already so much going on right now. Let’s jus’ say it’s because of magic and be done with it.

Eventually, Pear and her children all made it out of Apple farm, with the Apple family house within sight and just a few short distances away. As they all trotted toward the house, Pear spotted a group of ponies standing right outside their home.

    “Hey! It’s Princess Twilight! She’s here!” shouted Apple Bloom.

Pear smiled. Good. I can finally talk to my friends and family with no issues. “Do you see anyone else there besides her, Bloom?”

Apple Bloom squinted her eyes. “Ah see Big Mac, Burnt Oak, Miss. Cheerilee, and Mrs. Cake with the Princess. But Ah don’t see that unicorn that was with Twilight earlier. She’s not here.

“Wait, she’s not?” asked Applejack, which her sister nodded her reply. “Huh. I figured that she’d be here with Twilight. Why isn’t she here?”

“Well, we can just ask the Princess when we meet her,” Pear replied. “Come on, let’s not keep them waitin’ any longer. Bloom, climb off my back for now ‘an stay close. I’m going to have ta talk to the princess first.”

Apple Bloom nodded and climbed off her mother’s back. As they made their way toward the house, Pear called out to the ponies waiting outside. Her voice immediately got their attention as all of them turned around to see her.

Princess Twilight was the first pony to react. She spread her wings and flew gracefully toward Pear and greeted her as she landed.

“Hello, Mrs. Butter!” greeted Twilight. “How was your afternoon with Applejack?”

“Oh, it was wonderful!” replied Pear Butter. “We had a few hiccups, but all in all, it was a great experience. It was a sight to see Sweet Apple Acres. Especially since the farm itself is this big! I never would’ve had dreamed of owning farmland this large.”

“Wait, what hiccups?” Twilight tilted her head. “Just what do you mean by that?”

“Well, things got a bit complicated on our tour. Ran into some issues with my daddy and we ended up visitin’ my counterpart’s grave,” Pear explained, casually. “Oh, and AJ asked me if I could stay here in Equestria too.”

“What?!” shouted Twilight. She looked at Applejack in disbelief, only for the cowpony to tilt her Stetson down and look away in shame.

“Don’t be too hard on her dear. She jus’ got a little emotional because she misses me,” said Pear. “Besides, I talked her through it. She understands that I can’t stay.”

Twilight sighed in relief. “That’s good, thank you. But I should still talk to AJ though. She should know better than that.”

“Do it on your own time yer highness. I still need to ask you something before I go ‘an greet the rest of my family ‘an friends.”

“What is it?”

“I want ta talk ‘bout the portal ta my world,” Pear immediately answered. “I need ta know what’s goin’ ta happen to it once I go back.”

“That’s all? Well, you don’t really need to worry about a thing, Mrs. Apple. I’ve got some good news for you.”

“Oh?” Pear raised a brow. “Mind tellin’ me what it is?”

Twilight smiled. “You are free to come and go to Equestria as you please. The portal is available for you to use at any time.”

Pear blinked. “Wait, that’s it? So, I can come in ‘an out of the portal anytime I want?”

Twilight nodded, much to the joy of both Apple siblings. Though for some reason, Pear remained quiet.

“Hey, Ma, you okay? What’s with the long face? Aren’t ya happy with Twilight’s announcement?” asked Applejack.

Pear sighed. “It’s not that, Applejack. Yes, I’m glad that I’m allowed to come back, but I some concerns. Mainly regarding the portal.”

“What about it?”

“Well fer starters, that portal is way too easy to access on my side. Fer cryin’ out loud, it uses the school’s monument as the entrance. Believe me, that thing ain’t exactly well hidden.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Relax, Mrs. Apple. You don’t have to worry about it. Sunset and I are taking care of the whole thing.”

Pear scowled at the Princess, much to the shock of her daughters and Twilight.

“I wished you would take this a bit more seriously your highness. Someone will eventually stumble into it. Heck, I only managed ta get here by accident. By accident! In fact, I never would have discovered the portal in the first place if it wasn’t for my parent-principal conference I had this morning.”

Applejack tilted her head. “Uh, parent-principal conference?”

“I’ll explain later, AJ. But seriously, yer highness, people are gettin’ mighty suspicious over at Canterlot High. Rumors are floatin’ ‘bout ‘an I’m worried things might escalate soon. The last thing I want is for the school board or government officials to close off the portal.”

Twilight sighed. “Mrs. Apple, I understand your concerns. Believe me, Sunset and I have thought about this. We are working on a solution, trust me.

“Yeah? Well, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Pear rebuked. “By the way, where is that Sunset pony anyway. Bloom told me ya brought her over here. Why didn’t she come with you.”

“We agreed it’d be best if she stayed at the castle for now,” answered Twilight. “This entire gathering is for you, your family, and your friends. Neither I nor Sunset will get in your way.”

“Thank you, yer highness.” Pear turned to two daughters. “Girls, I need some time talkin’ with everyone over there. Ya mind stayin’ here with the Princess till I get done.”

Her two daughters agreed and allowed Pear Butter to trot her way to the group of ponies. As she got close, she noticed that they were all looking at her and their emotions varied.

The first pony she looked at was Big Mac. The stallion caught sight of her and smiled back, but Pear noticed something odd. His entire body was shaking, and it appeared that he was hiding back some tears. Though he didn’t really do a good job at it.

Pear smiled. Seeing a big grown stallion smile and cry like that was kind of cute. Much so that she decided that Big Mac was the one who’d she greet first. She made her way toward her son and returned a smile.

“Hello, dear,” Pear greeted as she reached her son.

“Ma. Ah…. Ah can’t believe it’s you.” Unable to hold back his tears, Big Mac lowered his head and bawled his eyes out. “Ah can’t tell ya how much we missed ya, Ma. It was hard so losin’ ya, Ah jus’—”

“Shh, it’s alright dear. Ya can’t cry. Cheer up! There ain’t no point fer you to act this way.”

Big Mac nodded back as he wiped the tears from his eye.

“S…. sorry. Couldn’t really help myself.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Pear replied. “Ta be honest, I’ve seen jus’ ‘bout enough of all this cryin’. Today is supposed ta be a happy day. So, chin up, Mac. Yer a grown stallion! Act like one!”

“Eyupp. Will do, Ma,” said Bright Mac with a beaming smile.

“But…. there’s jus’ one that I need ta ask real quick. Something important.” Pear leaned closer and looked at her son in the eye. “Big Mac. Are you datin’ right now?”

Big Mac’s eyes widened and he immediately swung back. He found himself caught in an uncomfortable position as his mother’s eyes gazed at him for some answers. 

“Ah…. Uh. Ah can explain!” he blurted out. “Ya see, there’s this mare, Sugar Belle. We’ve been datin’ fer quite a while now ‘an—”

“How long?” Pear asked.

“H-hold on, Ma! Please! Ah promise, Ah’ll explain everything, Ah swear!”

“Yes, Big Mac. Go ahead ‘an explain everything.”

Pear’s ears perked as she heard a familiar voice not too far away. She tilted her head to see Cheerilee looking straight at Big Mac, wearing an odd-looking smile on her face.

“Well, aren’t you going to tell her?” asked the school teacher. “Come now, don’t be nervous. I’m sure your mother will give you and Sugar Belle a chance.”

“What? Cheerilee, what’re ya doin’?” asked Big Mac, whose cheeks began to flush bright red.

“Is she in town, today?” teased Cheerilee. “If she is, I’m sure we’ll have time to bring her over. I bet she’ll love to meet your mom.”

“Gah! Please stop it, Cheerilee.”

Cheerilee giggled. “Oh, relax, Big Mac. I’m just playing. Come on, you’re a big stallion that found your special somepony. I’m sure she’ll understand. Speaking of which, when are you going to tie that knot? From what I heard, you and Sugar Belle are getting quite along aren’t you?”

Big Mac’s jaw fell agape. His cheeks burned redder as Cheerilee continued to toy with him. He looked at his mother for support, hoping that she would get Cheerilee to cut it out. But his hopes were dashed as soon as he saw Pear Butter glaring at him with a stink eye.

He gulped. “Aw, horseapples.”

Pear sighed. “Big Mac, calm down. Quit your belly-aching ‘an look at me in the eye. You do not need ta be ashamed of anything! Got it? Ain’t nothin’ wrong with you findin’ a girlfriend. That’s perfectly fine.”

“Really? You’re okay with me datin’?”

“Of course!” Pear replied. “Honey, you are a full-grown stallion! Course you can date other ponies. Jus’ promise me you’ll introduce me to that Sugar Belle pony the next time she’s here. I’d love to meet her.”

“You…. you will?” asked Big Mac, to which Pear immediately replied with a nod. A smile formed on him as he reached out and hugged his mother. “Thanks, Ma. Ah swear, Ah’ll introduce her to ya the next time she’s here. You’ll love her!”

“I’ll be the judge of that, dear,” said Pear Butter. “As long as she’s a hard workin’ pony like yerself, I’m fine with that.”

Big Mac nodded and the two embraced yet again. After a moment, Pear muzzled her son on the cheek one last time before telling him to meet up with his sisters. He obliged and trotted away, allowing Pear to greet her pony friends.

The first was Cheerilee.

“Hello, Mrs. Apple,” greeted Cheerilee with a smile. “I hope you’ll forgive me about that little fuss I had with your son. I didn’t mean any harm, it was just playful teasing.”

“Cheerilee,” Pear grumbled in response. “Why did you to tease my son like that?”

Cheerilee giggled. “Oh, come on, Mrs. Apple, there’s no need for you to be upset. I didn’t mean any harm. They were only playful jokes, that’s all.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then surely ya don’t mind if I tell my son that you had a crush on him as a child. You wouldn’t want something like that comin’ out, don’t you?” Pear said as she moved closer to Cheerilee.

Cheerilee’s eyes went wide. The playful expression she had on her face turned into a look of panic.

“P-please don’t do anything rash, Mrs. Apple. I don’t want things to get awkward between Big Mac and Sugar Belle. We already had a bit of a complicated issue a while back and I don’t want to bring up unpleasant memories.”

“Unpleasant memories?” Pear asked.

“I’ll tell you some other time, okay! Let’s just move on and get this whole meeting done with!”

Pear rolled her eyes. “Fine, but you owe me an explanation, Cheerilee. Don’t think I’ll let ya jus’ walk away after you teased my son like that.”

Cheerilee simply nodded in agreement, followed by a brief pause. Neither mare spoke a word after that, which gave Cheerilee the impression that there was nothing left to be said. She proceeded to trot away and join the Princess but was stopped by Pear Butter.

“Wait, before you go, there’s something that I want ta address first,” Pear said. “You said back at the school that you ‘an Applejack grew up together, correct?

“Yes. We knew each other when we were fillies,” Cheerilee answered before raising her brow at Pear Butter. “Why are you asking me this? I thought I explained this clearly at the school.”

“Well, Cheerilee, its jus’ that things are different in my world. You, well yer counterpart I mean, grew up with me ‘an Chiffon. The three of us met when we were kids, and we’ve been best friends since.”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened in shock, as well as everypony else in the area.

“Hold on a second. Are you saying that the other me grew up with you and Mrs. Cake?”

Pear Butter nodded. “Yup. We spent our free days horsin’ around at my family’s farm. We attended the same schools and graduated together too. When we left Canterlot High, we all promised we’d keep in touch. And we did. Chiffon works at Sugarcube Corner while you work at our high school.”

Cheerilee’s jaw dropped. “Wait, so if what you’re saying is true, then the other me is much older. H-how is that possible?”

“Beats me. The only thing I can think of is parallel universes or somethin’.” Pear chuckled. “But I tell ya what, if my friend knew that you were younger than her, she’d be mighty jealous.”

That made Cheerilee snicker. “Well if that’s the case, let’s jus’ hope we’ll never meet.”

The two ponies laughed together and embraced.

“It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Apple,” said Cheerilee. “Despite our rough start, I had a wonderful time getting to know you. Tell me, do you plan on coming back here to Ponyville? I bet your family and friends here would really love that.”

“Don’t worry. I already promised my daughters I’ll visit every so often,” Pear answered. “Not all the time though. My other family has to take priority first.”

“So, you’ll visit every other week?” asked Cheerilee.

Pear shrugged. “Likely, but we’ll see.”

The two embraced one more time before Pear allowed her friend to move toward Applejack and the others. With that settled, she could now continue toward Chiffon and Burnt Oak. But before she made her move, Pear was taken by surprise as she found herself being squeezed in the neck by her best friend.

“Pear!” Chiffon shouted as she tightened her hold on Pear’s body. The farm pony to choke. “It’s you! I can’t believe it’s you!”

“Y-yes, Chiffon, it’s me,” said Pear as she struggled to squeeze out of her friend’s grip. “P-please, can you calm down and let go of me? Yer kinda makin’ it hard to breathe.”

“Oh gosh! I’m so sorry!”

Immediately, Chiffon let go of Pear Butter and gave the mare some space.

“Sorry about that, dear. I…. I didn’t mean to hurt you like that.”

“It’s fine, Chiffon. Don’t worry ‘bout it,” replied Pear Butter. As she finally caught her breath, Pear looked at her friend and noticed a stream of tears flowing down her cheeks. Her lips were quivering too.

Pear rolled her eyes. “Chiffon, come on. There ain’t no need to cry. Please, I don’t want any more of my friends ‘an family cryin’ today. We’ve all done enough of that already.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Chiffon rubbed her face with her hooves and wiped the tears off her face. “It’s just that, you really gave me the surprise earlier today. Never in my life would ever thought I’d see you again.”

“Oh, that’s right! Cheerilee told ya ta go ‘an report me over to the Princess ‘round the second time me met. I completely forgot about that!”

Pear looked back over to her friend.

“Don’t think I forgot about that time ya lied to me, Cheerilee! Next time ya fool me like that, I swear I’m gonna bop ya over the head with these hooves!”

From a distance, Cheerilee gulped.

“Oh, go easy on her, Pear. She was just trying to do the right thing,” said Chiffon. “We all thought the worst, but we never expected that you came from another world! I still find it hard to believe it. Even with Twilight’s explanation!”

“Well, it’s the truth, Chiffon,” Pear stated. “In another world, I have another family. Bright Mac, my children, my mother-in-law. They’re all waitin’ fer me ta come home. And we jus’ had a big harvest too, so I need ta go back.”

“Really now? How is that big old stallion doin’?”

Pear and Chiffon turned their heads to see Burnt Oak heading right toward them.

“Howdy, Pear,” he greeted.

“Oak!” Pear trotted to the middle-aged stallion and, much to his surprise, hugged him tight around his neck.

“Whoa there! P-Pear, yer huggin’ a bit too tight. C-can ya please settle down? This old body of mine jus’ ain’t what it used ta be.”

“Oh, whoops.” Pear immediately let go of Burnt Oak, giving the stallion some room to breathe. “Sorry ‘bout that, Oak. Didn’t mean ta squeeze ya so hard. Are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine, Mrs. Apple,” replied Burnt Oak as he straightened himself out. “Geez, even after all of these years, you still are one tough mare.”

Pear blushed. “Aw, thanks Oak. That’s mighty sweet of ya ta say.”

Burnt Oak tipped his hat forward. “Pleasures all mine, Mrs. Apple. But back to my original question. How’s Bright Mac doin? Is he alright?”

“Oh, he’s fine. He’s still up ‘an about, working on the farm all day. With Granny gettin’ old, he ‘an I had to take up most of the work. In fact, we jus’ finished sellin’ some of our apples ta one of our local buyers. Sold quite a lot too.”

“I see. It’s good to know he’s doin’ alright.” Burnt Oak smiled. “So, what the Princess explained earlier is true. It’s kind of hard ta imagine that my old buddy of mine is still ‘round somewhere. But with you bein’ here ‘an all, it’s all the proof I need to know he’s okay.”

He sighed. “Tell me Pear, the Princess said you have ta return home soon, right?”

“Then can ya promise me this one thing for me? The next time you stop by Ponyville again, do ya mind if ya bring Bright Mac over here? It’s been so long since I last seen him and I’d really appreciate it if he comes along next time.”

“Oh, you don’t need ta worry ‘bout that, Oak. I’ll definitely bring him along next time,” replied Pear Butter. “ May have to drag him along, but I’m sure everything will be fine.”

Burnt Oak’s smile grew wider. “Mighty kind of ya, Pear. And I’m sorry that I accused you earlier today.”

“Don’t mention it.”

The two of them embraced for one more time before Burnt Oak trotted away. Pear and Chiffon did the same as well, and the two of them rejoined everypony else.

“Well, it looks like everyone’s accounted for. So, what’s next yer highness? Are we headin’ back ta the castle?” Pear asked.

“Wait! But what about Granny ‘an Grand Pear Pear?” asked Apple Bloom.

Pear’s ears perked. “Oh, that’s right. I completely forgot ‘bout Granny. Apple Bloom, do ya know if she’s still in the house? Last time I was here, she fainted when she saw me.”

“Uh, what ‘bout Grandpa, Ma? Don’t ya want ta see him too?” asked Big Mac.
“Oh, right. Him too.” Pear sighed. Guess I got no choice but to face Daddy now. “Big Mac, can you ‘an Bloom please check on yer grandparents? I want you two ta bring them outside. But don’t force them if they can’t, okay? You know how frail they are.”

“Uh, okay?” Big Mac raised a brow and stared at his mom. He looked at Applejack for some answers, but his sister simply shook her head.

“Jus’ do what Ma tells ya, Big Mac,” said Applejack. “Trust me, when I say this. Don’t get in Ma’s way when she ‘an Grand Pear talk. It’s personal.”

Big Mac stared at Applejack for a while, unsure of what to make of her and Pear’s seemingly blunt responses. Nevertheless, he made his way toward the house. Before he could reach it though, the front door suddenly flung open.

That got everypony’s attention. Immediately, everypony looked to the house, waiting quietly to see if anyone would come out. But nothing happened. The front door remained open with no pony stepping outside.

Pear blinked. “Hmm, it looks like they’re not comin’ out. Why is that? Applejack, go to yer grandparents ‘an see if they’re alright. Figure out why they’re not—”

Before Pear could finish her sentence, everypony spotted Granny Smith stepping outside the house. She moved slowly, but nonetheless managed to leave her home.

“Granny!” Applejack rushed toward her grandmother, followed by her siblings. They all clamored to her to see if she was alright.

“Whoa, nelly! Would ya kids please settle down?!” shouted Granny. “Ah can take good care of mahself jus’ fine! Give this old mare some space!”

“Oh, uh, oops. Sorry ‘bout that Granny, said Applejack as she and her siblings gave their grandmother some room.

“That’s better. So, AJ, ya mind tellin’ me how yer day was? Did ya end up sellin’ a lot of apples in town with yer brother?”

Applejack blinked. “Uh, yes?”

“Good. Ah was hopin’ that you’d say that. After that big sale ya had yesterday, Ah figured that today would be the same.” Granny then looked to Apple Bloom. “What ‘bout you Bloom. Did ya manage ta impress yer classmates with that science project of yers?”

Apple Bloom tilted her head. “Um, yes? Well…. not really. The science project me ‘an my friends all built blew up on our faces. We got rainbow gunk all over our coats.”

Granny laughed. “So that silly project of yers blew up on your face? Why, that is the most hilarious thing Ah’ve heard in a long time! Ah can almost picture all that gunk blowin’ up in the classroom. Wouldn’t want ta be that pony ta clean that mess up! Eh, no offense sugar plum.”

The three siblings exchanged looks.

“Uh, Granny, not ta burst yer bubble, but there’s something big happenin’ right now,” said Applejack. “Ya see, Ma’s—”

“Oh, don’t you worry ‘bout a thing, Applejack,” said Granny as she cut her granddaughter off. “Ah know exactly what’s goin’ on.”

“Wait, ya do?” asked Applejack.

Granny nodded. “Course Ah do! So, are you three gonna stand there all day or what? Where’s mah daughter-in-law?”

 “I’m over here, Granny!”

Pear had already made her move and decided that it’d be best if she approached her mother-in-law while she was with the kids. Though she feared for the old mare’s reaction should she see her, she was relieved to see Granny remain firm.   

“Pear! So, my eyes weren’t deceivin’ me after all.” Granny smiled. “Stay right there will ya? Let me jus’ move this old body of mine.”

“Granny, you don’t have to force yourself ta move,” said Pear Butter.

“Nonsense!” shouted Granny. “Ah may be old, but that don’t mean Ah can’t walk! Now do me a favor ‘an stay right there!”

Pear rolled her eyes. Looks like this Granny is just as stubborn. Makes me wonder how exactly did Bright Mac avoid being like her and Applejack? Did it skip a generation?

Everypony watched as Granny Smith slowly made her way toward Pear Butter. When she did, the old mare reached over to her daughter-in-law and hugged her.

“Pear, it’s so wonderful ta see ya again,” said Granny as tears gathered in her eyes. “You don’t know how happy Ah am ta see that wonderful face of yers.”

Pear smiled. “Of course, Granny. It’s good ta know that yer alright. To be honest, I’m surprised your takin’ this well. The last time ya saw me, you fainted right on the couch.”

“Well, what’d ya expect? Yer supposedly dead daughter-in-law suddenly shows up on yer doorstep! Any mare would faint like that, no matter what age! Which begs the question, Pear? How in the hay did ya get here?”

“Well, Granny, it’s kinda complicated,” said Pear Butter.

“Does it have anything ta do with magic?” asked Granny.

Pear blinked. “Uh…. yes?”

“Well, ya don’t have ta explain it any further. Equestria’s full of magic. So, if something supernatural happens, we all know who ta blame.”

Granny laughed, and so did Pear Butter. Pretty soon, everypony in the Apple family joined in the laughter. As the hysteria died down, they all smiled and embraced each other. But before they all let go, Apple Bloom popped a question.

“Hey, where’s Grand Pear Pear?” she asked. “Ah don’t see him anywhere at all. Is he still in the house, Granny?”

“What?! He’s not out here?!” shouted Granny. “Ah thought Ah told him that the next time we see Pear we’d both step out! Confound it. Don’t tell me he’s hidin’ inside the house.”

“Hold yer horses, everypony. Ah’ll go get him,” said Applejack as she volunteered to retrieve her grandfather. She dashed her way toward the house and went inside. Everypony stood back, waiting for Applejack to appear again with Grand Pear.

Pear gulped and began to repeatedly tap her hooves on the ground. Oh dear. I’m going to see daddy again. W-what should I do?

“Pear, yer tappin’ yer hooves like crazy over there. Something wrong?” asked Granny.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Granny. It’s that…. I haven’t seen daddy in such a long time. I jus’ don’t know what ta do. Our last meetin’ didn’t really go very well ‘an I’m worried that—”

“Quit yer yappin’, dear. Now’s not the time ta be all nervous,” said Granny. “Ah know it’s hard ta believe, but this ain’t the same Grand Pear ya knew. He’s old, like me. ‘An when ya get old like me, yer gonna have plenty of regrets. So, give him a chance. Fer yerself and yer kids.”

Pear nodded. “I will try, Granny. I will try.”

Everypony waited patiently for Applejack to comeback, as most expected she’d come back quickly. However, nothing happened. There was no sign of her, nor was there any noise coming from the house.

It’s quiet. A bit too quiet. Pear thought to herself. Did something happen inside? Why is Applejack taking so long?

“Uh, it looks like AJ ‘an Grand Pear ain’t comin’ out anytime soon. Should I go inside ‘an check on them?” asked Big Mac.

“Nonsense. There ain’t no point,” replied Granny. “Give Applejack more time. Ah reckon the reason why she ain’t comin’ out is because of old Grand Pear. Old kook is probably nervous ‘bout meetin’ his daughter again.”

Pear sighed. I wouldn’t blame him. Our last meeting didn’t exactly end well. I mean, I did run away from him. Even though he did apologize to me.

A groan escaped from Pear’s breath. AJ and Granny are right. What I did back then was bad, and I really shouldn’t be holding grudges against him. He’s a frail old pony who’s looking for forgiveness. Though he ain’t my Daddy, I should at least give him some comfort.

A few more minutes pass. Everypony still waited for Applejack to come back out. But still, nothing. Eventually, Princess Twilight decided to make her move. She flapped her wings and flew toward the Apple family.

“Applejack is taking a lot longer than I thought,” she said. “A bit too long I’m afraid.”

“Oh, that ain’t no big deal, yer highness. Jus’ sit back ‘an give mah granddaughter more time. She’ll be out in a minute.” said Granny.

Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, Granny, but we’ve waited too long. We’re in a tight schedule right now and we can’t delay any further. Let me jus’ go inside the house and see what’s going on. If Applejack won’t come out her grandfather, then we’ll just—”

“Wait! I think I see mah sister comin’ out!” shouted Apple Bloom.

That got everypony’s attention. They all looked back at the house and, sure enough, Applejack had stepped outside the house. She wasn’t alone either. Joining behind her was her grandfather, who had followed her out, albeit slowly.

Daddy. 

Apple Bloom whimpered. She tried to object but looks from both Granny and Pear Butter told her no. Reluctantly, the filly trotted back toward Big Mac and allowed her mother to move forward.

Before she could talk to her father though, Applejack approached Pear first.

“Ma. Are ya ready this time?” she asked.

Pear nodded. “Yes, I am. Ya don’t have ta worry ‘bout me anymore, Applejack. I’m ready. Jus’ go ta yer siblings ‘an wait with them, alright. I’ll talk ta Daddy alone.”

Applejack nodded. Respecting her mother’s wish, she trotted away and joined her siblings. With her gone, Pear finally turned her attention to Grand Pear, determined to set things right. Though to her surprise, the old stallion didn’t seem eager to talk. He simply frowned and looked away.

He’s still shaking. And from the looks of it, he’s not willing to talk. Pear thought as she closely examined her dad. Can’t say that I blame him. Our last meeting didn’t exactly end in good terms.

She sighed. Making the first move, Pear trotted closer to Grand Pear and called to him.

“Daddy? Daddy, it’s me. I…. I want ta talk this time. Please, don’t get all quiet on me, okay? I promise I’ll hear you out this time.”

Pear waited patiently for a reply, but no response came from her dad. Grand Pear was still silent. His head still turned away. It’s almost as if he wasn’t even paying attention to her.

She called to him again, yet the situation didn’t change. The old stallion kept quiet. This made Pear bit her lip. Signs of frustration began building up inside her.

But all of that went away when Grand Pear finally spoke up.

“Pear?”

Pear Butter’s ears perked. “D-daddy?”

“Hello, dear,” Grand Pear greeted with a meek smile.

Pear blinked. She stared at her dad in a long, uncomfortable silence.

“What? No hugs?” asked Grand Pear, sarcastically. “I saw you give Granny a hug earlier when she came out. Why not me?”

Pear grimaced. “Don’t push yer luck jus’ yet, Daddy. I…. I still need time adjustin’ ta all this. So, forgive me if I seem a bit untrustworthy.”

Grand Pear sighed. “I know. I understand perfectly dear. Believe me, I never expected I’d ever see ya again. And even so, I didn’t think you’d be willin’ ta accept me. Not after what happened last time.”


“Eeyup. AJ told me exactly what ya did,” said Pear Butter. “Ya went ‘an jus’ straight up left her didn’t you? On her weddin’ day no less! All because ya couldn’t let go of the family feud.”

Grand Pear sighed again. His face began to scrunch.

“Yes, that was my mistake. I should’ve stayed here with my family ‘an not let some silly feud get in the way. But my pride got in the way, and because of that, I never got ta see my little girl again.”

Pear raised a brow. “Um, Daddy? I’m standin’ right here.”

“Don’t you go beatin’ ‘round the bush, Pear,” said Grand Pear. “Applejack told me everything there is ta know ‘bout you.”

“She did?” Pear asked, to which Grand Pear nodded his head.

“Yes, she explained ta me that you ain’t the same girl I raised all those years ago,” he answered. “That Pear is long gone. You are supposed ta be her counterpart of some sort. Came from a completely parallel world.”

“Well, that’s one way ta put it, but yes, AJ is right. I’m not the same girl you knew.”

Grand Pear sighed. “Perhaps…. perhaps that’s for the best. I don’t think my Pear Butter would ever accept me. Not after what I did.”

“N-no, don’t say that!” Pear exclaimed. “The other me would be more than happy ta welcome you back, Daddy!”

Grand Pear froze. “You…. you really think so?”

“Of course!” Wow, I really can’t believe I’m saying this. “I mean, you did eventually come back ‘an made peace with Granny. And yer gettin’ along fine with the kids too! A bit late, yes, but better late than never.”

“Gosh, I’m surprised, Pear. I’d never expected you’d be happy fer me,” said Grand Pear.

Pear chuckled. “Well, ta be fair, a part of me is still mad at you. But not you in any sort of way. I mean…. I’m not talkin’ ‘bout you, but the other you entirely.”
    
Grand Pear blinked. “Huh? Pear, what is it that yer tryin’ ta say?”

“I’m still mad at my dad!” shouted Pear Butter. “He still hasn’t talked ta me after all these years! He hasn’t replied to my letters, my calls, nothing! All he ever does is jus’ spite me. And it’s all ‘cause I married an Apple!”

Grand Pear’s eyes went wide. “I see. So, my counterpart hasn’t made any effort ta atone, hasn’t he?”

“No. No he hasn’t. He won’t talk ta me, Bright Mac, or anyone else in the Apple family.” 

Pear groaned as she slowly slumped down to the ground; yet despite that, she could feel her anger and frustration slipping away. 

“That man is as stubborn as a mule. After all these years, the family feud is still stuck in his head. Makes me wonder if all that crankiness affected his health in any way. Wouldn’t surprise me if it did.”

“I see. A real shame that he’s still actin’ that way. Bet he’s missed out on a lot of things,” said Grand Pear.

“He did,” Pear said bitterly. “But fer you, daddy, it’s different.”

“What do ya mean by that?”

“Unlike my daddy, you came back. Ya made at effort ta let go of yer grudge. You apologized ta Granny ‘an yer getting’ ta know the kids. They love ‘an care fer you, and because of that, I can forgive you.”

“Pear!” Grand Pear stood still, completely surprised by his daughter’s response.

“Pear, thank you. What ya jus’ said meant so much to me. But, I jus’ wish that my revelation didn’t come at such a high cost. It took the death of my own child fer me ta finally let go of my grudge.”

“It’s sad, I know, but I think she’d be happy knowin’ that ya found some peace. And I’m happy too. It’s good ta know I have at least one daddy that is willin’ ta spend time with his family instead of holding grudge fer so many years.”

“Give him time, Pear,” said Grand Pear. “He…. I can be a very stubborn at times. But sooner or later, he will come to his senses.”

Pear Butter smiled. So, did Grand Pear. And for the first time in years, the two of them could see eye to eye. It wasn’t the same person Pear knew growing up that is true, but for her, it was enough.

Then, out of the blue, Pear ran up to her dad and hugged him. Her action took the old stallion by surprise, and so did everypony else. But he didn’t mind. All that mattered is that they were together again. 

“Daddy, thank you,” said Pear Butter as tears fell down her cheeks. “I know you aren’t the same dad I grew up with ‘an all, but it’s good ta have ya back.” 

“Same here sweet pea,” replied Grand Pear as he held his daughter as tightly as he could. “Same here.”

The two of them would hold each other close for some time. Pear wouldn’t stop crying, and neither could Grand Pear. And much to their pleasure, nopony else interrupted their time together. It was just Pear and her father, nothing else.

A couple of minutes pass. Eventually, Pear and Grand Pear let go of one another. Each of them wiped the tears off their eyes. Then, Grand Pear asked a question.

“So, what’s gonna happen now?” he asked.

“I need ta go back home,” Pear quickly replied. “There’s a mirror portal back at the Princess’s castle that’ll lead me back. Can’t stay here too long. I still need ta take care of my other family.”

“I see. Are the kids okay with it?”

“Yeah. They know full well what needs ta be done,” Pear answered. “It’s sad, but it needs ta happen. We can’t do a thing ‘bout it. But on the other hand, I know they’ll be okay. The kids here are perfectly capable of takin’ care of themselves ‘an each other.”

“I understand. Come on, sweet pea. Let’s not keep everypony waitin’ any longer.”

Pear nodded and the two of them trotted back toward their families, together. As soon as they got close, they were immediately approached by Princess Twilight ‘an Applejack.

“Are you finished?” asked Twilight, to which Pear nodded in reply.

“That’s great!” said Applejack. “Good ta know you ‘an Pa finally made things right.”

“And it’s all thanks to you, sugarcube,” replied Pear Butter. “Thank you fer givin’ me this chance.”

Applejack beamed. “Aw shucks, it was nothin’. Real happy ta know things went out alright.”

Pear smiled back. “Yes, of course. But times are wastin’, AJ. I need ta go back ta my world, pronto.”

“She’s right, Applejack,” said Twilight. “The sooner we send her back, the better.”

“Yeah…. Yeah, I know.” Applejack’s smile faded away. “Jus’ wish ya could’ve stayed a lot longer. Ah still haven’t shown ya the entire farm yet, let alone Ponyville.”

“Maybe next time, Applejack,” said Grand Pear. “Though I wish there was something we can do ta commemorate the moment. Perhaps a photo or some sort?”

“No, our camera ain’t workin’. It needs fixin’, but we never really had the time ta do it.”

“There’s a camera at my castle. You can use it at the castle when we get there, Applejack,” Twilight offered. “Though I don’t think it’ll be possible to develop the photo before your mom leaves. Stuff like that takes time.”

“Wait, I have a better solution,” said Pear Butter. “Princess, you said you’ve been ta my world, correct?”

Princess Twilight nodded.

“Then you must be familiar with my world’s technology. Instead of usin’ yer camera, we can jus’ use my phone here in my bag.”

Twilight gasped. “Oh, that’s right! I completely forgot that you had that! With that device, we can take a photo right here at Sweet Apple Acres!”

“Uh, Twilight, Ma? What’re ya two talkin’ ‘bout?” asked a completely confused Applejack.

“We’re takin’ a photo usin’ a device I brought over from my world,” explained Pear Butter. “That way, I can get a photo with everyone here and y’all can get a photo over at the castle.”

Dropping her bag to the ground, Pear unzipped her bag and dug her head inside. She soon popped out with her phone clenched between her teeth and allowed Twilight take hold of it with her magic.

“What is that thing?” asked Applejack.

“It’s called a cell phone, sugarcube,” answered Pear Butter. “We’ll use this ta take the photo.”

“That small thing can take photos?” asked Grand Pear with a raised brow.

Pear nodded. “Yes, it is. It can do more stuff too, but I won’t bother with the details. Too difficult ta explain. Jus’ go ahead ‘an round up everybody you two. Let me remind the Princess how this here phone works ‘an then we’ll take the photo.

Applejack shrugged. “Well, if ya say so. Come on, Grand Pear. Let’s get ‘round up everypony.”  

Following her mother’s instructions, Applejack and her grandfather began gathering everypony up for a group picture. Though some questioned how they’re gonna do it without a camera, Applejack persisted they follow Pear’s instructions. 

Meanwhile, Pear Butter stood by Princess Twilight, giving the mare instructions on how to use the device.

“Jus’ ta be clear, ya know how ta work this thing, correct? How the camera works ‘an how ta focus the photo?”

“Mrs. Apple, don’t worry! I can assure you that I’ve worked on devices like these before,” said Twilight. “I have to say, these things are so fascinating. To think such a small device can do such wonders!”

“Save yer excitement fer later, yer highness,” Pear said as she rolled her eyes. “We still got ta take a photo here.”

“Of course. Well then, why don’t you go on ahead and meet up with everypony. It looks like they’re all ready for the picture.”

Pear nodded. She would rejoin her family and friends, who were already grouped up in front of the house. Apple Bloom, who was standing next to her sister, called out to her mom immediately.

“Mama? Applejack said we’re gonna be takin’ a photo here right now. Is that true?”

“Yes, dear,” Pear answered as she stood between her two daughters. “An item I brought with me allows me ta take photos. We’ll be takin’ one here right now."

She looked back at the Princess. “Yer highness, are ya ready?”

Twilight nodded. “Yup. Alright, everypony. On the count to three, smile.”

She lifted the phone with her magic, positioning it right at the center of the group.

“One…. two… three!”

A bright flash emanated from Pear’s phone, then a second. The photo was taken, though it seemed as if the Princess took at least two. As Twilight lowered the device, Pear and everypony else trotted toward her.

“How was it, yer highness?”

“Perfect! I took two photos, but they’re in good condition. Here, look.”

Twilight showed Pear her phone. In it was a crisp clear photo of her, her family, and her friends. All grouped together, smiling.

“Wow, that’s so cool!” said Apple Bloom.

“I’ll say!” said Applejack. “That is one clear photo ya got here.”

“It’s really is something,” said Cheerilee. “And the photo seems to be in really good quality too. Not even our cameras can make something like that.”

“Fine device ya got there, sweet pea,” said Grand Pear. “Do ya think we can build something like that?”

Pear shrugged. “Well, ta be honest, I don’t think you ponies are capable of makin’ thing yet. It may be a long time before y’all can build somethin’ this powerful. But anyway, now that we got the photo, it’s time we head out ta the castle.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “So, yer headin’ on back home now?”

“Yes, sweetie, I have ta go back. I got my other family waitin’ on me,” said Pear Butter.

“Aww.”

“We’ve been over this, Bloom. I know it’s hard, but we both know that I can’t stay here long. I need ta go back sometime.” Pear Butter reached out and hugged her little filly. “We’ll make the most of it on the way back. I did promise that you’ll have a fun afternoon, right?”

Apple Bloom nodded.

“Then go ahead ‘an climb on my back, sugarcube. I’ll tell ya all sorts of stories on the way back. And they’ll be fun ones, I promise.”

“Yay!” cheered Apple Bloom as she jumped on her mother’s back once more.

With her daughter settled, Pear looked around to see her friends and family gathered around her.

“Alright, yer highness, we’re ready now.”

“Excellect! Now that everything’s settled, I’m going to go ahead teleport everyone back to my castle,” explained Twilight. “Now, Mrs. Apple, I’m aware that you haven’t experienced teleportation magic before. I can assure you that—”

“Now hold jus’ a second, yer highness. I don’t mean ta be rude but can ya please hold off on that whole magical teleport thing,” said Pear Butter.

“Huh? Why?”

“Ain’t it obvious?” Pear stated as she gestured toward her friends and family.

“Oh, I see. Hmm, well I don’t see any harm in it. Alright, I’ll respect your decision, Mrs. Apple. But let’s make it quick. We can’t afford to lose any more time.”

Pear sighed in relief. She looked back at Apple Bloom one last time. The filly had a bright smile on her face as she muzzled her cheeks on her mother’s coat. Seeing this, Pear smiled and muzzled her daughter back.

“Thank ya kindly, Princess. I really appreciate it.”
> Chapter 20
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trip back to Castle Friendship felt long. Much longer than Pear Butter’s previous walks around town. Though this wasn’t exactly a bad thing. Her family and friends made the trip worthwhile.

The ponies did nothing but socialize, with each of them telling stories about their lives. Applejack was the loudest of them. She continued her stories from before, telling Pear about all the adventures she had with her friends. Apple Bloom chimed in too, doing her best not to be out done by her sister.

Big Mac stayed quiet for the most part. He wasn’t a big talker compared to his sisters. In fact, he acted just like her son back home, and Pear expected that. 

However, he lost his composure when Applejack joked about his history with Cheerilee. Apparently, the two of them had a relationship a couple of years ago, but it didn’t last long. He and Cheerilee were smitten only because of Apple Bloom and her friends. They accidentally made a dangerous love potion for the two, causing them to fall in love at first sight.

Pear smirked. The thought of her childhood friend and eldest child dating was so silly that she burst out laughing.

Big Mac flushed red. “Oh, come on, Ma! Don’t laugh.”

“Oh, lighten up, sugarplum! There’s no point in gettin’ all flustered. After all, it’s in the past,” Pear replied. “Besides, it ain’t even yer fault. You two were forced to fall in love, remember?”

“It’s still a bad memory, Mrs. Apple,” said Cheerilee with a sigh. “Please, don’t ever remind me of that one time ever again!”

“Eeyup,” said Big Mac, nodding. Though he and Cheerilee’s pleas were ignored as everypony joined in laughter.

After the group eventually calmed down, they continued forward and told all sorts of stories. Everypony was willing to share, even Pear Butter shared details about her world. It would continue for a long time, until the group finally made it to castle.

“Looks like we’re here, everypony!” said Princess Twilight.

“What?! We’re here already?” shouted Applejack.

“Aw shucks. Didn’t think we’d get here so quickly,” said Big Mac.

“Well to be fair, it took us quite a while ta get here,” said Grand Pear. “Besides, we had some fun on the way here. Shouldn’t that matter ta y’all?”

“But Ma’s gonna leave soon,” whined Apple Bloom. “Now that we’re here, we’re gonna have ta say goodbye.”

The three Apple siblings lowered their heads and moped.

“Aw, cheer up ya whippersnappers,” said Granny. “Don’t get all upset. Especially in front of yer Ma!”

“That’s right, kids. Y’all know this was comin’. Quit mopin’ and let’s all get inside the castle,” lectured Pear Butter.

The Apple siblings nodded their heads slowly before following their mother inside the castle. Upon entering, they were immediately greeted by two unicorn mares. One whom Pear immediately recognized.

“Hello, Mrs. Apple,” greeted Starlight Glimmer. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”

“Pleasure’s all mine, sugarcube,” Pear replied. “Good ta know that yer not threatenin’ ta arrest me this time.”

Applejack flinched. “Wait, what?!”

“Calm down, AJ. There’s no reason to shout. She had a legit reason,” Pear said as she rolled her eyes. 

“Your mother is right, Applejack,” said Twilight. “I know it seems harsh, but your mom trespassed on royal property without permission. By all accounts, Starlight could’ve arrested her on the spot.”

“But she didn’t,” said Chiffon.

Starlight nodded. “True. I jus’ gave her warning and let her go. But to be honest, she did lie to me when we first met. Convinced me that she was some tourist that barged in and got lost inside. Believed her too.”

Grand Pear raised a brow. “Huh, looks like my daughter lied ta avoid arrest. I don’t know whether I should be proud or not.”

Twilight groaned. “Everypony, please! Let’s not talk about this anymore. We still need to take one more photo before Mrs. Apple leaves. So, let’s get a move on, okay!

“Before we get ta that, yer highness, ain’t there something ya gotta do first?” Pear asked as she pointed in the direction of the second unicorn. “That pony’s been standin’ there quite a while. I reckon she’s the one ya brought over?”

“Yup, that’s correct.” The second unicorn trotted toward the group and politely greeted the farm pony. “Hey there, Mrs. Apple. My name Sunset Shimmer.”

“Pleasure to meet you dear,” Pear greeted back. “So, I reckon that you are one of my daughter’s closest friends?”

“That’s right,” answered Sunset. “She and I have been friends for quite some time now.”

“So, she knows ‘bout this whole portal mess and Equestria?” Pear asked.

Sunset nodded. “Correct. Me and my friends been doing our job watching over the portal. We’ve done everything we can to make sure no one goes near it. Trust me, the last thing either of us want is for some student or faculty member falling into Equestria by accident.”

Good. At least this girl’s aware of the situation she’s in. Same with my daughter too. Pear thought to herself. “Let me ask you this, Sunset. Does Principal Celestia know anything about this?”

Sunset flinched. “What? No, of course not! Why do you think she’s involved in all this?”

“Don’t you dare lie to me, sugarcube. Yer secret isn’t exactly well hidden as you think it might be,” said Pear Butter in a much louder tone. “Now I’m gonna ask you again. Does Principal Celestia know anything about the portal?”

    Sunset sighed. “Guess there’s no point in hiding it. Yes, Principal Celestia knows about the portal. Her sister knows too. They’ve been helping us keep the portal a secret from public eye. So far, it’s working, but I don’t know how long that’ll last.”


“Alright, it’s good ta know there’s one pony who’s ready fer the worst,” said Pear Butter with a smile. “But let me ask ya this. My pony daughter here said that Equestria was your home, but then said you moved to my world. Is that correct?”

Sunset nodded. “Yup. I was born and raised at Canterlot, our capital.”

“I see. Now, she also told me that you were also a student of Princess Celestia. Am I right?”

“Uh, yeah, I was,” answered Sunset. Her eyes twitched over to Applejack. “Um, is there something you want to ask me, Mrs. Apple?”

Pear nodded. “Yes, there is. Sunset, you were chosen by yer nation’s Princess ta be a personal student. Now, I may not know nothin’ ‘bout royalty, but I reckon you had it pretty good. And if that’s the case, why’d ya leave? Why’d ya waste a good opportunity learning with the Princess and come to my world?”

“Oh! I see.” Sunset twitched. Her body had begun to shake uncontrollably. “Well, the thing is, Mrs. Apple, I—”

“Now before ya say anything, Sunset, I jus’ want ta let ya know is that I want an honest answer from you.” Pear motioned herself toward Sunset, giving the mare a stern glare. “Choose yer words carefully, dear. The last thing I want is fer ya ta lie in front of my face.”

Sunset gulped. “I…. I left Equestria because I thought Princess Celestia was holding me back. I took the mirror portal to your world hoping that I’d gain power. I abused the school system, turned your daughter and her friends against one another, stole Twilight’s crown, and used magic to brainwash the entire student body to defeat Celestia and rule Equestria.”

Everypony glared at Sunset Shimmer with jaws agape, completely horrified by her story.

“Say what?!” Pear immediately grabbed hold Sunset and violently shook the mare. “I can’t believe you! Ya come ta my world hoping ta gain power and take revenge?! A-are you crazy?!”

“More like psychotic,” said Cheerilee. “The last thing Equestria needs is another pony plotting to take over the world. We had way too much of that already!”

“I agree with both of you,” said Mrs. Cake. “Princess, why are you letting a criminal like her run free? Based on what she said, she committed several crimes against Equestria and that other world.”

Everypony, aside from Applejack and Starlight, turned to their Princess, waiting anxiously for the young alicorn to answer. 

Twilight groaned. “Look everypony, I know you’re all nervous, but Sunset isn’t a bad pony anymore. She already turned a new leaf and even made peace with Princess Celestia. Please, calm down and give her a chance.”

“Yeah, y’all need listen ta Twilight ‘an calm down,” said Applejack, much to the surprise of Pear Butter. “Come on, give Sunset a chance. If Twilight says she ain’t bad no more, then she ain’t bad.”

“I don’t know ‘bout that, Applejack. Didn’t she say that she tried to steal yer friend’s crown?” asked Grand Pear.

Twilight shook her head. “Like I said, it’s all in the past. Sunset has done more of her fair share to make up for her crimes against Equestria. If she hadn’t, then Princess Celestia and I would’ve imprisoned her a long time ago.”

“Gee, thanks for the support, Princess!” shouted Sunset.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Ugh, sarcasm aside, can we please drop this. We still need to take that last photo before Mrs. Apple leaves.”

Pear looked at Twilight, still grasping onto Sunset tightly. She glanced back at the yellow unicorn mare and gave the pony a glare she’d never forget.

“Looks like I ain’t gonna have much choice here am I? Fine, I’ll trust yer judgement Princess; but, there’s a few more things I need ta take care of first.”

Pear released Sunset from her grasp, but still gave the unicorn a fierce looking glare.

“Alright, Sunset, I’m gonna ask ya a few more questions. Ya don’t have ta give me a long answer, just nod or shake yer head or something. Got it?”

“Y…. yes, ma’am,” replied Sunset.

“Good. Now, first question. Yer friends with my daughter back at Canterlot High, correct? Are you two in good terms?”

Sunset nodded.

“Does she trust you?”

Again, Sunset nodded.

“Has she forgiven you fer yer past crimes against her, her friends, and the entire school?”

Once again, Sunset nodded.

Pear sighed in relief. “Alright. If my daughter trusts ya, then I’ll be more than willin’ ta give ya a chance. But don’t think I’ll be goin’ easy on ya. You still have ta earn my trust, and I will be watchin’ ya from now on. Got it?!”

Sunset flinched. “Y…. yes, ma’am. I promise, I won’t let you down.”

“Good. Now with that settled, all we gotta do now is take the photo. Yer highness, didn’t ya say that there was a workin’ camera here?”

“Yes, it’s in my royal quarters,” answered Twilight. “Here, I’ll go get it.”

In a flash of purple, Princess Twilight used her magic and teleported away, leaving the group behind at her castle’s entrance hall. She wasn’t gone long. The princess reappeared almost immediately, causing Pear Butter to flinch and fall to her side.

“Oh, sorry about that, Mrs. Apple,” said Twilight. “I almost forgot you’re not used to seeing magic like this. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No…. no, I’m fine, yer highness,” Pear replied as she slowly got back up. “I swear, I ain’t never goin’ to get used ta seeing a bunch of horses doin’ magic.”

“I’m guessing you prefer the horses back at your farm, correct?” asked Sunset with a smirk., causing Pear Butter to immediately glare back at her.


“Don’t push me, little girl. I meant no disrespect. It’s jus’ something I ain’t used to yet.”

“I’m sure you’ll get used to it in time, Mrs. Apple,” said Twilight. “But let’s not linger on the topic. I got my camera right here.”

She then used her magic to levitate a large camera to the group, placing it right in front of her. Pear stared at it with wide-eyes. The camera was an antique. Something that hasn’t been used in her world for a very long time.

“Wow, ponies still use these old camera models?” Pear asked.

“Yes, we do. Ponies still haven’t invented smaller portable cameras yet. So, we need to use this one right here,” explained Twilight. “I admit, it’s a pain dragging it along sometimes. Makes me wish I had something like your phone instead.”

“Ah’ll say,” said Applejack. “Ah’d much have a smaller camera like Ma’s instead of haulin’ ours around.”

Suddenly, a smile appeared on Applejack’s face. “Say, Twi’. Any way we can get a camera like Ma’s?”

Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, Applejack, but I can’t allow devices from the other world to be brought over here. Ponies aren’t ready for something like that.”

“But didn’t ya let Ma bring hers Princess?” asked Apple Bloom.

“She’s an exception. I only allowed it because she stepped into the portal without me knowing. Next time though, I won’t be so lenient.”

“Aw.”

“Aw, quit yer belly achin’ everypony,” Granny shouted. “So, what if we ain’t got a fancy device like Pear does. A camera is a camera. Now, are we jus’ gonna stand here all day or are we gonna take this here photo?”

Pear nodded. “Granny’s right everyone. Drop the camera issue ‘an huddle up near the door. We’ve got a photo to take.”

The ponies adhered to Pear’s wish and, aside from the Princess, Starlight, and Sunset, huddled together for one last photo. It didn’t take long take it. Once everyone was ready, Twilight set the camera down and took the picture.

“There, that should do it,” said Twilight as she took out the film roll from her camera. “Starlight, can you please take film roll to our local photo shop. Have them develop this as soon as they can. And make multiple copies too.”

Starlight nodded. Taking hold of the film role with her magic, she said her goodbyes to her friends before leaving the castle entirely.

“That roll of film probably won’t be finished developing until the end of the day,” explained Twilight. “Sorry, Applejack, but it looks like you need to wait till it’s done.”

“That’s fine,” said Applejack. “Ah’m jus’ glad we we’re able to make new memories today. When that picture gets done, first thing Ah’m gonna do is frame it ‘an hang it on our livin’ room.”

“Oh, can I have one too?” asked Apple Bloom.

Applejack chuckled and began to playfully brush her sister’s mane. “Course ya can, little sis. Heck, Ah’ll even give a copy of it ta everypony here if they like.”

“Yay!”

“Oh, Applejack, can I have one too?” asked Chiffon. 

“‘Course ya can, Mrs. Cake,” said Applejack. “Jus’ make sure ya keep the photo somewhere tucked away. Wouldn’t want anypony ‘round town knowin’ Ma’s somehow alive.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. “Good thinking, Applejack. We should probably keep this between ourselves for the time being. Can’t let anypony else know what happened today.”

Good. At least the Princess is doing her best to keep this secret safe. Pear thought.

“Uh, Twilight,” said Sunset. “I don’t mean to be rude, but we need to get going. Mrs. Apple needs to come back with me to the other world, now.”

“Aw, does she have to?” whined Apple Bloom.

“Don’t whine now, Apple Bloom. Ya promised Ma that you’ll be okay with her leavin’, Applejack lectured to her sister. “Don’t go back on yer promise now. Show it ta her that yer a big pony who can take care of herself.”

“Eeyup,” said Big Mac.

“O…. okay,” said Apple Bloom as her ears drooped.

A smile crept up on Pear’s face as she observed her children. She was very impressed with her daughter. She handled Apple Bloom’s immaturity quite well, and so did Big Mac.

She took a small breath and sighed. The kids will be okay. They’ll be more than ready for whatever comes next. Plus, they still have Granny and Daddy. I have no doubt that those two will be more than happy to support their grandchildren. 

She smiled. I bet if the other me were alive, she’d be proud of them.

“Alright. Yer highness, Miss Sunset. I’m ready to go. If you would though, can you guide us to the mirror portal? I got lost the last time I was here, and the last thing we need is to get lost in this big maze of a castle.”

“Of course!” said Twilight. “The portal’s being held at the library. Just follow me and you won’t get lost.”

“Thank ya kindly, Princess,” Pear said as she and everypony else followed Twilight down the castle hallway. The trip to the library wasn’t very long, much to Pear’s delight. With the Princess as their guide, they were able to reach their destination within a couple of minutes.

“Okay, we’re here,” said Twilight. “As you know, Mrs. Apple, this room contains the mirror portal that’ll take you back Canterlot High. Once inside, you will use the portal to go back to your world. Now, Sunset has told me that her friends are waiting on the other side.”

“So, then that means my Applejack is waiting for me, correct?” Pear asked, to which both Twilight and Sunset nodded in reply.

“Our friends got us covered,” said Sunset. “So, there shouldn’t be any surprises when we get back.”

Pear nodded. Good. At least she’s taking responsibility protecting the portal. She opened the door to the library room and stepped inside. There, she spotted the crystal mirror, sitting at the same exact spot as before.

Everypony else soon followed, and they would all circle around the mirror.

“Okay, we’re here,” Pear said quietly to herself. Looks like my trip to pony land is coming to an end. “Uh, Princess? Sunset? Can I ask ya both a favor?

“Sure, what is it?” replied Twilight.

“Before I leave, can I talk ta my pony family and friends here one more time? I’ve gotten ta know them quite a bit here, and I’d really appreciate it if you’d give me jus’ a couple more minutes with them. Please?”

Sunset smiled. “Of course. I know we’re in a hurry but take your time.”

“I appreciate it,” Pear said as she turned to her friends and family once again. “Well, everyone, this is it. I’m goin’ back home now. If any of ya want ta say yer goodbyes, now’s yer chance.”

The first pony to react was Chiffon, who immediately ran up and hugged her best friend.

“Pear, it was so good to see you again,” said the cake pony. “We had a rough reunion, but I’m glad that we were able to talk. I can’t tell how much I missed spending time with you.”

“Pleasure’s all mine, Chiffon,” Pear said as she hugged her friend back. “You take good care of yerself. And make sure yer husband treats you well.”

She turned to her other two friends waiting behind Chiffon. “Cheerilee. Oak. It’s been a real pleasure mettin’ you two. Do me a favor ‘an keep a close eye on my kids, alright.”

“Don’t sweat it, Pear. We’ll make sure yer kids are fine,” replied Burnt Oak. “Jus’ promise that you’ll come back soon. Promise me you’ll bring Bright Mac over next time, okay!”

“And don’t you worry about, Apple Bloom. She’s in good hooves. I swear, I’ll make sure that filly gets the right education she needs,” said Cheerilee.

Pear smiled and waved back at her friends. She then released Chiffon from her grasp and turned her attention toward her dad and mother-in-law. She approached her dad first, and would immediately hug him.

“Daddy, I know this ain’t exactly accurate, but it’s good ta have ya back in my life. I can’t tell ya how much I missed you.” She sighed. “I jus’ hope my daddy is willin’ ta put his grudges aside too.”

“Don’t worry, sweat pea. He will come around, I promise.” Grand Pear sniffled as he hugged his daughter as tight as he could. “Thank you fer givin’ me a chance, Pear. It warms my heart knowin’ I was able ta see my daughter again.”

“Yer welcome, Daddy,” Pear replied before she turned her attention toward her mother-in-law. “Granny, I know it’s a lot ta ask, but can please watch over the kids? It can be a bit hard ta do, but I need someone ta—”

“Ah, don’t sweat it, Pear Butter. Ah’ve been watchin’ yer kids fer years now! And jus’ because Ah’m old, doesn’t mean Ah ain’t capable of doin’ that,” Granny shouted. 

She then trotted over to Pear Butter and hugged her tight.

“Take care of yerself, alright. And tell that son of mine that…. that—”

Granny took a deep breath as she did her best to fight back her tears. “Tell that son of mine that Ah wish him well.”

“I will, Mama. You two take care of yerselves. And please, don’t overdo it. I want ta see ya again. Both of you,” said Pear Butter.

“We’ll be waitin’ fer ya dear. ‘An don’t worry ‘bout us. We may be old, but we’re still kickin’. By the way, Ah think ya better turn yer attention ta yer kids. Looks like they really wanna see ya before ya go.” 

Pear nodded and gave her mother-in-law one last hug before turning to her children.

“Kids?”

Before she could say anything, all three of her children ran up to her at once. They hugged her on all sides, putting Pear Butter in a rather uncomfortable position.

“Whoa nelly! Uh, kids? I know all three of ya want ta say yer goodbyes, but can ya please give me some room?”

“Sorry,” her children replied all together. As everypony in the room chuckled at the embarrassing scene, Pear put some distance between herself and her children.  

“Darn it! You kids need ta gave me a heads up the next time ya do that.” She sighed. Guess goes to show how much these kids miss me. 

Putting her feelings aside, Pear looked at her children once more. The first pony she made eye contact with was Big Mac, who immediately began to tear up upon eye contact.

Pear gave her son a disapproving glare. “Big Mac?! What’d I tell ya ‘bout gettin’ all teary eye on me? Stop that right now! A grown stallion like you shouldn’t cry like that.”

“Y-yes, Ma!” whimpered Big Mac. Wiping his tears away, he attempted to control himself and show it to Pear that he’s a big boy. But his attempt ultimately failed, as he dropped to tears again upon eye contact.

Pear sighed. She trotted over her son and smacked him across the face.

“Quit cryin’, sugarcube. That ain’t no way ya should be actin’ like that. I know ya miss me, but this ain’t helpin’.”

She leaned over to him and began whispering in his ear.

“Now you listen here, promise me that you’ll take good care of yer sisters. Yer the oldest siblin’, so they’re gonna need ya when the time is right. Same goes with yer grandparents too. So, can ya please do this favor of mine?”

Big Mac nodded. “Yes, Ma. Ah will.”

“Thank you, Big Mac.” Pear leaned close and gave her son a hug. “I know you’ll be fine.”

She then let go over her son and looked directly at Apple Bloom. As soon as she called out to the filly, Apple Bloom ran toward her.

“Mama!”

The little filly tackled her mom to the ground, bawling out as she hugged her mother tight.

Whoa nelly! My little girl’s one tough pony. Guess being an earth pony really does have its benefits. Brushing aside Apple Bloom’s strength, Pear hugged her daughter back.

“Easy Bloom. Don’t cry.” She gently brushed her daughter’s mane, which tempered down the young filly. “Everything’s gonna be okay, Apple Bloom. You’ll see me again, I promise. Jus’ take good care of yerself ‘an make sure ya help yer family out. They’ll need ya when the time comes.”

Apple Bloom nodded, meekly. “Ah will. Goodbye, Ma.”

“Goodbye, Bloom. I love you,” Pear said as she smiled and kissed her filly on the cheek. She stood up and looked toward Applejack and moved toward her eldest daughter.

“Sugarcube, it’s time. Come over here ‘an give yer Ma one more hug.”

Applejack smiled. Unable to control herself any longer, she rushed toward Pear Butter and gave her the biggest hug she’d ever given.

“Ma, Ah…. Ah can’t tell ya how good it felt seein’ ya again. This meetin’ meant so much ta me,” she said as tears flowed down her cheeks. “It’s funny. Jus’ yesterday Ah wished at the gravesite that Ah would see ya again. Never would’ve thought that it’d actually come true.”

She wiped the tears off her cheeks and beamed. “Today’s supposed ta be mah parent’s anniversary. Ah don’t know if you ‘an Pa married on the same day as mine. But still, Ah wanna wish ya a happy anniversary, Ma.”

“Thank you, AJ.” Pear said as she kissed her daughter on her forehead. “Make sure ya take good care of yerself ‘an yer family.”

“Ah will,” replied Applejack as she squeezed her mother tight. “Ah love you, Ma. Goodbye.”

“I love you too, AJ,” Pear whispered back. “Take care.” 

After a moment, Pear finally separated herself from AJ and trotted toward Sunset, who was waiting nearby the mirror portal.

“Alright, Sunset, I’m ready,” said Pear Butter. “Let’s go home.”

The unicorn mare simply nodded in reply before stepping inside the portal first. Pear followed, but not before taking one last look at her pony friends and family. A single drop of tear fell down her cheek as she said her goodbyes one last time.

“Goodbye, y’all. Take care! And kids, make sure ya always look out fer one another ‘an yer grandparents. Never forget yer apples ta the core! And we Apples always look after our kin no matter what.”

Her kids nodded and waved back, saying their final goodbyes as Pear turned toward the mirror. Their grandparents followed, and soon after that, so did her friends. As she wiped away the last bit of her tears, Pear slowly made her way toward the mirror and stepped inside.
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pear found herself in a familiar spot. She was surrounded illuminating colors that shined so brightly that she had to shield her eyes just to avoid any strain. But she’d gotten used to this. This isn’t the first time she experienced this phenomenon and it won’t be the last.

If she wanted to continue visiting her Equestrian family, then she must get used to this burden.

In a split second, the bright lights enveloped all around her. Pear braced for impact, expecting this trip to end soon. Soon, the lights spasmed around her, and in a flash, she found herself falling down head first. She yelped in pain as her forehead smacked onto the ground.

“Ow!” Pear yelped in pain as her forehead smacked onto the ground. “Darn it, not again! Why is it that I keep hittin’ myself on the head?” 

She immediately sat straight up and rubbed her forehead to ease the pain. “I really need ta find a way ta stop this. The last thing I want is ta hurt myself every time I—”

Pear froze. Something felt off. She moved her arms around, trying to get a feel for them before finally looking down at her hooves. Expect she didn’t have hooves anymore. 

My hands. They’re back.

Pear further examined her body. Sure enough, her legs and feet laying on concrete floor, and she no longer had her plumped belly. What’s more is that she was wearing clothes, the same clothes that she wore when she left the farm earlier this morning.

I have my normal body again. That must mean I’ve made it back. She turned around her and noticed the ruined monument of Canterlot High. Eeyup, I’m back at Canterlot High. I recognize that statue anywhere.

 Pear looked to her side and saw her bag dangling around her neck. She took hold of it, unzipped the top, and immediately pulled her phone out. Once she did, the device rumbled on her hand as dozens of text messages and voicemails popped open on her display.

Wow, looks like someone was real desperate to contact while I was gone. Pear skimmed through them all to check to see who it they’re all from. And it looks all of these were from Bright Mac. Poor thing. He must be worried sick about me.

Putting her phone away, Pear zipped her bag and stood up. Much to her surprise, she had some difficulties standing upright and stumbled down to her knees.

Wow. Never thought that I’d have trouble standing. Guess being in Equestria for a long while made me get used to standing like a pony.

“Need a little help?”

Pear turned to see Sunset Shimmer, who was offering a hand.

“Looks like you’re having some trouble huh?” chuckled Sunset. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. Going back and forth between here and Equestria isn’t something anyone can get used to so quickly.”

“Oh, thank you, dear.” Wow, I completely forgot about her. Pear grabbed hold of Sunset’s arm and stood upright. With the girl’s help, she was able to finally balance herself again.

“I can’t believe I’m havin’ so much trouble standin’. I only stayed in Equestria for who knows how long ‘an look what happens!”

“Again, you’ll get used to it,” Sunset replied. “I can’t tell you how much trouble I had standing up when I first got here. Princess Twilight and Starlight had the same problem too.”

“I see. So, Sunset, jus’ how long was I in Equestria? Judgin’ from my husband’s messages, I think I was gone fer a pretty long time.”

“You’ve been gone since this morning, Mrs. Apple,” Sunset answered. “It’s lunch now, so I say it’s been about four hours.”

“Does Applejack know what happened?”

Sunset nodded. “Yes, she and I nearly panicked when we heard you disappeared to Equestria. Though she was already panicking before then. Her dad wouldn’t stop calling her during class. And those calls only made it worse.”

“Is she here?”

Again, Sunset nodded and pointed to the direction of the school building. Pear looked at that direction and saw six girls standing on the school’s front porch. She recognized Applejack almost immediately. She was sitting on the staircase, twiddling with her thumbs.

“AJ’s been waitin’ there ever since Twilight came,” explained Sunset. “She wanted to come with me and the Princess to Equestria, but we convinced her to stay.”

Pear sighed in relief. “Thank ya kindly fer that, dear. The last thing I want is more confusion. Jus’ image the trouble I’d be in if ponies saw two Applejacks!”

Sunset chuckled. “Yeah, I’d figured it’ll be really awkward explaining that to everypony in Ponyville. Princess Twilight would’ve had her hooves full.”

“Well, I hate ta burst yer bubble, dear, it already happened with me ‘an several others. Some panicked ‘an accused me of bein’ something called, a changeling.” Pear rubbed her head. “Ya know, I don’t think they ever explained ta me what those things were.”

“Yeah, Twilight told me about it. Though I’m glad it was only a few ponies and not the entire town.”

“Really? She told you all that?” Pear looked at Sunset curiously. “What else did the Princess tell you.”

“She, um, told me about your counterpart,” admitted Sunset. “She told me that she passed away a long time ago.”

Pear sighed. Did she really have ta tell her that? Whatever happened ta family privacy? “Yes, Sunset, my counterpart died years ago. And so did my husband’s counterpart. They died when Apple Bloom was jus’ a baby.”

Sunset flinched. “Yikes. To think something like that happened. Guess AJ and her siblings are lucky to have you. Did they ever explain how your counterpart died?”

“No, I didn’t ask. I figured that it wasn’t exactly my best interest ta know what happened. Only my kids mattered.”

“Wait, your kids?” Sunset raised a brow. “Those ponies weren’t your real kids, and yet you treated them as such?”

Pear nodded. “‘Course I would. Jus’ because their magical ponies from another dimension don’t mean I can’t treat them that way. They’re my kin regardless.”

Sunset’s eyes went wide. She stared at Pear Butter for a few seconds before finally giving a response.

“Wow, Applejack is one heck of a lucky girl to have you as a mom.”

“You know it,” replied Pear Butter with a smile. “Now if ya don’t mind, I’d really like fer us ta move on. I can’t keep my family waitin’ any longer.”

“You’re right. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

The two of them walked over to school entrance. Sunset called to her friends, and they immediately caught sight of them. Applejack, though, was the most rambunctious of the group. As soon as she saw her mom, the young teen made a beeline for her.

“Mama, yer okay!” Applejack immediately hugged her mom tight. “Thank goodness. Ah was so worried. Pa called me earlier ‘an said he hasn’t heard from ya in hours! Ah panicked ‘an asked AB where ya were, but she was clueless as me.”

“Sorry ‘bout that, sugarcube. I didn’t mean ta make ya worry. Jus’ made a little detour after my meetin’ with Celestia,” Pear replied as she hugged her daughter back.

“So ya really went ta Equestria?” asked one of Applejack’s friends. She had pale yellowish skin and her hair was bright pink. “H-how was it? Did you like being a pony?”

A girl with rainbowed colored hair laughed at her friend. “Wow, Fluttershy, that’s the first thing you ask? You’re that desperate to know about ponies in Equestria?”

“Rainbow, don’t be rude,” said another one of Applejack’s friends. She was well dressed and had a very stylish  “Fluttershy’s just curious, that’s all.”

“We’re all curious, Rarity,” said a familiar looking girl who wore glasses. “Being in Equestria is a very big opportunity and I’d like to ask questions myself. Like, how many ponies she met over there, or did she ever meet our counterparts?”

“Ponies eat sweets, right?! Oh, what kind of sweets do they make? Do they eat sweets all day?!” asked a hyperactive girl with pink hair.

“Girls, please, calm yourselves. I’m sure you have a lot of questions to ask, but Mrs. Apple needs to head back home!” said Sunset as she tried to calm her friends down. “She can answer your questions later, so can you all give her some space?”

“But, Sunset, I have so many questions!” cried the girl with glasses.

“It can be answered later, Twilight!” Sunset responded, to which Pear’s eyes widened in shock. “I know you’re all anxious to know what happened, but her family’s more important. They need to know that she’s alright.”

“Thank you, Sunset,” said Pear Butter before she turned to Applejack. “Sugarcube, can you please call Apple Bloom ‘an let her know I’m alright. If she wants ta talk right away, tell her that I’ll call her as soon as I’m done speakin’ with her Pa.”

“Okay, Ma,” said Applejack as she pulled out her phone. Before she made the call though, she gave her mom one more look. “Uh, what’re ya gonna do now?”

“I’m headin’ back home. Bright Mac’s probably worried ‘bout me ‘an talkin’ ta him on the phone won’t calm him down. Besides, we need ta talk ‘bout the money we owe ta the school.”

Applejack frowned “We owe the school money? Why? Is this all cause of Apple Bloom’s fight?”

Pear nodded. “Yes, as well as that little incident with yer school locker.”

“M-my locker?!” Applejack flinched. “What does that have ta do with anything?”

“Sugarcube, don’t hide anything from me. Principal Celestia explained everything. Ya caused some damage ta school property ‘an I have ta pay fer it along with the damage caused by yer sister.”

“Oh, Applejack’s in trouble!” giggled the girl with pink hair, to which Applejack lowered her hat in embarrassment.

“Me ‘an you are gonna have a long talk ‘bout this, AJ. But that can wait fer now. I’m tired ‘an there’s still a lot more work that needs ta be done back at the farm.”

Applejack gave a defeated sigh. “Okay, Ma. I’ll see ya at home.”

“See ya at home, sugarcube,” said Pear Butter as she gave her daughter a hug. After saying her goodbyes to her daughter’s friends, she made her way toward the parking lot.

As she spotted her car from a distance, Pear unzipped her bag to take out her keys. However, there was a pause when she saw her phone sitting on one of the bag’s pockets and took it instead.

Hmm, I should probably call Bright Mac before I leave. Wouldn’t want to be talking on the phone while driving now would I.

She turned on the device and was about to make the call but paused as she saw the photo application sitting on top of the screen. Immediately, she pressed it. And when the app opened, Pear saw the picture that was taken over at Equestria.

She stared at the photo for some time, completely oblivious to her surroundings. So much so that she did not notice Applejack approaching behind her.

“Ma?”

Pear flinched. Her daughter’s voice had taken her by surprise. As she turned around, she noticed that Applejack was looking at her with concern. 

“AJ? What’re ya doin’ over here? Aren’t ya supposed head on back ta class?”

Applejack frowned. “Sorry, Ma. Ah was goin’ to, but Apple Bloom messaged me. Jus’ wanna let ya know that she knows that yer okay now.”

“Wait, that’s it? Sugarcube, couldn’t ya jus’ texted me or call my on my phone? Ya didn’t have ta come all the way here.”

“Well…. Ah figured it’d be best if Ah tell ya in person. Since yer still here, Ah didn’t really see a point in makin’ a phone call,” replied Applejack.

Pear raised a brow and looked at her daughter suspiciously. “AJ, I don’t mean any offense, but I don’t buy that. I get the feelin’ that there’s another reason why yer here. Don’t hide it from me, jus’ spill it out right now.”

Applejack winced. Her eyes drifted away as she nervously twiddled with her fingers. She kept quiet for a moment, unable to gather the courage to tell her mother the truth. Despite this, Pear remained patient and waited for Applejack to reply.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, the young teen finally spoke up.

“Alright, ya got me. There’s something Ah want ta ask ‘an Ah gotta know.” Applejack bit her lip. “When you were in Equestria, did ya ever meet, um, the pony me?”

Pear blinked. That’s it? That’s her question? If that’s the case, why is she so nervous?

“And what about Big Mac ‘an Apple Bloom?” Applejack continued. “Did ya ever meet their pony selves too?”

“Y-yes, Applejack. I did,” Pear answered back. “I meet the pony versions of you ‘an yer siblings back in Equestria. But, sugarcube, why are ya askin’ these questions now? Can this wait till ya get home later?”

“W-wait a second! Don’t go yet!” shouted Applejack. “Ah know yer in a hurry, but Ah want ta get this out of the way now. Jus’ one more question ‘an that’ll be it. Please, Ah have ta know this.”

Pear sighed. Well, if you insist. “Alright, AJ, spit it out. What is it that ya want ta know?”

Applejack bit her lip. She hesitated to ask the question at first, but the stern look from her mother caused her to blurt it out.

“Did…. did ya ever meet yerself over there too? Ya know, yer pony counterpart?”

Pear’s eyes widened again as she looked at her daughter in disbelief. “You…. you want ta know ‘bout my counterpart? Goodness, why are ya askin’ me this, sugarcube?”

“We’ll, ya see…. Ah jus’ wanted ta ask,” replied Applejack. “Ah figured that since Ah have a pony lookalike in Equestria, that means there’s gotta be a pony lookalike of you. Am I right?”

Pear paused. She wasn’t she how to respond. Yes, she figured that Applejack was interested in Equestria and her pony self. That was a given, but she never thought she’d bring this up.

“Sugarcube, I don’t get it. Why are ya askin’ me ‘bout my pony self?”

“Ah…. Ah jus’ wanted ta know, that’s all,” Applejack answered.

“AJ, don’t lie to me. There’s more to it that jus’ that.” Pear looked directly at Applejack in the eye. “Tell me the truth. Why are ya so interested in learning ‘bout my counterpart?”

Applejack bit her lip. “It’s…. it’s because Sunset told me something happened ta her. Pa too. And it was something bad. Ah didn’t wanna believe it at first, but since yer here, Ah gotta know.”

“Wait a second. Sugarcube, did Sunset tell ya that the pony me had passed away?” Pear asked.

Applejack flinched but nodded nonetheless. “Y-yeah, she did. She told me ‘an my friends as soon as she heard from the Princess.”

The young teen then bit her lip. “It surprised us. All of us. Ah never thought something like that would ever happen. You dying? It’s unthinkable. Ah…. Ah can’t image myself livin’ without ya, Ma. Neither would Big Mac or Apple Bloom.”

Pear sighed. “I know how you feel, Applejack. It was hard, knowin’ that the pony me left her kids behind at such a young age. I’d image how heartbreakin’ that must feel for them. But, they’ll be fine. They’re all grown up now, ‘an they don’t need me lookin’ out fer them. They got each other’s back and their grandparents are helpin’ them out too.”

Applejack raised a brow. “Grandparents. So does that mean Granny’s there too?”

“Yup, she’s there alright. And believe me, she ain’t big compared to our Granny. That pony is skinny. And I mean really skinny.”

“Granny’s skinny?” Applejack chuckled. “Wow, Ah can never picture her like that at all. Granny bein’ skinny? There’s jus’ no way.”

“Oh, you better believe it, dear,” Pear replied as she chuckled herself.

“Oh, I do!” Applejack said, still laughing. “Jus’ one more thing. You said my pony self has grandparents. Well, that’s gotta mean she has another grandparent, right?”

Dang. Looks like my girl has gotten smart. Pear thought. “Yes, dear. Yer pony self has two grandparents. One bein’ from Bright Mac ‘an…. ‘an one bein’ from mine.”

Applejack’s jaw dropped. “So, Ah have a grandpa?! No way! Then…. if the pony me has a grandpa, that means Ah got one too, right? How come Ah’ve never met him?”

“It’s…. complicated, AJ. We didn’t exactly have a stable relationship. He left me when I married yer Pa. Haven’t seen him in years, and seein’ him as a pony caught me off guard.”

“Did ya ever talk ta him?”

“Yes, I did,” Pear answered. “And we made peace, sort of. He’s not the same Pa I grew up with, but it felt good talkin’ ta him after such a long time.”

“C-can ya tell me more ‘bout him? Like when Ah get home from school?”

Pear nodded. “Yes, I will. I think it’s high time I told you ‘an yer siblings ‘bout yer grandfather.”

Applejack smiled and hugged her mother one last time before walking back toward the school. With her daughter gone, Pear stepped inside her car and placed her bag on the passenger seat. Taking her phone out again, she quickly dialed her husband’s number and waited for a response.

Immediately, the line picked up.

Buttercup? Buttercup is that you?! said a frantic Bright Mac on the other line. Oh, thank goodness. Ah haven’t heard from ya in hours! Ah thought something bad might’ve happened to ya.

“Don’t worry, dear. I’m fine. Sorry fer makin’ ya worry,” replied Pear Butter with a smile. “I spoke with AJ. She ‘an Apple Bloom know I’m okay. I’m headin’ on home right now.”

A sigh of relief came from Bright Mac on the other line. Thank goodness. Jus’ where on earth did ya go, Buttercup? It’s not like ya ta disappear so suddenly ‘an not say a word.

“It’s complicated to describe, Bright Mac. Let’s jus’ say AJ has been keepin’ a secret from us fer a long time now ‘an I had ta investigate.”

There was a pause on the other line. AJ’s been keepin’ a secret? What kind of secret?

“I’ll explain everything when I get home. Believe me, there’s so much ta tell and yer probably not gonna believe me at first; but once I get home, we’ll go over it. And we’ll deal with our daughters too once school’s over.”

Well, if ya say so, Buttercup. Jus’ promise me you’ll explain bits of it when ya get home.

“I promise, dear. See ya at home.”

As the phone line disconnected, Pear adjusted her seat and ran the car’s engine. As the vehicle roared to life, she put her phone away and backed up her car. With her rear end safe, she drove toward the parking lot exit, stopping just shy of a stop sign.

Before she made her turn, Pear caught glance of the school’s ruined monument. She smiled as images of her pony children flashed in her head.

Stay strong, kids. I love you all.

Putting her foot on the gas, Pear made her turn and drove away from Canterlot High.
    




    Evening had arrived in Ponyville. Celestia’s sun began to set and its bright orange rays filled the once blue skies. On the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres, one pony stood alone at top of a hill. She had a bouquet of flowers placed inside her saddle. 

She took it and gently placed it neatly on top of a pair of gravestones. Making sure the bouquet was placed correctly, Applejack took off her Stetson and muttered a quick prayer. Once finished, she put her hat back on and looked at her parent’s gravesite.

    “Evenin’, Ma. Evenin’, Pa” She said as she sat in front of the two gravesites. “Happy anniversary. Sorry that Ah couldn’t bring these flowers when I visited earlier. Today was so hectic that Ah completely forgot.”

    Applejack smiled. “We had a good day today at the marketplace. Me ‘an Big Mac sold a lot of apples again today. With the money we made, we can buy all sorts of stuff fer the farm.”

    No response. The only noise Applejack heard was the wind gushing past her mane.

    “Apple Bloom got into a big mess at school today. Her science project blew up on her ‘an her friends. They had ta clean up their entire classroom cause of that, not ta mention they got rainbow gunk all over their manes.”

    Applejack chuckled. “Glad Ah ain’t the pony cleanin’ that mess up.”

    She looked over to her mother’s grave. “So, Ma. Granny ‘an Grand Pear agreed to work together tomorrow. They’re sellin’ products from both the Apples ‘an the Pears at out shop. It’s a sign of goodwill, meanin’ both our families are ready ta put the feud behind.”

    Applejack smiled. “Ah bet yer real’ happy fer him huh? With Grand Pear lettin’ go of the feud. Our family’s way better off now that he’s here.”

    She sighed. “A real shame you ‘an Pa couldn’t get ta see this. The two of ya would’ve been so happy ta see the feud finally endin’.”

    Applejack placed her saddlebag down and unbuttoned the top. Putting her head inside, she took out a photograph, one that was recently developed. She lowered it to the ground, showing the photo to the gravesites.

    “Did ya see her, Ma? The other you? She was with me earlier today. We, uh, dropped by because she wanted ta pay her respects.”

    She sighed. “Ma, Ah know that pony wasn’t you. She ain’t the real pony who raised me, but by golly that mare is the exact same pony. She looks ‘an acts jus’ like ya. It felt good spendin’ time with her. Even though we got off ta a really bad start.”

    Applejack winced as she recalled the unfortunate meeting between her and her other mom at the market today, as well as her begging her mother to stay in Ponyville.

    “That wasn’t my best moment. Ah shouldn’t have gotten so mad or ask her ta stay; but at least everything worked out in the end. Apple Bloom even got a chance ta meet with her. She finally got ta experience what it’s like havin’ a Ma, and boy was she happy. Wouldn’t surprise me if she found today ta be her best day ever.”

    She sniffled. “Ah’m happy fer her, and Grand Pear too. He was finally able to make amends. Though she was a bit hesitant ta speak with him. Apparently, her relationship with Grand Pear is much more complicated.”

    Applejack bit her lip. If what Ma told me was true, then the other me had never met her grandpa and the family feud never ended. Gosh, Ah hope that she can make amends with her Pa soon. It’d be a waste if the other me never met her grandpa.

    “Applejack?”

    Applejack’s head snapped up as she heard her name being called. She looked behind her to see her sister standing with a lamp strapped on her neck.

    “Apple Bloom. What’re you doing here?” she asked. “And why did ya have ta sneak up on me again?” Seriously, that’s the third time these past two days.

    “Sorry, sis, but Ah’m here ta check up on ya,” Apple Bloom replied. “Come on, dinner’s ready ‘an it’s almost dark. Don’t ya think it’s time ta head home instead of talkin’ ta yerself?”

    “Applejack blinked. “Wait, ya heard me talkin’ ta myself?”

    “Yeah, ‘an you were talkin’ real loud too. Ah could hear you from the bottom of the hill by the time Ah got here.”

    Applejack facehoofed. “Aw, shucks. Ah didn’t think anypony would hear me, let alone be here. Ah jus’ wanted ta some alone time with our parents.”

    “Yer talkin’ ta our parent’s graves again?” asked Apple Bloom, to which Applejack nodded in reply. “Why? Ah mean, we saw Ma today didn’t we?”

    “We did, but today’s our parent’s anniversary, Apple Bloom,” said Applejack. “Ah jus’ wanted ta pay my respects ta them, that’s all.”

    “Oh, okay,” replied Apple Bloom. But then, her ears suddenly perked up. “Wait, so does that mean that it’s our other Ma’s anniversary too?”

    “Ah don’t know. Ah told Ma happy anniversary too, but she never told me if she had the same anniversary date. But if it was, then we owe her a gift. Pa too if he comes along with her.”

    Apple Bloom smiled. “Okay! Then Ah’ll make sure Ah’ll get something real fancy the next time Ma’s here.”

    “That’s the spirit!” said Applejack as she hugged her little sister. When she let go, she noticed that the bright orange sky had begun to grow darker. “Boy, it is getting late. Better head back home before Granny gets mad at us.”

    Turning around, Applejack paid one last respect to her parents before placing the photo back in her saddlebag and strapped it tight on her back. With the bag okay, she slowly made her way downhill with her sister.

    “Applejack, can Ah ask ya something?” said Apple Bloom.

    “Sure, what is it?”

    “Is our Ma exactly like the same pony we met today?”

    Applejack nodded. “Yes. Yes, she is. She’s the same pony Ah remember after all these years.”

    “Then, can ya please tell me more ‘bout our Ma on our way home?” asked Apple Bloom with a smile.

    “Course I can, Apple Bloom,” replied Applejack with a smile of her own. “Ah’ll tell ya all Ah know about her.”