The school halls petered out students. Many rushed to get to their lockers and grab their things. The chatter among the schoolmates overshadowed echoes of shoes squeaking against vinyl floors. The voices died down as quickly as they came. Their excitement for the day’s end pushed them to the exits—but not all were eager to leave. One such girl with ketchup and mustard-colored hair lingered behind. She insisted on spending as much time as possible with her new friend. “Thanks for the tour today,” Twilight Sparkle said as she pushed her purple bangs back, books firmly in her other hand.

The lingering girl smiled and slumped against a green metal locker. “Hey, I’m just glad they allowed you to transfer here,” she replied. “I’m also glad they put your locker right next to mine.” She twisted the knob on the lock before dialing in its combination.

Twilight Sparkle used her free hand to fiddle with her own locker. The combination lock popped off and she pulled the frigid metal door open. These books went on top of other, more substantial books till the locker was filled. She grabbed her backpack from the hook in the back and closed the door. Finished, her eyes wandered to her new friend who had suddenly become quiet. Past the slightly curly locks of red and yellow, Twilight peered at the pages being struck by a light touch of ink. Her new friend must've felt Twilight's eyes as she twirled to face her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry,” Twilight immediately apologized.

“Don’t worry about it. Just finishing up a little message to a friend of mine. I let her know everything turned out alright.” She slapped the book closed and placed it into the small pocket on her backpack. After pulling the bag over her shoulder, she shut her locker and turned back to Twilight. “All done! Ready?”

As they walked, Twilight couldn’t help but let the curiosity get to her. “When you said message to a friend and let her know, what did you mean?”

A few strands of hair fell forward as the girl halted in her tracks. “Right!” she suddenly shouted. “I suppose I better tell you about the other you from the world I come from. Same reason people keep getting you mixed up with someone else.”

Twilight pushed her glasses back into place. “Right. The pony world. There’s another me there? And you know her?”

“It’s kind of a long story. She’s the one who taught me the value of friendship. My journal allows me to communicate with her, but she hasn’t been answering for a while. I wanted to give her a little update. We kind of called on her help during the games.”

“Two of me.” Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “Could you imagine two of me running around at the same time? That’d be insanity.”

“Hey, she’d be useful when it comes time for homework.” The girl pushed on the door and held it for Twilight. The sun hung low in the orange sky, casting shadows and dimming everything in the courtyard—especially the tall marble statue. A group of five lingered around the statue's base. “Hey, there are the girls!”

Twilight paced down the Canterlot High steps and turned back as she reached the bottom. “Aren’t you coming, Sunset?” she asked the girl from another world.

Sunset Shimmer waved to the five friends she cherished before her attention turned to the purple-haired girl with glasses. “I’m just going to hang out here for a little while, Twilight,” she answered. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” Twilight nodded before heading for the girls. “Don’t forget,” Sunset yelled. “Picnic tomorrow! In front of the statue!”

“I won’t!” Twilight yelled back before meeting up with the five.

Sunset watched from the top of the steps as the six disappeared around the corner of the high school. A slight breeze fell into the courtyard as she sat down. She kicked her legs out onto the steps beneath her and leaned to one side. After pulling off her backpack, which scraped against the concrete, she placed it beside her. It slumped forward, weighed down by the journal that peeked out from the smallest pocket. Her eyes wandered down the spine of the brown book—skimming over the golden, symmetrically etched bindings. Sunset pulled it into her lap and stared at the red and yellow sun burned into the front of the journal.

Her eyes darted between pages as she flipped through the first few. She soaked in every memory, triumph, or plea that had been carved in her delicate handwriting. As she glossed over each page, a sudden gust caused the pages to ruffle and shift all the way to the final pages of the journal. She pushed her hair from her face and looked down. The words and sentences packed the page to the brim, leaving little room. She quickly turned back a few pages. Questions and responses between her and the pony princesses filled each. She asked herself, “How’d it get so full, so fast?” Her eyes must've been quicker than her brain as she found herself staring at the statue in the courtyard. As she sat, chewing her bottom lip and pondering, a brilliant idea eventually formed in her head.

It brought a gleeful grin to her face once she thought of the great idea. “Just a short, simple pop in! Say hello, grab a replacement, and then head home for dinner! It'll be awesome. Not a bad idea at all, right?” she told to herself, boosting her confidence with every word she uttered. It didn’t matter what she said though, her mind was already set. She shoved the journal back into the nylon backpack and zipped it up tight. Her reflection grew as she jogged up to the backside of the statue. A single finger gently stroked the marble mirror, and a rippling effect responded in kind—her reflection bended in every wave.

She sucked in air through her nose and released it through her mouth. Her heart pumped faster with every second she hesitated. Reaching out, she pushed both hands against the watery marble and felt her whole body fall in. Her physique ached, twisted, and contorted.

When her eyes opened, strands of red and yellow hair blocked her vision. She pushed them aside with her hoof, which was no longer a hand, and got a good view of the blue crystalline library she stood within. “Wow. So this is the castle she got,” she thought aloud. Her eyes wandered around the shelves of books that cluttered the room. “Not bad. Not bad at all.” With her backpack still on her back, she pushed open the room’s single door and stepped out into a brightly lit hall. It was a long hallway with more entries than she wanted to count. She wouldn’t have to, however.

A gasp rang out, followed by a voice. “Hey! You’re Sunset Shimmer!”

Sunset’s head swiveled to meet the eyes of a familiar pink pony. “And you’re most definitely Pinkie Pie.”

The pink-haired, pink-furred pony stood bipedal and pushed a cart with a frosted, three-layered chocolate cake. “It’s a pleasure to meetcha!” greeted Pinkie. Another gasp followed as she screamed, “I’m going to have to bake another welcoming cake!”

“Another welcoming cake? Who’s this one for?” Sunset asked, pointing to the pink frosting.

“Twilight and Spike! They should've gotten home today. They were in Canterlot,” she answered. “They’re in for a double surprise now that you’re here!”

Sunset placed a hoof to her mouth as she giggled. “Where is Twilight now?” As she finished her question, the sounds of heavy gusts and thunder echoed down the corridor. “What was that!?”

Pinkie shrugged with disinterest before pushing the cart down the hall. Sunset kept a few paces back, and listened intently on every creak, squeak, and trot made within the hallway. A draft came and went as they walked, followed by a yelling of words. Sunset could only make out the last sentence. “Don’t touch that!” The words felt confusing without context, but the meaning was soon inferred as the bellowing winds and thundering echoes rattled the hall once more. In an instant, just like before, it stopped.

Pushing open the doors with her cart, Pinkie rolled into the brightly lit room. She gave another shrug before biting down and taking a chunk out of the cake. Sunset rushed in behind her and asked, “No, seriously, what was that?”

After swallowing the contents in her mouth, Pinkie turned her chocolate covered face to Sunset. “Probably a time-traveling portal opening up and pulling somepony into the past,” she answered before grabbing hold of the cart. “I’mma go bake another cake!” she added and began wheeling the cart backward.

Sunset shook her head and grinned as the doors closed. “Never change, Pinkie. Never change.” Her attention turned to the room she stood in—a circular table sat directly in the center. A set of chairs stood around the table, each marked with a different cutie mark. Curious, Sunset trotted over to the empty table. Her eyebrows narrowed as she examined it in great depth. “I wonder if this is the table with the map she wrote about,” she murmured as she tried to see her reflection in the crystal. She rose up to get a better look and placed both forelegs onto the table's edge.

Her hooves touching the flat surface must've triggered the map's appearance, as it reacted by displaying all of Equestria within its circular border. A twinge of delight appeared in a smile. Her eyes glittered against the world she had previously called home. But it wasn’t the only thing that triggered. Without warning, strong gusts of wind pulled her off her hooves and into the air. She let out a shriek as her eyes bolted up at the newly opened portal. Lightning shot from its edges and the sounds of ticking echoed within her eardrums. While her body levitated, she struggled to reach out and grab hold of the table. The portal was too strong, however, and pulled her into itself before disappearing altogether.

Though her body didn’t ache, or twist, or even contort, it didn’t feel like a joyous trot through the park either. Instead, Sunset started sweating worse than a run on the hottest day of summer, even though the weatherman said it was windy and winter wear was needed. She was drenched from hoof to brow as the portal sent her through the unknown. Out of fear, she shut her eyes. Inside the tumbling dimension, a voice rang out. A voice unfamiliar. “You are about to find out,” that stranger said, an eerie tone accompanying the ominous words.

As quickly as it began, the magical ride ended by spitting Sunset out onto a patch of rough grass. Her jaw skid against the dirt as her eyes spun uncontrollably. The gusts hadn’t stopped, however, and that drew her attention. Just as she arrived, a purple-furred alicorn left through the portal. “Twilight!” Sunset yelled, spitting out grass, dirt, and saliva. The bellowing wind overshadowed her words—the alicorn didn’t even acknowledge Sunset’s presence before the portal closed.

Sunset scrambled to the map as she stared at where the portal had been. Her eyes shifted between the busted chairs, damaged table, and cloudless sky. Sky, the word repeated endlessly in her mind. Like a closing mousetrap, it clicked within her brain. “Where’s the castle?” she asked no one. Broken bits of crystal from the chairs crunched beneath her hooves as she rose up bipedal against the edge of the table. Just like before, the map triggered, but something was different. The Crystal Empire extended farther south as though it flooded the snow. What dam stopped it?

As she studied the new surroundings, six lights abruptly formed over specific areas, followed by a seventh, brighter light. These lights flickered and swirled before turning into six very familiar patterns. The seventh, however, revealed itself to be a tree. “Cutie marks!” Sunset said as she examined the colorful lights. One in Ponyville, a set of three apples. Two in the east, in Manehattan—a set of diamonds and a set of butterflies. And three in the north, close to the Crystal Empire. These last three held a set of balloons, a cloud with rainbow lightning, and one of a purple star.

It wasn’t the cutie marks that confused Sunset but the white tree, south of Ponyville. The tree was out of place compared to everything around it. A forest encircled the white tree with bits of stone nearby rising up between the jungle like some sort of castle. A sign? A message, perhaps?

Sunset stepped back from the table, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The strong odor of copper stung her nostrils and burnt her nose hair. Once centered, she opened her eyes. She felt right—for a moment.

Then the screaming came.

Then the pleading for answers came.

Sunset eventually centered herself once more, this time focusing on the world. “Oh—kay. Castle is gone, weird crystals shot up from the Crystal Empire, and these cutie marks are strung about almost randomly. There’s got to be something here to help me discern what happened.” She strained a hoof across the table and tapped the apples. “From Canterlot, this is Ponyville. Twilight’s castle is in Ponyville, so assuming the map remained in the same place while the castle vanished, it’s safe to assume I’m in Ponyville.” The closest cutie mark was right outside of town—the apples. She knew exactly who it'd be, or at the very least, she hoped she knew.

Without many options, she trotted toward the horizon, hoping to find the apple pony and gain some answers.

What Sunset found instead was a deserted town demolished by time. She'd be fortunate to find any pony in such a place. There were wooden buildings with cracks and boarded up windows, tiles missing from roofs, and the ground was bare of any grass. It wasn’t like the tales told through short descriptions within the journal from Twilight. “Roads of smiling faces eager to greet you,” she remembered. Her muzzle wrinkled as she became more and more disgruntled. She eyed every ugly building with a leer of confusion. “This has to be one elaborate prank. It just has to be.”

As she crossed over into the orchard, Sunset noticed the dreadful-looking apple trees that mirrored the state of Ponyville. The apples themselves looked pleasant enough, but the smoky air emitted over the orchard made everything unappetizing. She assumed Sweet Apple Acres brimmed with lush, leafy green trees, fields of fodder and flowers, and barns a shade of red that would make an apple jealous. Instead, the main barn was one big factory spewing out product and smoke like rain pouring from dark clouds.

One thing remained the same—an apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The same went for the Apple family. The orange earth pony didn't notice Sunset’s arrival, but Sunset noticed her, along with the cafeteria worker outfit she wore. Applejack's golden mane hid underneath a netted cap, while expressionless, dark beige clothes wrapped around her as if they were suffocating the happiness from her body. “Applejack?” Sunset called out, unsure if it was the Element of Honesty.

The green eyes raised from her task to meet Sunset’s. “Why does everypony seem to know my name today?” Applejack responded as though disgruntled by some past event.

“Hey there, I’m Sunset Shimmer. You probably don’t remember me too much but I’m the one that stole Twilight’s crown that one time.” Sunset extended a hoof, hoping for a pleasant greeting. “It’s kind of weird meeting you, again.”

An eyebrow raised as Applejack stared back. “Twilight? You mean the crazy mare who just passed through here a lil’ while ago? Check on the outskirts of town. There’s some weird map thing she brought in from another world or whatever.”

Sunset’s planted her ignored hoof on the ground as she slumped forward. “Crazy mare? Weird map thing? You’re surely pulling my leg!” She nervously laughed. “Don’t you go on adventures following the map’s destinations? And Twilight! She’s your friend! R-Right?”

“Yeah, she mentioned somethin’ about friendship, but apparently she’s from some other world where we aren’t at war with King Sombra. She must’ve been livin’ under a rock… or telling the truth. I don’t rightly know, or care.” Applejack turned away from Sunset and trotted towards the smoky barn, but Sunset followed behind.

“King Sombra? War? But Sombra’s gone. The Crystal Empire—”

“Gone?” Applejack halted and swiftly turned back to Sunset with eyes scornful and pained. “Are you from that there other time too? Do I have to be worried ‘bout a hundred other ponies askin’ me these questions? I’ve got a lot of important work to do, I don’t need a queue formin’ and interruptin’ my schedule. Just because y’all ain’t got a war goin’ on doesn’t mean we can just halt production for your sake.”

The words spoken by Applejack resonated within Sunset, and she finally understood that it wasn’t a prank she was dealing with, but something more. “You’ve got to help me! Do you know how Twilight left? What else did she say!?” Sunset rounded off her questions, thrusting her face closer to Applejack’s with every inquiry.

Before answering, Applejack pushed Sunset back from her personal space. “Why don’t you just go ask her yourself? I’m sure she’s still by the table.”

“No! She disappeared into the same type of portal I came through. I’ve got no way of contacting her or finding out how to leave,” Sunset replied and stomped the rough, barren earth. “Did she say why she was here? Anything at all?”

“Well, she did mention about some pony going into the past and changin’ things with that map of hers. I think she said Starlight Glammer? Slimmer? Somethin’ like that.” Applejack paused, and then asked, “Another friend of yours? Or ours? Or whatever.”

“Not a name I’ve heard. Did she say anything about why your cutie mark shows up on the map?”

“My cutie mark? No. My cutie mark wasn’t on it when she dragged me up there to look. I was amazed to see such a thing. The way she talked, I just assumed she lived under a rock or somethin’.”

“What about a white tree?”

“White tree?” Applejack snorted. “Now you really got me thinkin’ you hit your head. I ain’t ever seen a tree colored white in this here part of Equestria. Except whenever it snows.”

“It’s true!” Sunset argued, her voice cracking and making her sound like a filly throwing a tantrum. “C’mon, I’ll show you!”

Applejack groaned and lowered her head. “Fine, just don’t drag me by the hooves like the last crazy unicorn.”

The grimy air and castle’s disappearance made more sense. It wasn’t a prank, not in the ordinary sense, and not meant for Sunset. She hoped the cutie marks and tree upon the lit map would give some semblance or rationale to all the events. Unfortunately, the cutie marks and the strange white tree had disappeared. “It was here, I swear it!” Sunset tried to convince herself more than Applejack. “You were right there, and Twilight’s cutie mark was there!” She stretched her foreleg before planting both hooves on the table.

As soon as her hooves touched the crystal surface, lights formed and shined before displaying the six cutie marks and the white tree she described. “Well, I’ll be a dragon’s fairy godmother! You were tellin’ the truth, that is my mark. And that’s definitely the cutie mark your friend Twilight had, though how she got up north so fast is beyond me. She must be one powerful alicorn.”

“Twilight, my friend, she left through a portal. I saw her leave with my own two eyes! No, this must belong to this world’s Twilight.” She shook her head. “Another Twilight, just like the one from Crystal Prep,” she murmured before pointing to the south. “And what about this tree? It might be something!”

“I don’t really know what to tell you,” replied Applejack as she scratched a bit underneath her hairnet. “But whatever it means, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I’ve gotta get back. Those carts won’t load themselves.”

“Wait!” Sunset moved in front of Applejack. “You’ve lived in these parts your whole life, right? You’ve surely been down into this forested area. Could you lead me to this tree? It’s been a long, long while since I lived in Equestria, and even longer since I visited anywhere south of Canterlot,” Sunset begged, almost groveling at Applejack’s hooves.

“You want me to guide you down into the Everfree Forest? If you hadn’t shown me my cutie mark, I’d be thinkin’ you’re a few eggs short of a full carton right about now. Even so, there ain’t no way you’re gettin’ me to go down there. That place is filled with some of Equestria’s worst creatures, even some of which would keep King Sombra himself up at night just thinkin’ about them.”

“Applejack, please. You’re part of this, I just know it. Maybe it has something to do with you being an Element of Harmony, maybe not, but we won’t know unless you take us there. It might be my only way home. Please.” If everything she’s said is true, I’ve got to figure out a way home. The tree has to be it, she assumed. I need you Applejack. Not just for your help, but because you’re a friend. Her eyes continued to beg the earth pony for help.

Applejack paused a few steps from the table and Sunset. She didn’t move or say anything for a good long bit. When she finally did, she asked, “Element of Harmony? What’s that?” That’s when Sunset saw it—the glimmer of curiosity within those big, green, apple-loving eyes.

“Twilight didn’t tell you while she was here? You, her, and four others are all Elements of Harmony—you’re the Element of Honesty. Nopony is more honest than you!” Sunset pushed, hoping to intrigue the earth pony just enough.

“Honesty?” repeated Applejack, “Honesty…” She looked to the ground, then the table, then back to Sunset. “That crazy alicorn—”

“—Twilight.”

“Yeah, Twilight. She said we defeated King Sombra in y’all’s timeline. Is that there part of them Element whatever?”

Sunset nodded. “If you can take me to that white tree then I believe I can prove you're the Element of Honesty. I just know it. Perhaps it might even reveal a few answers as to why I’m even here, or it could get me home.”

“Listen, I’ll help you find this here tree. But if nothin’ seems to come of it, can you promise to leave me alone afterward? The farm is hard enough to maintain without all these interruptions.”

“If this tree has nothing to do with you or me, I promise you’ll never have to speak to me again,” Sunset lied. Regardless if she didn’t talk to this Applejack again, she wouldn’t stop herself from talking to her own Applejack. “However, if I’m right, we might be able to save your world and get me home.” Especially get me home…

Applejack smiled for the first time since Sunset met her. “Smack two apple trees with one buck! I like the way you think—uh, Sunset, was it?”

“That’s right, Sunset Shimmer,” she replied, extending her hoof again. This time Applejack welcomed the friendly shake.

They didn’t stand around long before heading off to the Everfree Forest. Applejack recalled the area where the tree on the map sat. She detailed the Castle of the Two Sisters that sat relatively close. As they traveled to the edge of the forest and into the overgrown woods, Applejack told the story of how her sister, Apple Bloom, once traversed the treacherous landscape all the way to the old castle. “It was all because of a truth or dare game played by some of her school friends,” she explained. “They were lookin’ for some monster or somethin’. Instead, she found the castle. I found her snoozin’ on the old throne that sat there, covered in dust and spiders. I was so worried and exhausted. Wound up snoozin’ along with her.”

As Applejack retold her sister’s adventure, the story reminded Sunset of a similar event Twilight had described in the journal. She made a mental note to check it out once they found a moment to stop, then continued to listen as Applejack brought up other stories. “Whoa. I’m going to have to tell my Applejack these anecdotes once I get back to my own timeline,” Sunset remarked once Applejack concluded her tales. “She’ll get a kick out of it. Though I imagine I’ll have to explain a little bit more about the pony mannerisms first.”

“So, you don’t really live in this world in your own timeline? That’s why you introduced yourself thinking I was—well, actually, now I’m gettin’ confused again.”

Sunset giggled and nodded. “That’s right. I live in an alternate universe—a humanoid world—that can only be entered through a magical mirror. That means two Applejacks. Now, if I can figure out how I got here, there might be three. Just think of all the farm work you’d get done with three of you.”

“To be honest, if I hadn’t seen my cutie mark on the map, I’d have you run out of Ponyville for how crazy that sounds. I mean, could you imagine three of me? That’d be a stubborn bunch, I tell you what.”

Sunset gave another nod, and said, “What irks me is how it all changed. If my Twilight told you that another pony went into the past and changed something, shouldn’t I have been changed with it? How'd I get mixed up in something like this? I don’t even know how Twilight pulled a thing like this off. Though, it explains why she never answered the journal’s call.”

“Yeah, I’m not exactly keen on bein’ a science project for you,” Applejack hastened to say as she pushed a fern leaf out of the way. “So, if you could fix it and then not do it again, I would be mighty thankful.”

I’d hate to try and explain multiverse theory to her, Sunset mused. Applejack isn’t exactly in the honor roll at CHS. Lost in thought, a sudden pull of her tail slammed her to her rump. “Hey! Watch it!” she hollered, throwing a stink eye over her shoulder.

“I was watchin’. You weren’t,” Applejack attested and pointed in front of Sunset.

Sunset turned her head back around and then shifted her weight away from the terrifying drop into the empty ravine. “S-see? This is why I needed a guide,” she said as she clung to Applejack.

Quick to regain her composure, Sunset leaned over the edge of the ravine and peered down. A river long since empty, not even a liberal coating of mud remained for the divide. Overgrowth sprung up on both sides of the vacant river, and left little visibility for any pony traipsing through the lush jungle. Applejack pointed to the far side—the Castle of the Two Sisters was barely visible beneath the canopy of tree limbs and bulky vines. A bridge had once been used to traverse the olden river now hung flat against the sides of the gorge.

“I don’t see high nor low of some white tree, and I don’t think we’re crossing here,” Applejack commented as she peered down the empty crevice. “Might be a farce.”

Sunset ignored the earth pony as she caught glimpse of a faint glow near the wall with the bridge. The sight struck a chord within—her eyes wouldn’t drift from it. Her heart raced as she snapped off, trotting down the cliff side along a rickety, rocky path. Applejack followed hot on her tail and called her name every few seconds, but Sunset did not listen. Gravel brushed against her hooves as Sunset made her way across the bottom of the ravine toward the glow of the cave. The sight of strange lights turned Applejack silent. Sunset knew, however, what stood inside didn’t want to be seen by anypony but her and Applejack.

The Tree of Harmony glowed bright white within the cavern. The grey-blue crystals that made up the tree only seemed like reflections of shimmering pure white light. As Sunset stepped forward, Applejack at her side, the Tree of Harmony finished what appeared as a cry for help. The incandescent light faded and reduced to a small glow at five branches. Sunset had seen the design somewhere, she knew the white tree on the map looked oddly familiar.

She tossed her backpack to the ground and pulled it open before levitating out her journal. “You really weren’t lying,” Applejack murmured. Sunset looked up from the book for a moment, turning the pages at the same time. She didn’t answer Applejack—her own questions silenced her voice. While Sunset searched through the pages, eventually finding what she was looking for—a rather shoddy drawing done by Princess Twilight—Applejack moved forward toward the tree. “You weren’t lying. You were telling the truth,” Applejack repeated. After finding the image and the title of the tree, Sunset looked up with glee, but her mouth fell agape as Applejack drew close to the trunk. “The honest truth.”

The horribly bright light returned. Not from the tree, but from Applejack. Held by magic from the Elements of Harmony, Applejack levitated off the ground with white rays flowing from the sockets of her eyes. Wind flooded the cave, throwing the pages of Sunset’s journal and shaking the crystal branches. The white light suddenly twisted and formed around Applejack’s neck. Then it was gone. In its place, a gold-hemmed necklace with a brilliantly carved orange apple hung in the center. Applejack floated to the ground like a delicate feather as her hairnet fell from all the excitement. Her blonde mane brandished against the radiance of the golden necklace.

“Applejack!” Sunset rushed to the earth pony. “Are you okay? How’d you do that? What just happened!?”

Applejack wasn’t just looking vibrant, she sounded it too. “I-I’m not entirely sure. Once I realized you weren’t lyin’ about everythin’… it just sort of clicked.”

“Clicked?” repeated Sunset, perplexed. “What like… like a seatbelt?”

“A seat—what?”

Sunset tapped the amulet, and said, “Never mind that. I find it odd that the tree granted you this. It doesn’t look like the Elements are in this tree in the first place, though.” Her eyes glazed over as she studied all the branches of the great crystal tree. The shapes were there—but grey and disenchanted. It was as though they'd been used up, or gone into a magical coma. “Where did it get the Element in the first place?” she asked as she went back to the journal.

“I’m not rightly sure, but I think maybe the tree knew me. Could be because of some time travellin’ thingamabob caused by you and that Twilight Sparkle. Could’ve been because I touched the map that it recognized me.”

“I don’t think it’s any of those things,” Sunset replied. She then lifted the page that held the sloppy drawing of the tree into Applejack’s view. “This whole passage is of you—err, the other you—placing all six Elements of Harmony back into the tree. Not taking them. This tree,” she said, pointing up. “Those grey shapes. I can't tell if this Tree of Harmony has the Elements, but maybe just by having you stand in front of it signaled something. I'm unsure.”

“So, you think that because I stood in front of the tree, which may or may not have the Elements, it decided to give me my Element anyway?”

“Uh huh,” replied Sunset.

“And havin’ realized that you were tellin’ the truth a few seconds before gainin’ this fancy necklace, regardless of being in front of the Tree of Harmony, has nothing to do with it?”

Sunset attempted to grab for the collar of her shirt that wasn’t really there. “Well, when you put it like that, I suppose it might make more sense.” A single brow raised on Applejack’s face. “Okay, okay. You make a lot of sense. I suppose that means—” A hesitant pause came as a bit of movement caught her eye. At first, it looked like the darkness of the cave played tricks against the light, but it couldn’t be when it happened twice in a row.

The branches had moved.

Not some, not all, but just enough to spell the word ‘help’ and ‘time’.

“Y’know, I might be biased because it may or may not have given me a pretty neat necklace, but I think you should do what the magical tree says,” encouraged Applejack, who also noticed the words.

Sunset tried to scour the journal for anymore information. “The tree is connected to the map. That would explain why the map is still here.” She chewed on her bottom lip while trying to discern whatever the map could be telling her. “I suppose, if it meant returning the Elements to each of the six bearers, then that might be helping.” Her eyes met the earth pony’s. “And if your theory is correct, then just getting them to see their own Element might be the key to what we need to do to unlock their necklaces.”

“And then we could defeat King Sombra! Get you home too!” Applejack stomped her hooves like a giddy filly. “Who are these other Elements, anyway?” she asked.

“I’ll name them with their Element. Twilight Sparkle, of course, is the Element of Magic. Rainbow Dash is the Element of Loyalty, Rarity is the Element of Generosity, Fluttershy is the Element of Kindness, and finally, Pinkie Pie is the Element of Laughter. Huh. Wonder if that last one will give us any trouble?”

“And I, of course, am Honesty. But, what are you?”

“Me?” Sunset pointed to herself, unsure of the question. “I’m not an Element.”

“Oh.”

The accusing tone made Sunset wonder if Applejack believed she'd be a perfect seventh Element. And what it would be if she had been.

Once she placed the journal back in her bag, Sunset zipped it closed and hoisted it onto her back. “I guess this means we’ll be heading off to find the others. It may not be fair, but you are needed for this. I know that you had duties to fulfill and all, but—”

“Ah,” Applejack interrupted with a gentle voice and wave of her hoof. “You don’t need to convince me to help. A magical necklace is more than enough proof for my eyes. Even if this was all some elaborate prank, I don’t think anypony would be callous enough to waste their time, what with the war efforts goin’ on. And, well, it’s been a long time since somepony has told me I’m needed for something bigger than cannin’ apples.” She smiled with a certain wistfulness that Sunset noted and nodded.

Sunset could feel her chest swell with pride. An odd feeling since she was already friends with an Applejack, but this one was different. Applejack didn’t know her, she didn’t know the awful thing Sunset had done or of her redemption within Canterlot High School. It was a fresh start for her and this new pony. Would it be the same for the others? For Twilight? Perhaps, even her old teacher? Would that old teacher still know her?

The words ‘help’ and ‘time’ lingered in her thoughts as they traveled back up the cliff and through the forest. Twilight had told this Applejack of a pony who messed with time, and it made sense that the Tree of Harmony would want it corrected. She could help fix this timeline, but how would she get home? After Sombra was defeated? After the Elements of Harmony returned to the bearers? To the tree, maybe? The cloud of questions weighed her down, though she didn’t want Applejack to see her anxious fears.

“So, do you need to tell your family before we head off? I’ve got to consult the map and mark down where the others are at before we blindly tread into unknown waters,” Sunset explained.

“I suppose it would be the right thing to do,” Applejack answered as they reached the edge of the Everfree Forest. “It won’t take me long. Catch you at the map, friend?”

“Alright.” Sunset giggled. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Hastily, Sunset jogged back to the map. She knew Applejack wouldn’t take long, and she needed more than just the locations of the other Elements. Upon reaching the map, she tossed her backpack to the ground and ruffled through the contents before yanking out a pen and paper with her magic. Her eyes darted between the table and the paper as she outlined Equestria. Every crystal column, city, and river between them and the Crystal Empire was copied. As she finished the rough sketch, Applejack called out to her. She didn’t look up from her drawing, a simple wave acknowledged the mare.

“That’s some talent you’ve got there,” Applejack feigned as she peered over Sunset’s shoulder.

“I used to make star maps when I was a filly. Later on, I did my own map of Canterlot. Some things you never forget how to do,” she replied as she scribbled down the point for each cutie mark. Though off compared to the map on the table, she could only do so much using an ink pen on school paper. It wasn’t meant to be highly detailed, Sunset knew. However, measuring Applejack's expression disheartened Sunset. It’s been a while since I’ve used magic to write or draw. I already miss my hands. What a disaster this has become—all for a replacement journal.

“I figure we could head for Manehattan first. I know Rarity, she used to live here in Ponyville. Grabbing her and—” Applejack pointed at the butterflies “—whoever this is—we can then take a boat up to here.” A small town sat to the east of some crystals but seemed to be a route to the Crystal Empire. “From that there trail, we could head for the other three.”

Sunset nodded. “Good plan. I don’t suppose we’d be lucky enough to have a train heading up that way, would we?” she asked, lifting her head from her map to look at the earth pony. She hadn’t noticed Applejack had removed her work clothes and let her hair flow around her bare shoulders. The blonde mane sat prettily against the gold necklace, and a brown knapsack hung from hip to hip.

“Already way ahead of you. Got us two tickets,” Applejack gloated, holding up the pair in glorious triumph.

Sunset folded the paper in half and then another half before shoving her skewed map into her backpack along with the pen. “Then we’re all set.”

It was only a half an hour wait at the Ponyville train station. Sunset calculated it was no worse than taking a bus on the interstate whenever Rarity dragged them to the mall. Of course, the crowded train cars were drastically opposite to the varying emptiness of the public bus. Ponies of all shapes, sizes, and ages filled each car, all headed somewhere, but most likely their reasoning was the same. To help with the war effort. The green cushions on top of the benches were more comfortable than a bus’s seats, however.

Seeing ponies again jarred Sunset as much as being in the altered timeline. Lockers, lunch, school reports, gym class. The human world seemed so comforting compared to her time studying under Celestia. “Without Sombra, what became of the Crystal Empire in your timeline?” Applejack asked, snapping Sunset from her deep stupor.

“Oh, uh—well, it became an ordinary city. I couldn’t really tell you much of what happened after I left to live in the humanoid world though,” Sunset answered to the best of her abilities.

“So, why’d you leave?”

Sunset took a deep breath, her eyes widened and then softened as she contemplated a way to shorten her story. “I used to be a student under Princess Celestia. I got mad over time, felt I wasn’t learning. Then, one day, I discovered something she kept hidden. A mirror to another world. I just started living there, I took control. I felt… powerful.” She looked around the train car—at each of the ponies who sat with their own worries and thoughts. “Things didn’t end on good terms with Princess Celestia. I’ve never gotten the chance to apologize to her for the way I acted.”

“Well, shoot. Celestia’s leadin’ the war effort. You’ve got time.” Applejack bumped her shoulder into Sunset’s and snorted a chuckle.

Sunset's brow pulled together at the very notion. “I hope we don’t run into her. I can’t imagine it as anything but an awkward reunion.” The image of Celestia flashed in her mind’s eye. Of course, she might not even know who I am if this timeline has changed so much, she alleged. It would be better that way.

Hey there reader,

This is just the first of many chapters to come for this story, and I just wanted to personally thank you for reading it! Whether you continue reading this or move on to something else, thank you for giving it a chance. It means a lot to me.