"...and then some ninjas appeared and they were riding dinosaurs! So I took the Orb of Confusion to stop the flying narwhal and then..."

Rainbow Blitz just gave up. He tried at first to correct Pinkie story but when she reached the point of the zombie vikings, he simply gave up and focused on finishing his cupcake.

Bubble Berry kept nodding along, apparently believing every single crazy word that came from Pinkie´s mouth.

"Luckily, I was able to change back into a flying car and then took us to safety here in Sugarcube Corner!"

"Woah Pinkie Pie, you´re amazing! Isn't she, Blitzie?"

"Sure sure..."

Pinkie blushed a little, apparently not used to being praised by boys. "Oh, you guys!"

"No, really! Thank Solaris you were there, or else Blitzie would have been captured by those dinosaur riding ninjas!" Berry said while Blitz just snorted.

One of the two Mrs. Cake poked her head from out the kitchen. "Oh Pinkie Pie, could you help us in the kitchen?"

"Sure thing, Mrs. Cake number two! Boys..."

Now it was the time for the boys to blush a little as Pinkie decided to imitate Rarity and shake her tail a little when she passed by next to Blitz.

"Jeez..."

"Hey Blitzie, you do noticed that Pinkie is all over you, right?"

"Of course I noticed it!"

"Of course!"

"But that doesn´t mean I would do anything about it!" And he chewed the last of his cupcake.

"Why not? Pinkie is funny and pretty and really smart and a great baker and a great singer and really attractive! If she wasn't basically me, I would totally date her!"

"That´s the thing, she is basically you. That would be too weird."

"That´s why you´re not doing anything with Applejack?"

"Girl-Applejack?"

"...no."

"BERRY!"

"Yes yes, Girl-Applejack!" Berry calmed down his friend before he flied over the counter and punched him into next week. He did that once.

"Of course that´s the reason!"

"Of course!"

Ignoring Berry, Blitz continued. "Look, Girl-Applejack is really hot and I get along fine with her but, I won´t do anything stupid like ask her out. First, it would be really weird, like dating Boy-Applejack..."

"That didn't stop you to date Octavia or Junebug or Daisy or..."

"Yes but they´re not my close friends so it´s okay. And that´s the other thing. I´m best friends with Applejack..."

"GASP! I´m not your best friend, Blitzie?" Rainbow grabbed his mane and shake it before it could fell flat.

"No! We´re not doing that again! Of course you´re my best friend, Berry! But so is Applejack and the rest of the guys, that means you´re sorta like my family which means female relatives are out the picture. I´m not that big of a douche like Elusive to try to ask Macareina or Gleaming Shield."

"Guess it makes sense..." Berry admitted.

"Of course it does!"

Blitz was expecting Berry to copy him again but instead his friend was looking at the door with somewhat sad eyes.

"...but I still want to try it."

Rainbow Blitz decided to keep quiet and grab another cupcake.

******

"...and that´s how we did NOT get our Cutie Marks as art restorers"

Fluttershy giggled.

Fluttershy and Sweepy Bell had reached Sweet Apple Acres, all the journey there the pegasus gently listened to the little colt stories.

"Well, here we are. Safe and sound, just like I promised."

"Well, thank you kindly sir!" And she courteously bowed to him.

"Howdy! It´ weird to see yah around ´ere, Fluttershy! Oh and umh Silver Belle, am´ ah right?"

"Sweepy Bell, Mrs. Applejack!"

Fluttershy noticed how the colt blushed and stand straight upon seeing the farmer pony. This caused her to giggle some more.

"Sweepy was such a gentlecolt and escorted me all the way from my cottage," she explained.

"Atta boy!" And Applejack not so gently rubbed his mane. He didn´t mind. "And what bring yah to mah farm, Fluttershy?"

"Oh, I just came to see if I could help Granny Smith in the kitchen or something!"

"That´ so. Sweepy, ah tell yah to go play with Applebuck but he´ in town with Applebloom."

"What? Oh no no, don't worry Mrs. Applejack! I better hurry back, phase one is still incomplete!"

"Phase one?" Fluttershy asked but Sweepy just said "Nothing. nothing!" before running away.

"Cute little thing..."

"He´s adorable. Umh, why are you looking at me like that, Applejack?"

"Now sugarcube, yah a worst lier than me. Yah´re not here to help. Yah came to see mah inter-dimensional cousin, am´ ah right?"

Fluttershy tried to denied those claims but finally her embarrassment took over her entire body and she just gave up.

"...yes."

"Ha! Ah knew it! Really, an Apple? Didn'n know yah like the strong build type..."

"You...you think it´s weird? Like if...I´m hitting on you or something?"

"Why? Are yah?"

"APPLEJACK!"

"Hahaha! Calm down, girl! Ah´m just messing with yah!"

Fluttershy tried to act offended but just then male Applejack passed by, carrying some apples.

"...guess those wings of yah can´t lie either."

Now Fluttershy seemed hurt so Applejack gently placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"Hey, whatcha said if we get some apples and sit down?"

Fluttershy meekly nodded.

Once they were seated atop a log Fluttershy, who was just toying with her green apple, began:

"I never cared much for that kind of thing. Rarity is all the time talking about romance and dating. Remember that time Pinkie tried to set us in a Blind Date Game for Hearts and Hooves Day?"

"How can ah forget? She messed the papers so much ah end up paired with Big Mac..."

"The thing is, I was never the kind of pony who payed much attention to boys and dating. But when the other Applejack appeared...when I was little, I did used to dream about the perfect stallion. I always pictured him big and strong but also very gentle and dependable. That´s how Applejack is and well, I just started to picture us together, I guess..."

Applejack tilted her hat and said "Well, yah see? Ah´m different. Ah prefer a type of pony that´s reliable instead of dependable, if that makes any sense. Somepony that isn´ afraid of getting dirty but at the same thing, enjoys staying indoors and who places family first. He doesn´ need tah be strong and durable, just have a big heart. Somepony like that."

"Somepony like Dusk Shine?"

Now it was Applejack turn to blush and stutter. "Wh-wha-what...ah´m that obvious?"

"We kind of figured it out."

"...don´ ever tell Twilight."

"I don´t think she would find you strange."

"It´ not that. Ah bet if she finds out, she will start organizing our wedding. She´s a big fan of fancy romance."

"She is?"

"Don´ ever ask her to read you her romance novel..."

Fluttershy giggled again, a sound so kind and soft that made Applejack forget all her problems.

"Applejack, you think if I were a little more confident, I could ask the other Applejack out?"

"Ah´m sure he would like that. And you don´ need to be any more confident at all."

"I´ll like to be little more Confident Fluttershy, not Assertive Fluttershy, she was a really Mean Fluttershy. But maybe just a little more Go for it Fluttershy!"

Applejack just scratched her head, confused at so many Fluttershys

"Oh, and don´t worry Applejack. I´m sure Dusk Shine will also like if you tell him how you really feel. He´s a really nice pony after all... but maybe a tiny bit absent minded."

"Heh, thank yah sugarcube. Ah know he´s a nice pony..."

*****

"I said...NO!"

Eight guards were smashed against the wall, falling unconscious. The unicorn guards tried to stop Dusk Shine but he counter their spells, turning them into plants. The pegasus guard began to circle him, going so fast that Dusk Shine couldn't aim at them.

So he tried a different approach, casting an invisibility spell on him. The guards assumed he had teleported which gave him time to move at the cells and destroy the door of one that held a pony with sunflowers on his flank.

"Come!"

"Dusk Shine! I´m so glad to see you! They just dragged me here with no explanation!"

"I´ll explain everything later, now come!"

But the exit was blocked by a dozen members of the Royal Guard. Dusk Shine was willing to fight them but wasn't sure if he could protect the other pony too.

"Stop this, Dusk Shine." Shining Armor made his way through the guards.

"No, you stop this! How could you put Cherribomb in prison? He´s one of my best friends and just the kind teacher in Ponyville. He´s not a changeling spy!"

In response, Shining Armor shoot the earth pony, dispersing the spell that hide his true appearance.

"...no. Not you."

"Come, Dusk Shine, I´ve something else to show you. Guards, put that thing away."

In shock, Dusk Shine accompanied Shining Armor to another room. One filled with dozens of statues of changelings. Dusk Shine gave up counting after fifty.

"This are all the changelings we have captured so far. We've developed a spell that turn them into stone. The ones in the cells are for interrogation but so far it has been useless. They have completely assimilated their roles and once they change back, they can't talk."

"Why, why is this happe-where are the real ponies?"

"We don´t know. The changelings must have them captured in some sort of hive. We´re still looking for them. You see now, Dusk Shine, anypony could be a changeling in disguise. You can't trust nopony, nopony at all."

Dusk Shine then jumped in anger. "Then why are you telling me all this, instead of telling your sister? Why trust me?"

Shining didn't answer.

"Oh, I see. You can´t trust her either."

"I don´t trust you, Dusk Shine but, unlike Twiley, I can punch you in the face if you turn to be a traitor."

"Thanks." Their faces were inches from each other by this point.

"Look, Dusk Shine, the reason I'm telling you all this is because if you´re anything like my sister, you'll be smart enough to figure out what the changelings are planning. I can´t act directly against them, nor can your sister. This covert operation is so deep, that not even Princess Celestia is aware of it."

"Then who´s running all this?"

"...that´s classified."

Dusk Shine rolled his eyes.

"Look, you and my sister were giving orders by Solaris. Follow them, act like if everything was normal; in the meantime, we´ll continue to search for these changelings."

"Who is we?"

"We have ponies outside. Just trust us."

"Sure."

"Please. Trust me." Shining placed a hoof on Dusk shoulder. This reminded him of his sister.

"Okay."

Shining teleported Dusk into the hallway, giving him one final warming.

"Remember. Don´t trust anypony." And with that he disappeared in a white flash.

"There you are! I´ve been looking everywhere for you! You just disappeared!"

"Yeah, sorry Twilight. The castle is a bit different now."

"Tell me about it! I think I should get a map! I wonder if they're selling them on the city..."

Twilight walked down the stairs, happily ignorant but Dusk Shine was well aware of the truth.

****

"Look, here´s the deal. I know he´s kinda like Rarity or something like that, but I don´t see it. He´s a boy and Rarity is a girl, simple as that! Now, I know that he is also not exactly my type. You think that the coolest pony in town will date only the best candidates and a tailor doesn't seem that exciting. But, then again, I guess he makes cool suits and he knows a bunch of popular ponies like that Snap Shot fella and he´s kinda cool, just kinda. So the big question is not should I be interested on him but rather, how should I ask him out? You get what I´m saying?"

Heavy and Weight nodded as their added more weight.

"I could just go on front and say Hey Hot Stuff, wanna have fun? but that´s just tacky! I could try to play hard to get and wait for him to make the first move but so far, he has shown zero interest on me! I guess I could try to get more interested on his hobbies and all that but it´s soooo boring! You guys are listening, right?"

The entire gym nodded.

"So how should I play this? Calm and confident? Cute and shy? Or seductive and assertive? After all, it´s not like I could ask just any guy fi they want to go out with m-" before she could finish that sentence, all the ponies in the gym gave her flowers and diamond rings.

"Thanks, guys!" Rainbow took a bite of one of the bouquets.

Just then, a littled dragon walked inside the gym.

"Hey Spike, wanna puff those non existing muscles of yours?"

"Heh, HEY!" The entire gym celebrated Rainbow joke. "No! I´m here to tell you that Butterscotch was looking for you!"

"Flutterguy? What does he wants with me?"

"Hey, that joke was mine! Anyways, he wants your help with some training."

"He doesn't strike me as the sport type, Spike. Why would he ask my help?"

"Because...he feels a bit frustrated. Yes, that´s it! Back in his home dimension, he didn't care much but now he´s surrounded by girls, even fillies, who can fly better than him so that´s making him feel a bit e-man-ci-pated..."

"I don´t think that´s the word you're looking for, Spike..."

"Anyways! He asked me to ask you to come to the cottage!"

Rainbow didn't buy that story for a second, but she was bored and thought that helping that wimp could help cheer her up a little.

****

A little while after their talk, Fluttershy decided to really help on the farm, gathering the apples and such. Eventually Applejack decided to call it a break and went looking for her counterpart. She found him talking to a little dragon.

"Hey Spines! What bring yah here?"

"Hey cuz, good timing! Spines just came ´ere tah tell me that Missus Sparkle needed mah help on the library, something about moving a big shelf?" he said, looking at the dragon.

"Yeah! A really big big shelf. She can´t move it with her magic so she needs your help because you´re big and strong and...big!" Spines wasn't making much of a case but neither Applejack were the type to question a friend's plea.

"Well, ah´m off then. Sure, yah can handle all the work alone, cuz?"

"No worries. Ah have Fluttershy helping me and your sister too!"

"Actually, Macareina went into town earlier. She´s been kinda down lately..."

"Applejack! Let´s go!"

"Oh right. Jump into my back Spines, ah take you home! Hey cuz, why don´ ya ask Big Apple fer help?"

"His name is Big MacIntosh and yes, ah´ll ask him."

"Come on, we´re gonna be late! Go Spirit, go!" Spines insisted.

"....´cuse me?"

Spines just put on a sheepish grin as Applejack calmly marched to the library. Applejack chuckled and went looking for her brother.

*****

"Hey son, can yah help me with these haystacks here?"

"Piss off, old man."

"...guess not."

Ignoring Grandpa Smith, Big McIntosh entered the barn, only to be met by a strong kick on the back.

"Who in Tartarus name are yah?! Yah´re not Big Mac. He´ll never talk like that to an old pony, much less an Apple!"

"...that gave me away, little pony?"

"Before yah start to dance ah must warn yah, Big Mac and me have been sparring since foals and the score is me ninetynine...him zero."

"Big Mac" put on a horrible grin, one that not even Nightmare Moon would make and marched against Applejack. Surprisingly, she stood her ground, using her forehead to stop him. Once he stopped pushing, Applejack turned over to gave him a powerful kick that sent him straight against a wall.

"Now, where is mah br-AUGH!"

The blast of green magic burned Applejack back and her hat fell to the ground, crushed by a yellow hoof.

"Oh, I´m sorry Applejack. I was trying to be a  little more Confident Fluttershy but ended up just being Evil Fluttershy!"

And Fluttershy eyes glowed a sinister green, the only glow inside the dark barn.