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The Irony of Applejack

by Mister Friendly

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: One And The Same

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Chapter 17: One And The Same

Dear Princess Celestia,

I know I ain’t one for longwinded speeches, but this time, I have something to say. I wanted to say that this time, I wasn’t right all along. I don’t have all the answers I thought I did.

About a month ago, Canterlot was attacked by the changelings. I know you probably don’t need reminding of that, but that attack made me realize something about myself. Something I never wanted realized, so much so that I ran from it as much as I could, and for all I was worth…

By now you’re probably a mite bit confused as to what I’m talking about. Well then, I hope you have some time to spare, because I want to tell you something.
I want to tell you everything…

~~***~~

Twilight stared transfixed at Applejack’s strange yet brilliant topaz eyes, her mind going unusually quiet for the first time in a long time.

Rarity, in a rare moment of lost composure, stared in slack-jawed astonishment at Applejack. So great was her shock that she didn’t even seem to mind the rather large muddy puddle she stood in.

Incredibly, Fluttershy stood in plain view, though she had the distinct air of being on the verge of a fainting spell; at least, more-so than usual.

Next to her stood Pinkie, who had a rather oddly blank expression on her face. She stood quite motionless, in fact, and seemed too taken aback to react; a very unique moment indeed.

Applejack could only brace herself. She forced herself to meet the eyes of each and every one of her friends, no matter how titanic of a chore it seemed to be.

At the very least, she kept herself from running, which in itself was no small miracle. For once, Applejack understood what Fluttershy went through on a near daily basis.

But for what felt like a small eternity, she was not the only pony frozen in place. All of her friends stared at her, seemingly unable to comprehend what they were seeing.

“App…?” Twilight started to say at last, speaking in a hushed tone. But it was not her that ultimately spoke up the clearest.

A white hoof cut her off as it was thrust in front of her face.

Shining Armor stepped forward then, gaining Applejack’s undivided attention. But all she had to see was his scowl. He didn’t raise his voice beyond conversational levels, but there was no disguising the bite to his voice that was anything but friendly.

“Guards,” he ordered flatly, “take the changeling into custody.”

Well, Applejack couldn’t say she hadn’t been anticipating that reaction.

The guards behind him seemed beyond eager to do as ordered. Spears lowered, they advanced with grim faces…

“Wait!”

~~***~~

I think the closest I ever came to revealing myself was during that dang Running of the Leaves last year with Rainbow and Twilight.

Rainbow Dash… she got me so gosh darn riled up. It’d been a long, long time since she’d gone and made me that mad.

And when Rainbow’s wings came free and she started to fly off… Landsakes, I about lost it. I remember thinking to myself, “if Rainbow can use her wings, why can’t I?” Seemed only fair at the time.

But at the last second, I noticed that RD was still pretty darn close, so… I ain’t too proud to admit my temper got the better of me when I chose to tackle her instead, just to give her a piece of my mind the earth pony way.

It’s funny, really… Rainbow’s the one that constantly seems to be out to do nothing more than drive me up a wall. And yet, when the chips are down, there ain’t nopony else I’d rather put my faith in…

~~***~~

Every guard automatically froze in place as a rainbow blur cut across their vision. Out of nowhere, they suddenly found their path blocked by a single, battered and beaten pegasus.

Rainbow stood before the array of lances without fear, hooves spread wide and a defiant snarl on her face. “You guys aren’t laying a horseshoe on Applejack!” she shouted so loudly that several guards took an automatic step back.

Even Shining paused at that. “Applejack?” he repeated, momentarily taken aback. But he recovered almost right away, only this time he turned his scowl on Rainbow instead.

“Rainbow, snap out of it!” he barked. “That’s a changeling, not –”

“I know!” Rainbow countered sharply. “And she is Applejack!”

She then turned her attention towards her friends, a small plea edging into her eyes. “Can’t you girls see that? She’s Applejack! Our Applejack!”

Shining’s scowl only grew. “That’s just her influence talking!” he said, his patience growing ever thinner. “Now I’m going to ask you one more time, Rainbow. Move, before I have to do something we’re both going to regret!”

“No!” shot Rainbow petulantly, shaking her head even as the rest of her friends gasped aloud.

“Shining, don’t!” yelped Twilight, suddenly grabbing at her brother’s side. “Rainbow’s still –”

“RD!” Applejack cried at the same time, alarmed. “Stop actin’ stup—”

“Ah-HAH!”

Everypony present leapt nearly a foot in the air at a certain pink party pony’s loud exclamation.

Pinkie was abruptly pointing one hoof straight at a now-wide-eyed Applejack. Stranger still, she seemed to be grinning quite hugely.

~~***~~

When I was little, I never really felt comfortable just being off the farm. Back then, I was constantly worrying that somepony would find out about me. When I was around my family, I never had to worry about that, so I always just preferred the farm over hanging around Ponyville. I knew I’d get picked on at school if everypony found out I wasn’t like them.

Then along came Pinkie Pie…

Nowadays it’s hard to believe Pinkie was once never a part of Ponyville at all. She certainly took the town by storm, and even if she sometimes seems a couple bales short of a full hayloft, there ain’t a pony out there who wouldn’t take a shine to her.

All it took was one of her parties, and suddenly being in Ponyville really didn’t seem to bother me all that much anymore…

~~***~~

“I knew it!” Pinkie declared, much to more than one pony’s incredulity.

“How could you possibly know, Pinkie?” Dash asked skeptically while still maintaining her protective posture, though the distraction took some of the tension out of her tired muscles.

“That’s easy,” Pinkie giggled at Rainbow. “I know everything about my bestest friends! How else am I supposed to throw super-special parties for them? Oh, and I saw her when she was a teeny-weeny Appletini, too, so that helped.”

“So wait,” Rainbow went on, temper flaring as a realization struck her, “you mean to tell me… after all that worrying I did over AJ… all I had to do was go to you in the first place?!”

Quite abruptly, using a speed only Pinkie could accomplish, the party pony leaned up conspiratorially against Rainbow, shielding her muzzle with one hoof. “First rule of Personal-Pinkie-Promise: do not talk about Personal-Pinkie-Promise!” she hissed.

“Pinkie, that’s just crazy!” Twilight proclaimed in a loud voice, flailing her hooves through the air. “You knew Applejack was a changeling all along and you didn’t think to, I don’t know, tell somepony?! Don’t you think we should’ve been told somepony we know wasn’t who they said they were?”

Without warning, Pinkie was then pushing up against Twilight, cheek to cheek, still speaking in a low whisper. “Second rule of Personal-Pinkie-Promise: do not talk about Personal-Pinkie-Promise!”

“Hold on a sec, sugarcube,” Applejack couldn’t help but speak up, immediately regaining everypony’s attention – and giving Twilight a chance to recompose herself before she blew something up. “Are ya serious? Ya knew about me bein’… bein’ a changeling from the get go?”

“Of course, silly,” Pinkie said as brightly as if she’d just been asked what her favorite color was.

“But… how?” Applejack asked, thoroughly flummoxed.

Once more, Pinkie’s smile grew, only this time her expression seemed to soften, losing some of that bubbly, childish naivety and replacing it with something slightly warmer. “When I first came to Ponyville, I wandered in through your orchards. I… kinda sorta got lost; I’d never been off the farm before. And I saw you taking a nap under a great big apple tree.”

Applejack’s eyes got wide in surprise. Hastily she tried to recall such an event, but aside from remembering something about a damaged roof and needing to stay out of the adults' way, there just wasn’t much for her to remember.

“I remember thinking to myself ‘wow, I’ve never seen a pony like that before’,” Pinkie went on. “I wanted to go over and say hi, but you looked really tired, and I still wasn’t used to talking to strangers just yet. But when I went back, that pony was gone, and that made me a little sad, but I was sure I’d see that pony again someday. I always kinda thought the two of you sorta looked alike, but now I know for sure! Soooo…”

Pinkie cleared her throat with her usual theatrical flair, then abruptly stepped forward so suddenly that Applejack automatically recoiled, extended a hoof, and flashed a bright, winning smile. “Hi! My name’s Pinkie Pie! What’s yours?”

Applejack blinked, totally at a loss for words. “Sorry,” Pinkie giggled almost sheepishly this time, “I’ve wanted to do that for a really long time. I practiced and everything! I swore the next time I met that funny-looking filly, I’d get her to be my friend, because she was the first pony I ever met in Ponyville! So… friends?”

“Uh… Pinkie, we sorta already are,” Applejack noted in bemusement.

“Yep,” Pinkie chirped happily. “But now I’m friends with earth pony Applejack, a-a-and changeling Applejack!”

Even in the situation she was in – not to mention the ordeal she endured – Applejack couldn’t help but feel the beginnings of a smile tickling at the edges of her weary muzzle.

“Ah hate ta break it to ya, sugarcube, but those are the same gal,” she said. “They… always have been, then and now.”

Pinkie’s smile grew still wider, her demeanor just as unfazed by exhaustion and exertion as ever. But for once, it wasn’t her that managed to speak up first.

“Can we please focus for a moment,” spoke up Rarity suddenly, drawing Applejack’s attention.

~~***~~

I ain’t gonna lie; I never much cared for Rarity when we were fillies. Real water and oil thing we had. Whenever she wasn’t talking about being a proper lady, she was getting on my case about how I looked. I took a lot of pride in being an earth pony, even back then, so having her insult that always got under my skin.

But when my folks passed… That was when I learned that those who cared about me gave me strength. When I lost Ma and Pa… Granny thought I was suffering from broken heart. I just didn’t have the strength to do anything for the longest time. Even now, I don’t think I ever fully recovered what I lost.

And then, one day, Rarity just came up to me and started talking like there’d never been any bad blood between us, even gave me the cupcake she’d got for lunch’s desert. Wouldn’t take no for an answer, neither.

We’ve somehow been friends ever since…

~~***~~

The fashionista took a tentative step forward, turning a look onto Applejack that automatically added more tension to her body. It was a sharp, critical look; one that Applejack couldn’t help but feel very self-conscious under. “Then, does that mean… are you really…?”

The smile slipped away from Applejack’s lips then. “That’s right,” she said somberly. “Ah’m… Ah’m really sorry fer keepin’ it from y’all, but… after the weddin’…”

Rarity didn’t say anything right away. She stared Applejack dead in the eye, her sapphire eyes a whole lot more intimidating than Applejack ever noticed before.

After what felt like several long minutes, Rarity closed her eyes and sighed resignedly. “Well… I can hardly say I blame you, darling.”

As everypony around her turned to give the pearly unicorn a deeply incredulous look, said pearly unicorn trotted forward, her nose held high. “Honestly speaking, though, it certainly explains how you can manage to be so un-pony-like on a routine basis. A mare toiling away on a farm… at least that’s one more mystery solved.”

“Hold on, Rarity,” Twilight said quickly, rediscovering her voice at last. “How can you just believe her like that?”

Rarity looked over at her friend only after she’d come to a halt beside a rather nonplussed Rainbow. “Why, it’s simple, darling,” she said, speaking as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. “Applejack cannot tell a lie, remember?”

Now it was Shining’s turn to speak up. “Rarity, Applejack’s been lying to you all from the start,” he pointed out, his words causing Applejack to wince.

But Rarity was unimpressed. “And I’m sure you told everypony about those special magazines you kept under you bed as a colt, didn’t you?” she asked with full knowledge of what the answer would be.

Sure enough, Shining fidgeted uncomfortably. “How did you – that’s not important!” he corrected himself hastily.

“My point is,” Rarity said calmly, disregarding Shining’s fluster, “that sometimes we don’t lie, per se. We just… leave things out on occasion.”

Rarity glanced over her shoulder, catching Applejack’s nervous eye. “Nopony likes showing off their weaknesses,” she said. “To confess to something of this magnitude now… Well bravo, I say! The amount of courage – of bravery – it took to just be here… I can hardly imagine two traits any more like Applejack!”

Applejack couldn’t help but raise her head a little at that. “Then… does that mean ya forgive me, Rarity?” she asked hopefully.

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far just yet,” Rarity huffed, turning away. “I was put through quite the ordeal on your account – and mark my words, there will be consequences for that. But we will discuss compensation once we get this all sorted out.”

Applejack bit her lip, already not looking forward to that particular conversation.

But now there were three of her friends standing with her; three more than she had ever dared hope for in this situation. Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow… Their presence almost defied belief. And yet there they were, all three standing with her, even though they knew the truth.

But it wasn’t just Applejack that was noticing this.

“Are you girls crazy?” Twilight asked, giving all three a nervous, questioning look in turn. “What if you’re wrong? This is really serious you know; too serious to just leave up to gut feelings and hunches. Right, Fluttershy?”

Now, having the timid pegasus not respond verbally to a question wasn’t anything unusual. Only this time, it sure felt unusual to Twilight.

So, with a feeling a dread in her stomach, she turned towards the yellow pony… only to find her missing entirely.

“Fluttershy? Where are…?” Twilight started to ask, but it sure didn’t take her long to find her.

~~***~~

You know, of all the ponies I know, I always imagined it would be Fluttershy that I'd let in on my secret first. I couldn’t tell you why; it just… always felt like that, to me. With her knowledge of all sorts of critters, I sort of imagined that maybe, just maybe, she’d know what I really was.

But… for once, it wasn’t ‘Shy that was the timid one. What if I was wrong? What if she didn’t know? And… what if I scared her off? It weren’t no rational way to look at it, but… things close to the heart rarely have anything to do with rational thinking.

It seems so backwards, I know; having to try to build up the guts to talk to Fluttershy of all ponies. But that’s the way it was.

And you want to know the worst part? Somewhere deep in my gut, I always got this feeling… like she saw through me every single time. Every time she came by to check up on Winona, or just take her for a walk when I was too busy, or whenever she came by to ask for my help wrangling some critter or other… it always felt like she did it just to give me an opportunity.

Fluttershy ain’t real good with words… but most of the time, she doesn’t need to be…

~~***~~

“Fluttershy, not you, too,” Twilight sighed, crestfallen. She’d just spotted her yellow friend – who was currently checking Rainbow’s bandaged wing very critically.

At the sound of her name being called, Fluttershy squeaked and skittered back a step while trying to make herself appear as small as possible. “Oh, um… j-just a little, yes… sorry…”

“But why?” Twilight asked, a slightly desperate note in her voice.

Fluttershy did her best not to look anywhere near the array of spears still pointing at Applejack as she spoke. If she saw them, it was very likely that she’d be unable to answer at all.

“Because Applejack’s still our friend,” she mumbled. “I don’t think she would’ve got so hurt if she wasn’t. B-but that’s just what I think – it’s okay if you don’t agree…”

Fluttershy glanced towards each of her friends, receiving smiles and nods of encouragement in return. “And… if Rainbow , Rarity and Pinkie say she’s Applejack, then I do, too.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie piped up, pumping a hoof in the air. “Don’t you think if she was a big fat liar-liar-tail-on-fire, she wouldn’t have put herself through so much for us?”

“That’s right!” Rainbow stated loudly. “AJ worked her tail off, all because she wanted to protect all of us! And besides; before the wedding, she didn’t even know what she was!”

Both Twilight’s and Shining’s eyes got big with shock at that declaration, but Rainbow hardly paused a moment to register it.

“She must’ve been terrified,” Rainbow went on, a crack developing in her voice, “but she still put on a brave face and powered through, just because she never wanted to let any of us down, no matter if we might not do the same for her!”

“Rainbow…,” Applejack muttered, but aside from an ear twitch, the cyan pegasus showed no signs of ever hearing her.

“And besides, darling,” Rarity added, eying Twilight knowingly, “I thought you’d already figured all of this out for yourself.”

Shining Armor blinked, twice. “There’s no way that’s true. Right Twiley?...Twiley?”

~~***~~

I remember when I heard that somepony from Canterlot was coming to Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration that I felt a whole new spark of hope. The way I saw it, if anypony in the whole wide world would know about what I really was, or if I was cursed or something, it’d be one of those super fancy, knowledgeable ponies.

I tried to put my best hoof forward with Twi’, but I may have ended up going overboard in the process. I just really wanted to get in her good graces before she left for Canterlot again. Of course, we ended up becoming good friends anyway, despite my initial reasons for wanting to get to know her.

But as time went on, I started to realize that maybe she didn’t know. When that whole Cutie Pox mess sprang up, my first thought was that somehow my condition was responsible for it. I panicked and took Apple Bloom straight to Twilight. Had I been in any worse of a state of mind, I might’ve even given away my secret then and there – anything that’d help Apple Bloom get better.

So when the true cause came up, I couldn’t help but be so relieved. It was only hours later, when I was fixing to go to bed that it finally sank in. Twilight probably didn’t have any idea what I was, either. Twilight was smart – a whole lot smarter than me – but she wasn’t all-knowing. I’d known it was a longshot all along, but the realization left me feeling lousy for a few days anyway.

But after a while, I just resolved to let it be. Being what I was… it didn’t change who I was in the least. I always wondered, but I could deal with it – forever if I had to.

And then the wedding happened…

~~***~~

Twilight glanced at her brother, trying very hard not to look guilty. “I’ve… been trying to put the pieces together for a while,” she admitted. “And no matter how little sense it makes…”

She then looked back towards Applejack, meeting the changeling’s alien amber eyes searchingly. “There’s still so much I don’t know that I wish I knew,” she said, a hint of exasperation in her voice usually reserved only for puzzles that refused to be solved. “But… what I have pieced together…”

She took a step forward then, still keeping her eyes locked on Applejack’s. “You really are Applejack, aren’t you? All this time… this is who you really were?”

Applejack managed another small smile, one meant to reassure. “Yer talkin’ like ya never got ta know me, sugarcube,” she said.

“Did I?” Twilight asked suddenly. “Did any of us?”

“Of course ya did,” Applejack responded. She took a step forward, once more bringing tension to the guards’ postures. “And Ah promise – Pinkie Promise, even – that Ah’ll tell ya everythin’ ya want to know. After hidin’ from y’all for so long, it’s the least Ah can do. All Ah ask is ya give me a chance ta explain myself.”

“Well, that seems reasonable.”

For a moment, it registered in Applejack’s brain that it hadn’t been Twilight that’d responded that time.

No – if the suddenly saluting guards were anything to go by, it was somepony far, far worse.

~~***~~

You know, the first time I met you, Princess, I was dang near scared to death. I felt absolutely sure you’d see right through me, and then who knows. Maybe you’d have me arrested. Maybe you’d find a way to cure me of whatever ailment I had.

That little hope was the only reason I didn’t bolt from the room the moment you appeared after we beat Nightmare Moon and returned Princess Luna to her old self.

Even after that, I always made sure to put myself on my absolute best behavior whenever I was around you, just in case I was wrong and you were testing me or something.

And even though you never let onto anything, I always thought you knew. If anypony in the whole wide world had to know, it had to be you.

But… when the wedding happened, and I found out what I really was… I’d never been so terrified of a single pony in my entire life. After everything that queen did to you and everypony, not to mention almost all of Equestria... Well, I knew that everypony had a limit to what they would be willing to forgive.

And when you ordered that any changeling found in Equestria was to be chased out, I figured that my fears were justified.

But I couldn’t just run away. I couldn’t leave my life behind. So, I resolved to keep my secret till the day I died. I’d stay Applejack, the earth pony, and never, ever be one of those changelings.

But…

~~***~~

The crowd of guards parted before the form of a towering, snow white mare as she strode regally forward on long, slender legs.

Not a scratch or single speck of dust so much as marred Princess Celestia’s coat or mane, and each and every one of her feathers were exactly where they were meant to be.

Not even her gilded hooves were dirtied; the grass seemed to dry just moments before her hooves touched them, the mud baking seemingly out of sheer respect for her presence alone.

In appearance, Princess Celestia looked just like she always did. She might’ve been out for a leisurely stroll and happened across the scene by pure happenstance.

However, it was the complete lack of a smile that totally derailed that visage, and the fact that her mouth formed a straight, thin line instead was a thousand times more terrifying to Applejack than any glare she’d yet been subjected to.

“Princess Celestia,” Twilight gasped, immediately going rigid as her thought process locked up for a moment. “There you are! I-I mean, where did you – I mean…”

Twilight only fell silent upon hearing a single, soft chuckle from the regal monarch.

“My apologies for falling behind, Twilight,” Celestia replied, nothing in her voice giving away her mood in the slightest. “However, I just had a rather enlightening conversation that I found very difficult to pull myself away from.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, truly baffled.

Instead of answering, however, Princess Celestia merely stepped to one side, exposing the small group behind her.

All eyes fell on the small troop of changelings standing huddled together in a pen of armored stallions. None made any attempt to flee, but it was clear to see that none were particularly enjoying their situation.

Having a whole other group suddenly become all-too aware of their presence only made their nervousness triple, resulting in more than one quivering individual.

“U-um…” squeaked the familiar voice of Bumble Bee, “uh… h-hello, Miss Applejack, ma’am. How are you?”

“Everyone…,” Applejack gasped under her breath. Even though she wanted to, she didn’t trust herself to move. All of a sudden, her heart started beating harder than ever, a real edge of panic creeping into her chest.

“These changelings were escorting a group of ponies away from the post,” Celestia explained, looking back towards the huddled mass. “They surrendered peacefully, and have since been nothing but cooperative.”

Applejack once more eyed the group, biting her lip. To her surprise, she found a couple of small smiles turned back towards her, as if their owners were saying not to worry; that everything was alright.

“And, for some reason,” Celestia continued, her soft voice immediately regaining Applejack’s undivided attention. The regal alicorn was looking straight at the apple farmer, and for the first time ever, Applejack couldn’t help but really appreciate just how much bigger than her Celestia was. “The only thing they will talk about is you.”

Applejack tensed, her breath catching.

“Each and every one of them seems to believe that you are Applejack,” Celestia continued, eyes scrutinizing the apple farmer for the slightest reaction, “The very same Applejack who aided in saving Equestria numerous times already.”

As she spoke, her eyes moved off of the young, amber-maned changeling and to the small group standing with her, each of whom had grown rather still. “And it seems like they are not the only ones under that impression.”

“That’s because she is Applejack,” Rainbow said in her best ‘isn’t that obvious?’ voice, earning her a hard elbow in the side from Rarity and a very scathing look from Twilight and her brother.

“And I say that isn’t possible,” Shining countered heatedly, “not with the Apple family’s longstanding history of being earth ponies.”

“Well maybe you’re just biased,” Rainbow shot.

“And maybe you’re just stubborn!” countered Shining.

The argument would’ve continued – perhaps for quite a long time, even – if it weren’t for a pair of zippers sealing their mouths shut simultaneously.

“Will both of you please calm down?” Twilight asked, frustrated – a fact only magnified by her hornache returning with a vengeance. “This isn’t getting us anywhere!”

Now stripped of their ability to speak beyond incoherent mumbles, both ponies could only give her begrudging looks of apology. Of course, that didn’t stop them from giving each other sour looks.

Princess Celestia observed all of this take place in silence, letting it all play out before speaking again. “It seems to me that there is a very simple way to find the truth,” she said knowingly.

That certainly got every single pair of eyes squarely on the Princess of the Sun. Celestia restrained a bemused grin at the unanimous looks of confused surprise.

“There… is?” Applejack asked, more baffled then nervous.

“Why yes,” Celestia responded, and for the first time a hint of her warmer nature leaked through in the softening of her words. “After all, it is something only the true Applejack can accomplish.”

All of Applejack’s friends looked at one another, hoping that somepony at least knew what she was talking about. But no one present had even the slightest clue as to what the princess was talking about, so once more all eyes turned searchingly to the monarch herself.

“And… what is that exactly, Yer Highness?” Applejack asked.

For the first time, a slight smile passed over Celestia’s lips. But, instead of speaking the explanation, Celestia raised her head and pointed her horn skyward. Her horn came alight with golden energies that grew brighter and brighter, before discharging with a loud bang, filling the air above the gathering with a blinding burst akin to sunlight.

And as everypony shielded their eyes against the dazzling glare, something materialized out of thin air, answering a summons no one heard but all witnessed.

It was an unexpectedly small thing that descended in a sphere of magic to hover on eye level of everyone present. As the light of Celestia’s spell faded, six pairs of eyes fell upon a familiar, gem encrusted blue box.

The moment the case came into view, Applejack’s heart somehow found a whole new pace to settle into – one that was starting to make her feel short of breath. “The… the Elements of Harmony?” she gasped, both stunned and confused still further.

“Indeed,” Celestia said, her expression once more becoming unreadable. “Before leaving the castle, I had them prepared – just in case the situation proved far worse than I had feared. Seeing the rather unexpected turn of events that has taken place, I am glad I took the extra precaution.”

Using her magic, Celestia pried open the gilded lid of the case, exposing the priceless artifacts inside; five golden necklaces, and a single star-topped tiara.

While everypony stared in slack-jawed astonishment, Shining Armor finally managed to wrap his hooves around the zipper binding his lips shut and yank it open, breaking the spell.

“Your Highness,” he said hastily, “don’t you think giving a changeling one of the Elements is just reckless? What’s to stop her from trying to steal it? How is this a test?”

A bemused look flashed through Celestia’s eyes, as if Shining had just made a mildly amusing jest. “You let me worry about that, Captain,” she stated, and in no way was the implication of her words lost on anyone present – least of all Applejack.

While the others fidgeted nervously, Celestia reached into the case containing the Elements of Harmony with her magic, and extracted a single golden necklace – one set with an orange gemstone.

“The Elements only react when in the presence of their bearers,” Celestia stated. “That is the reason why Twilight and her friends – and they alone – are able to wield their power. If this is not the real Applejack, then the Element of Honesty will not recognize her, and this matter will be closed.”

Princess Celestia then closed the Elements’ case before giving Applejack a meaningful look.

The apple farmer took that as her cue. Applejack took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and started moving forward.

~~***~~

I’ve come to realize something, too, Your Highness; something a whole lot more important.

I realized that harmony can be found in the most unlikely of places; that there is always some measure of good, even among evil – light for every shadow, no matter how big that shadow might be.

I’ve come to realize that who I am and what I am don’t need to conflict with each other. Because they’ve been one and the same all along. I was just too bullheaded and scared to see it...

~~***~~

She ignored the ranks of spears that followed her every move, promising nothing but a swift end if but one hoof was placed out of line. The only thing Applejack kept focused on was Princess Celestia and the Element of Honesty floating in the air beside her.

She only took a few steps forward, but it felt like one of the longest walks of Applejack’s life. And yet, it came to such an abrupt end that for a moment, she wondered if she’d moved at all.

Celestia offered nothing but an appraising look to the young changeling queen before bringing the golden necklace to Applejack’s throat.

Applejack expected to feel the cold, unyielding touch of metal the moment the Element of Honesty touched her. What she felt, however, was completely different. For one thing, the surface of the thing that touched her was as comfortably warm as if she’d been wearing it all day long.

The moment the necklace touched her, the clasp on the back snapped shut, clamping itself to the mare almost possessively. The apple-shaped topaz gemstone at the necklace’s front suddenly shone with a dazzling light, as if being struck by the absolute perfect ray of light to show off every single one of its facets.

For a moment, though, Applejack craned her neck in order to get a look at the gemstone itself. A topaz… just like my crown…

While Applejack was temporarily lost in thought, everyone else stared at the glowing Element of Honesty fastened to her black, leathery neck.

“Well, I think that settles it,” Celestia said, at last allowing her usual kind smile to grace her lips. Only then did the silence in the rest of the group break.

With a cheer – and inexplicable puff of reserve confetti – Pinkie simultaneously leapt into the air in sheer exuberance, paused, and then dove for Applejack in a maneuver defying everything but the party pony’s grasp on reality.

Of course, Applejack only heard the cheer before she found herself caught up in a great big hug.

“It really-really-really is you!” Pinkie cheered, still hugging Applejack tight enough to force her to balance precariously on her one good hind leg – her forelegs being pinned to her chest. “I mean, I was really-really sure, but not really-really-really sure, but now I am!"

“Well duh,” Rainbow drawled, rolling her eyes, having just undone her own lip-binding zipper. “I’ve been trying to tell you that all along!”

“Yes, and we’re sorry for not taking your word for it,” Rarity said back in such a way that got Rainbow eying her suspiciously.

“Are you being sarcastic, or do you really mean that?” she asked.

Rarity glanced at Rainbow out of the corner of her eye, but kept herself turned away. “Yes.”

While Rainbow gave the side of the fashionista’s head a dirty look, Shining Armor was having some difficulty coming to grips with what he was witnessing.

“Then… does this mean…?” he muttered to himself, staring wide eyed at Applejack. Then he shook his head as if to rid himself of a bothersome fly before turning towards Princess Celestia again. “It must be a trick,” he said. “How can this be the real Applejack? What about her family? How does this –” he jabbed a hoof at the battered anomaly in front of him “—make any more sense?”

Celestia exercised only patience as she gave the Captain of the Royal Guard an understanding look. “I understand your reluctance to believe otherwise, but this is no trick, Shining Armor. The magic of the Elements of Harmony cannot be so easily fooled. Not even a changeling can replicate what it truly means to be Applejack on a level that is more than skin-deep.”

“Y…yes, Your Highness,” Shining said reluctantly, but it was obvious from the look in his eyes that he was trying very hard to find some reason to not believe it. After all, he’d been fooled once before – he would absolutely not let it happen again.

Then, Celestia returned her gaze back to Applejack, her smile fading somewhat. Instead, she looked on the young changeling with intrigue – like a puzzle she’d never before encountered. “But Shining Armor does raise a good point,” she admitted. “While this test does answer a few questions, it leaves many more to be answered. So then, I think you’ll understand when I say that I have quite a few questions for you, young changeling.”

“And so do we,” Twilight said, catching Applejack’s eye. Seeing those double-ringed, amber irises was still a rather novel experience to her – one that she wasn’t entirely sure if she was fond of or not.

Applejack nodded. “Ah know, sugarcube,” she said. “And Ah’ll answer whatever questions y’all have. Ah pro—”

“Your Majesty!”

Applejack was cut off as a stallion came running towards the group, completely ignoring the strange scene before him and fixating on Princess Celestia alone.

The guard was not in good shape. His armor was dented and cracked, and by the looks of the bruises and cuts on his forelegs, he’d been fighting for a long time without a weapon. Just by looking at the state of him, it was obvious that he didn’t come bearing good news.

Celestia caught on to this immediately and composed her features accordingly. “Is something the matter?” she asked.

The guard threw a sloppy salute while attempting to catch his breath. “The… the enemy is converging on this position, Your Majesty,” he informed her. “They’re throwing everything they’ve got at our defensive line.”

“How is that possible?” Shining Armor asked sharply. “We had the numbers advantage when we got here! How are they still fighting?”

“I don’t know,” the battle-weary guard said, fidgeting. “As soon as we knock them down, they just get right back up! We’re doing everything we can to not kill anypony, but they just refuse to go down!”

“It’s the changelings,” Twilight spoke up, dread in her voice. “They must be forcing the guards to fight.” She then turned towards Applejack and Rainbow, a questioning look on her face. “Didn’t you girls say they’d stop once you freed the ponies they were feeding off of?”

“Vigil has another group tucked away somewhere else,” Applejack said, ears falling. “The changelin’s are usin’ their love to keep the fight goin’.”

Shining Armor scowled at that, muttering a curse under his breath. “Well then, we better go hunt down those changelings before this situation gets any worse than it already is.”

Applejack flinched inwardly at that as her eyes turned towards the high perimeter wall. Now that she was listening, she just thought that the dull thumps and booms of distant spells seemed closer than before…

The ponies of Equestria will hate our kind for what we’ve done here…

Applejack bit her lip as Vigil’s words drifted back to her. Not if Ah have anythin’ ta say about it…

“Wait,” Twilight said suddenly, an idea striking her. “We could use the Elements of Harmony! We have them right here – surely that’d break the changelings’ control!”

“My thoughts precisely, my faithful student,” Celestia stated amid a chorus of agreements. “With the aid of the Elements, it should be –”

“Hold on a sec, everyone.”

~~***~~

But… I ain’t afraid anymore, not after I found out about all the ones counting on me behind my back… and the ones who sacrificed and gave so much.

I know now that I got a responsibility to all those out there just like me; who are too scared to stand up and be who they ought to be; themselves.

I know now where I came from and a mother I never knew, who gave everything she had for a cause nopony will ever know about; who willingly paid the ultimate price for ponies who would never know who she was.

That is why I ain’t ashamed of who I am anymore. I’m going to stand tall, not for myself, but for something a whole lot more important; for everyone.

I’m going to stand tall because that’s just the kind of pony I am. And I’m never going to back down, because that’s the kind of changeling I need to be.

~~***~~

All eyes turned towards the speaker – towards Applejack.

“Just hold on fer a second, everypony,” Applejack repeated, meeting the confused looks of each of her friends in turn.

“But… why?” Twilight asked, frowning a little. “With the Elements of Harmony, we could end this right now.”

“Ah know,” Applejack said. “Ah know the Elements would fix everythin’. But…”

She turned towards Princess Celestia, who only looked at her curiously. “This… is all my responsibility,” Applejack said. “It’s because of changelin’s that we’re all in this mess. So… it should be changelin’s that make it right.”

A slight look of surprise crossed the Princess of the Sun’s countenance, appearing and disappearing faster than most ponies would ever be able to witness. “And how will you do that,” she asked, genuinely curious.

“Ah… Ah don’t know,” Applejack admitted, fidgeting a little. “It may not even be possible. But if my kind is goin’ to ever start to make amends with everypony, this has ta be the first step.”

Applejack then gestured towards the gilded case containing the rest of the Elements of Harmony. “If Ah can’t do it, we can just use the Elements instead. Just please… give me a chance.”

Princess Celestia scrutinized Applejack’s amber eyes, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully. And then, very deliberately, she closed the case and set it down on the grass beside her.

“You are right, Applejack,” Celestia said. “Correcting the physical damage done here today would be a simple matter. But to repair all of the damage will take something more.”

Celestia turned to the guards closest to her and nodded slightly. Each one looked at each other, and then lifted their spears. Many were reluctant to do so – removing one’s weapon from a changeling of all things just felt incredibly unwise.

“You will have your chance, then,” Celestia stated. “I pray it is all you’ll need.”

“Then,” Applejack said hesitantly, “Can Ah ask a favor of ya?”

“Of course,” Celestia responded, caught slightly surprised.

“Ah’m gonna need ta talk with those changelin’s.”

~~***~~

Today, I learned a valuable lesson. About heritage and about responsibility, among other things. It's because of all those around me that I can start moving forward again; that I can see what needs to be done.

My Mama may not be here anymore, but she left behind her mission – a mission that is now up to me to get done. Not just for changelings, and not just for ponies... but for everyone.

But, above all else, I learned probably the most important thing of all...

~~***~~

The group of changelings watched Applejack approach with a mix of intrigue, worry and anxiety. Not one of them overlooked how she had to hobble on three legs just to get to them or the slow, weary gait she accomplished the trek with.

Even with healing magic skittering across virtually every limb she possessed, Applejack pushed herself forward as if all she felt was a dull ache and little else.

Once she was within the ring of still-unsure guards penning the group in, the changelings stepped forward to converge around the battered queen.

“Applejack, you don’t have to do this,” one of them told her – a familiar drone, by the sound of her voice; the one that’d spoken on the group’s behalf before.

“Yes Ah do,” Applejack replied. “But… Ah don’t think Ah can do it myself, so… Ah’m gonna need all of yer help.”

“Does… does that mean we get to play heroes?” chirped the familiar voice of Bumble Bee.

“We ain’t playin’,” Applejack chuckled. Then, she turned to look at each changeling around her. It felt so weird – less than twenty-four hours ago, seeing their chitinous, fanged faces and featureless blue eyes would’ve only stirred disgust in her heart. And yet here she was… How quickly things changed.

“This may be our one shot at this,” Applejack said as she looked around. “So Ah gotta ask y’all; is there any way we can end this?”

Several changelings looked at each other, exchanging thoughtful looks for a moment before turning back to her. “I think so, yes,” said the first changeling again. “There is a spell that should work, but it'll take all of us to make it strong enough..”

Immediately Applejack was apprehensive. “Ah don’t know if Ah can…”

A holey hoof gently touching her shoulder interrupted her. “Yes you can,” the drone said firmly, smiling. “We’ll help you.”

Applejack bit her lip with one sharp canine, then nodded. “Alright… what do Ah need ta do?”

The drone’s smile grew warmer. “Focus on everything good in your life – your friends, your family, everything and everyone you care for – everything you love. The rest will take care of itself.”

Once more, Applejack nodded, this time with more confidence. The other changelings nodded in return, then began backing up.

“You fellows might want to get back,” one of the changelings warned the guards standing around them.

“Give them some room,” Celestia ordered. Only then did the guards move back.

All the while, the changelings were forming a circle nearly twelve feet across with Applejack at its center. One by one, they raised their horns into the air and closed their eyes. One horn after another lit, and as each one glowed to life, a tendril of emerald magic slithered like a streamer towards the next, and the next and the next, until a thick cord of radiant green light formed a perfect circle over the changelings’ heads.

Applejack watched the halo form in wonder, then she steeled herself. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding for a rather long time.

She let her mind fill with all the faces of everyone she cared for and the memories attached to them; Granny Smith, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, countless cousins, nieces, aunts and uncles… Twilight Sparkle and Spike, Fluttershy and her animal friends, Rarity and Sweetie Belle, Pinkie and her innumerable parties and bemusing eccentricities. And…

With a torrential rushing feeling, magic surged up from within Applejack, firing from deep within her and exploding off the tip of her horn and into the sky overhead.

Only… this was nothing like the burning, wrathful surge from before. Instead of an untamed discharge of emerald fire and lightning, a column of blinding light shot high into the sky. A column of more than a single color.

Eyes burning green-hot, Applejack’s gaze fell on the howling beam of light firing off her horn – more specifically, the blinding violet core at its heart.

Pink and green sparks danced through the air, mingling together as the column of light shot up high into the sky – higher and higher, high enough to punch a hole straight through the empty storm clouds overhead and to the clear blue sky above.

Magic hummed in the air, staining it emerald and violet as each drone added their own magic to the torrent. Long tongues of magic wrapped up and around the pillar of light, keeping it in check and adding their strength to the building spell.

Memories and faces danced before Applejack’s eyes, blinding her to what was happening around her. They whizzed by faster than she could recognize them, and yet each and every one of them held a special place in her heart.

A purple unicorn flailing in frustration… A white mare falling onto an awaiting couch… a pink pony laughing riotously at a joke she’d just cracked… A yellow pegasus guiding half a dozen ducklings through a busy street… a pair of magenta eyes, a cocky grin, a cacophonous sonic boom…

Applejack never noticed her hooves leaving the ground as the spell bore her up several feet into the air.

The magic was accelerating, creating an otherworldly howl as it built up further and further, supercharging the very air. At its very top, the magic was converging – compressing together into a dazzling ball of light as bright as the sun.

And then, Applejack felt a tug inside of her – in her heart, in her mind, in every fiber of her being.

And the spell detonated.

With a terrific bang that could’ve been heard for miles and miles around, the ball of light atop the pillar of changeling magic exploded, sending a shockwave of emerald and violet fire roaring across the sky.

The blast of released magic tore away the gloomy skies, blasting apart the clouds as the ring of light expanded in every direction towards the horizon and letting the sun bathe the land in glorious sunlight at last.

A hot, jade-tinted gale followed behind the shockwave, washing over the land below as it passed, leaving nothing but twinkling motes of green and pink light dancing in its wake like powdered glass.

The sudden gale caught the battling guards completely by surprise, causing plenty to flinch and even stagger in some cases. And yet, when the rush of air passed, the guards paused.

All throughout Ponyville, stallions were stopping in place, blinking rapidly and shaking their heads fitfully. Those that recovered first looked around in complete bewilderment, more than one finding himself locked hoof to hoof with another of the Guard for reasons he did not know.

The blast of magic continued onward, soaring across the sky over Ponyville. The magically charged wind reached through walls and windows, filling every nook and cranny as it passed.

And in the depths of a closet inside Ponyville inn’s basement, that very gale found well over a dozen jade cocoons hanging in the darkness, but not even they could halt the gust. They were smashed aside, sending several disoriented ponies crashing to the floor.

All throughout Ponyville, burning fires were abruptly snuffed by the powerful discharge. Clouds of smoke were blown to the four winds, leaving not a spark behind.

And on a distant farmland, a stubbornly burning emerald fire met the oncoming wind, only to be trampled beneath the gale until nothing but char and a violet dome of magic remained.

Finally, the multicolored wave rolling over the sky started to peter out. Its energies spent, it faded from sight until nothing remained at all.

But it left behind a peerlessly blue sky radiating with the sun’s brilliance. And in the air, far and wide, fragments of green and pink light flickered and flitted like dust in the suddenly still air, leaving streamers of both colors winding through the heavens for miles around.

~~***~~

Applejack felt her hooves touch down on solid ground again, but it took her a second longer to register it. Her eyes stayed on the clear sky, even as her strength failed her completely, and she toppled…

Straight into a pair of awaiting hooves.

“Ah… Ah did it,” Applejack breathed, eyes unfocused, body slumped limply against another.

“Yeah… you really did.”

“Does… this mean it’s… over now?” she asked.

“What do you think?”

Applejack smiled slightly to herself. She let her head come to a rest against a soft, fuzzy shoulder. “Yeah… Ah guess it is, isn’t it?”

“I knew you could do it, cowgirl.”

Applejack chuckled once – too weak to contribute anything more. “Ah… couldn’ta done it without ya… Ya know that, right?”

“Yes you could’ve. That’s what makes you, you.”

“Not this time,” Applejack sighed. “So… thank you, Rainbow. Fer bein’ there.”

“Anytime, AJ,” Rainbow said in her ear, just as the last of Applejack’s strength faded, and she drifted away into darkness, and she knew no more. "Anytime."

~~***~~

Today, I learned it’s not about what I’m not – but what I am.

I am an Apple – a sister, a cousin, a niece, and much more. I am a farmer and hard worker. I am a friend others rely on.

I am an earth pony. I am a changeling.

I am Applejack.

And that… that was a lesson worth learning.

Author's Notes:

Ah, I really enjoyed writing this one. Everything just flowed so easily, even if things didn't go nearly like I'd planned even two chapters ago.

Fun fact: progress on this chapter was going so well that I initially intended to release it a day after the previous, just to catch you guys off guard. I missed that mark a tad, but I'm still pleased with the speed at which this got done.

Anyway, all that's left is to wrap up some loose ends in the epilogue, and hopefully that'll be coming along shortly, too, so I'll see you guys in the last installment.

Next Chapter: Chapter 18: Rebuilding Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 17 Minutes
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