Newcomers and veterans alike, welcome to the world of ponies!

[aie_mods]

Who: YOU. And you. And you. And everyone!
What: What just happened!? You've been transported into the world of ponies, that's what.
When: November 10th
Where: Smack dab in the middle of Ponyville. And around Ponyville. And maybe a little outside Ponyville too.
Rating: You know you.

(Pssst. Check out the story so far to get an idea for what's happened prior to this point!)

It all happened in a flash. Short earthquakes and aftershocks rocked some of the buildings in Ponyville as a magical explosion wreaked its own brand of havoc across Equestria. Once the dust settled, however, the Ponyville ponies realized that there were some newcomers in their midst. Ones that were definitely not there before the explosion. So where did they come from, and how did they get here? Did the explosion bring them here?

Luckily, the actual damage from the earthquakes was minor, and there were no actual downed buildings, just some that were now slightly cracked and in need of repairs.

The natives slowly closed in on the newcomers, warily eyeing them and wondering what their intentions were. But rather than looking angry or upset, they just looked confused and curious. Why not introduce yourselves to them, and to each other?

The official royal welcome wagon might even show up soon!

Comments

[appletastic]

"Well that's just perfect as a pickle."

Applejack staggered to her hooves, her gaze quickly narrowing at a nearby rooftop. She was on the ground. Her trusty hat had caught on a nearby roof and was dangling out of reach. Well now, that just wouldn't do, would it?

She immediately set to work on retrieving it. She pushed and rolled nearby boxes and barrels in such a way as to form a staircase, then charged up it, leaping from the tallest box with her teeth bared. She snatched it, just barely, and tumbled into a nearby bale of hay. Nailed it. She rolled out, shaking the straw out of her hair with a sigh.

"Lemme guess. World's in trouble and somepony's gotta save it again?"

[usedpartycannon]

"Beats me!" Exclaimed Pinkie Pie from right behind Applejack. "It's probably another world situation where we get some superpowers and then the power of friendship resonates with our geodes which turns into a unicorn rainbow beam of awesome!"

Exploding Sprinkles.

"Or I could just get some baking done. I've already shacked up with my local version. How bout you?"

[appletastic]

"...well, howdy to you too Pinkie." Applejack chuckled. "Don't know if I'm ready for this...but you've been busy since we left the last one, weren't ya?"

[usedpartycannon]

"I have no idea what you're talking about AJ, but I'll run with it." Said Pinkie, and it would be here that while she was dressed like the previous Pinkie from the human world, she sported a geode around her neck.

"But hey! It's best if we make friends again! We still good, cousin?"

[appletastic]

"Oh, you're not...oh," Applejack frowned. She remembered their last adventure together, to the tree...but it was all right.

"Don't worry over-much. It's just that...this ain't my first rodeo crossing Equestrias, and I thought you were a Pinkie I saw before. But you're always family."

[usedpartycannon]

"Of course we are! I mean, it's not like I decided to roam the multiverse on a souped up motorcycle built from a transforming robot and managed to penetrate the universe with you riding shotgun with me to find a magic tree of power. That'd be just something another one would do!"

Pinkie What?

"So, I scored us some muffins, want one?" She pulled a box from her mane.

[appletastic]

Did she...what did she...

Applejack stared for a long moment, then laughed it off. Sometimes that was all one could do with Pinkie Pie.

"Sure thing! What's in them, anyhow?"

[usedpartycannon]

Yeah, best not to think about it as Pinkie nodded rapidly. "They're apple cinnamon! I knew you'd want a muffin if it was one of those!"

Mmm they look good though.

[twotailedgenius]

"Looks like it. I guess." A (maybe?) familiar face pops up, folding his wings. "There's not much to really save - we just kinda all got caught up in some weird timespace anomaly and... well, here we all are."

[appletastic]

"Well howdy Tails," Applejack greeted with a smile, tipping her hat to him. "Fancy meeting you here! So...not too different from before, I reckon?"

[twotailedgenius]

"Same to you, Applejack." He was glad to know she remembered him - meaning this was the same Applejack he remembered, too. "Yeah, it sounds about the same. Just without the omnipotent force forcing everyone here. ... At least I'm pretty sure that it's not that."

[appletastic]

Applejack remembered well, and she wasn't all that fond of the thought of going back there.

"I'll keep my eyes and ears open for now. But anything that ripped us out of our homes and brought us here has got to be mighty. Hopefully it ain't so scary."

[canreallyfly]

All these ponies really were causing Fluttershy a bit of anxiety. All these unfamiliar, new faces...

But one face in particular caused her to forget all of that, enough to fly over to her. Maybe she knew what was going on?

"Oh, Applejack! I'm so glad to see you, do you know what's going on? Why are all these new ponies here...?" Not even realizing that this is a different Applejack entirely.

[appletastic]

"Wish I could tell you, Fluttershy, but your guess is as good as mine. Probably better, actually, seeing as I just popped here with everypony else," she apologized. "But I'll let you know if I find something out, and..."

She approached with her usual smile. "No matter what, I'm sure glad to see you."

[canreallyfly]

"Huh? You popped here too...?" But that didn't make any sense. Applejack was from Equestria, so how...

Well, it didn't take a lot of thought to figure out why. And she still seemed like the same Applejack she knew, so despite a moment's hesitation, she smiled a small smile back. "O-Okay. So then... you're from another Equestria? You're not the human Applejack, are you?" Best to be sure, at least.

[appletastic]

"Yeah, another Equestria. Reckon this is my third one, actually. And no, I"m not a...human. That's what Princess Twilight turned into when she went to chase Sunset Shimmer through the portal, isn't it?"

She tapped a hoof against her head. That was a lot to take in.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"I never get tired of watching you go," commented the Overlord from nearby, a smug and sly smile upon his face.

Which lasted all of a second longer before he shot straight up, hooves clattering beneath him as he scrambled to his feet. "Oh crap. You are my Applekack, right?"

[appletastic]

Applejack jumped to face him, looking shocked for a few moments. Her friends were here...and the Overlord she'd thrown her lot in with too. It was a tremendous relief, but she could let him sweat for a moment.

She answered by hooking a hoof around his neck and dragging him down into a kiss.

...Horseapples. Hopefully her mother wasn't nearby.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Yep. Definitely his. Not another Applejack in all the cosmos that would respond like that.

Luckily they were both two phenomenally strong ponies, because Zetta sure as hell was putting all his effort into that kiss and absolutely none into standing upright. Raw core strength on both their parts was the only thing keeping them from tumbling into a pile on the ground.

Not that he'd mind.

...On the other hand, she might want to break the kiss soon if she wanted to get anything done, since she knew perfectly well what she did to the Overlord.

[appletastic]

She did pull back, a gentle little smile on her face.

"I can look after myself, Zetta. But I sure as sugar missed you," she added, lingering close for a little longer.

"You seen heads or tails of Rarity?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"It hasn't been that long," Zetta grumped, which to both of them meant clearly that it had absolutely been too long even if the actual time elapsed hadn't been so great. And her question brought a frown to his face. "Not yet, but if we're talking about mares who can look after themselves..."

[appletastic]

"Maybe not, but when you think you'll never have another shot...it can sure feel like ages," she said. Sure, that wasn't entirely true...but it felt true, and that was enough for now.

"Don't I know it. But, ah..."

She glanced over her shoulder and blushed.

"There's just one little thing that's changed since the last Equestria. My ma's alive! And she's here!"

And...she doesn't really know her mother well enough to know how scared she should be, which somehow makes it worse.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Uh."

Okay, one thing Zetta had absolutely not signed up for was meeting parents. Not intentionally, but he was sure glad it worked out that way.

"Uh."

Zetta pawed at the ground, an absent and very uncharacteristic nervous tic.

"So, uh. Your mom's the sort who's totally cool with you making your own life choices because you're a strong independent mare, right?"

[goalriff]

"About time you showed up!"

That just leaves Rarity.

Dash lands by her friend and it shows that she's a bit unsteady on her hooves still. "You are from CHS, right?" AJ is still AJ though, no matter what.

[appletastic]

"CH-what-now?" Applejack questions, tilting her head. Sorry, Rainbow. This is not the Applejack you're looking for.

"And are you feeling all right, Rainbow? You look like a foal fiddling on the ice."