Big Mac's Journey to Nightmare City

by cheesemeister

Rating: teen
Tags: Discord, Princess Celestia, Dark, Alternate Universe, Main 6, Nightmare Moon, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure
Length: 6720

If the only thing Big Mac had to contend with on his journey to deliver the pies was a grouchy chimera, he'd have counted his blessings. Instead, he found himself in a dark counterpart of Equestria, faced with many perils.

Big Macintosh ends up in an alternate Universe, where Nightmare Moon triumphed and Celestia was banished. Equestria’s guardians of the Elements of Harmony are the Generals of Chaos in this world. Big Mac doesn’t know how or if he can get back to his own dimension.

Published 2014-03-14 03:00:05 UTC
Last updated 2014-03-14 03:00:05 UTC

Big Mac Lost

Big Macintosh headed on his mission to get the pies delivered to Braeburn Town in jig time. The quickest path took him near the ruins of Celestia and Luna’s old castle. When a sudden storm kicked up, Big Mac decided to take refuge in the castle until the storm blew over.

“Reckon it’s just a cloudburst—yup,” Big Mac said to himself. “Oughta be gone in fifteen minutes or less. Then I can get back on my way.”

Black clouds swirled, and hail began to buffet the landscape. Big Mac was nearly blinded by the sheet of rain blowing into his face. He knew he couldn’t get the pie wagon up the front steps of the castle, but there was an old stable out back, where the racehorses had stayed during grand festivals at the now-abandoned palace. Mac made for the stable, hoping that there was enough of it left to shelter both him and the pie wagon.

Big Mac saw an oval-shaped area of pearly light as he neared the stable. He supposed another traveler had stopped for shelter and lit a lantern.

“Howdy,” the friendly workhorse said in his slow-talking way. “Good to see y’all made it to shelter. If you’re hungry, I can spare you a pie.”

The light turned from pearly white to blazing red. Big Macintosh whinnied in terror as he was torn from his harness and into the swirling tempest. His last thought before losing consciousness was: “how the hay am I gonna tell Granny and Applejack that I didn’t get the pies delivered to Braeburn Town?”

A Land of Eternal Nightmares

Big Mac woke up, apparently in almost the same place where he’d been when the whirlwind took him. The pie wagon was gone, but he didn’t seem to be badly hurt. It was nighttime. Big Mac staggered to his feet. He took a few careful steps to make sure that nothing was broken. He supposed the best course of action was to spend the night in the abandoned castle so that he wouldn’t risk stepping in a hole or running into some sort of flesh-eating monster in the woods. Truth be told, Big Mac did not feel terribly comfortable with the idea of spending the night in the castle.

“There could be ghosts or other heebie-jeebies, he muttered. “I don’t want to run into nothin’ like that, no sir. I sure am hungry. Maybe I oughta find what’s left of the pie wagon. Maybe, just maybe, there will be a whole pie left that I can snack on. Or maybe I can find me some hay or grass. A fella’s gotta eat if he wants to keep up his strength.”

Just then, Big Mac heard the maniacal laughter that made his mane stand on end. The horrifying cackling sent him running behind the stable. A moment later, he breathed a sigh of relief. He saw Princess Luna and his sister Applejack approaching.

“That Princess Luna, she’s got kind of a crazy laugh,” Big Mac said to himself. “Usually it don’t bother me none, but when a fella’s woken up at night after bein’ knocked out by a whirlwind, that’s a different story. Well, never mind, I’m just happy to see ‘em.”

Big Mac stepped out from behind the stables. The two mares didn’t notice him. He was about to speak, but stopped himself when he heard the pair talking.

“Well, General Apple Doom, which territory do you think we should conquer next?” Princess Luna chortled. “Those mares in Nightmare City who dared attempt an uprising have been crushed like apples in a press. Certainly we can’t have any more of their like planting the seeds of rebellion in our subjects.”

“That’s right, Princess Nightmare Moon,” said the evil mare who looked like Applejack. “We can’t simply go about expanding our territory without keeping our current subjects subjugated. This is why I suggest that you divide the monarchy into six equal parts, and one of the Mane Six shall rule with her particular Element of Disharmony over that area. Of course, you shall be supreme ruler over us all.”

“Of course. Your plan has merit, General Apple Doom. Well, it’s apparent that whatever disturbance Princess Blacklight Gloom perceived in this area has passed.”

“Still, its best we stay alert. There are those who think they could free your sister Celestia from exile. Perhaps someone was practicing forbidden magic. We can’t be too careful.”

“Absolutely, General. I will call in my mystic adviser Zegorra and have her see what she can do about detecting unauthorized magic use. Woes betide anyone whom she catches. You know what she’ll do to them.”

“I do indeed, Princess,” General Apple Doom chuckled. “It makes me shiver to the core. Zegorra is so gruesomely delightful. She eats the hearts of her victims like most of us eat a crunchy, juicy apple!”

Author's Note

The "gore" element in this story is fairly mild. There are no graphic descriptions, only mentions of such things as Zegorra eating the hearts of her victims "like a crunchy, juicy apple." I opted to rate it teen, as this sort of thing might upset a child who was reading the story.

The Tainted Soils of Home

Fortunately for Big Mac, Nightmare Moon and General Apple Doom left without seeing him.

“What the hay am I gonna do” Big Mac asked himself. “I’ve ended up in some kind of terrible alternate world where my friends are my enemies.”

Big Mac thought for another minute. He realized that there must be a counterpart of himself in this alternate universe. He supposed that his counterpart must be every bit as awful as his sister’s counterpart. He wondered how he could find out more about himself, so he could know how he was supposed to behave if anyone who knew him encountered him. He decided to make his way to Sweet Apple Acres to do a little spying. He came up with an alias for himself, in case he was spotted at the same time as his counterpart.

Fortunately, the layout of the alternate universe was nearly an identical copy to the layout of Equestria, but that was where the similarity ended. The sun never rose in this somber dimension. Miserable creatures milled about, doing enforced tasks in a state of fear. Big Mac stuck to the back roads. Eventually he came to this universe’s counterpart of his home.

“Bad Apple Acres,” Big Mac mused. “Well, that don’t surprise me none. I’m just gonna hang back and watch and listen. Sure am hungry. I don’t imagine anyone will notice if I just take one.”

Big Mac no sooner bit into the apple that he found lying on the ground than he spat it out. The taste was awful. He heard hoof beats coming down the path, so he hurried to hide in a small grove of trees. He saw a pony who looked similar to Twilight Sparkle approaching, but the malevolent look in her eyes told him that the similarity to Twilight Sparkle ended with her physical appearance.

General Apple Doom came down the path to meet Twilight Sparkle’s doppelganger.

“Well, Blacklight Gloom, I imagine Princess Nightmare Moon told you of our little plan,” said General Apple Doom. “The others should be here soon, but I wanted you to have first choice of which territory you would like to rule over.”

“That’s very generous of you, General Apple Doom,” Blacklight Gloom said with an evil snarl that sent a chill up Big Mac’s spine. “I would like to subjugate whichever territory is most in need of being terrorized into submission. After all, spreading fear and hate is my specialty.”

“Yes ma’am, it sure is,” General Apple Doom chuckled. “Why don’t you step inside for a sip of sweet apple cider while we discuss it?”

Big Mac’s stomach growled. He wondered if there was a chance that he could steal a sip of sweet apple cider. The rulers must have their own special crop of apples, while those they ruled with an iron hoof were forced to eat terrible-tasting ones. He slunk through the shadows, following General Apple Doom and Princess Blacklight Gloom.

Dirt Clod and Wooden Spork

Behind the barn, Big Mac saw two shabby-looking fillies, who he barely recognized as the counterparts of his sister Apple Bloom’s rivals, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The morose-looking fillies split a straw tart between them. Big Mac’s mouth watered at the sight of the morsel.

“I hear that Goodhorse and Braeburn were devoured this morning by Princess Blacklight Gloom’s dragon partner, Spike the Impaler,” said Diamond Tiara’s counterpart.

“What was left of them went into one of General Stinky Pie’s awful pastries,” sighed Silver Spoon’s doppelganger.

“How will we ever free Harmony now?” said Diamond Tiara’s counterpart sadly. “We can’t do it alone, Wooden Spork.”

“You won’t have to do it alone,” Big Mac said, emerging from the shadows.

“Oh no, it’s Bad Mac! We’re doomed!” whimpered Wooden Spork. “Save yourself, Dirt Clod!”

“I won’t leave without you, Wooden Spork!” declared Dirt Clod.

“Shh!” Big Mac hissed. “I ain’t Bad Mac. I’m Big…Big Braeburn. I want to help you.”

“Yeah, sure, like we believe you,” said Dirt Clod. “You just want to infiltrate the rebellion. Well, you can torture us and have Stinky Pie cook what’s left of us, but we’ll never tell.”

“I’m telling the truth—mostly,” Big Mac said. “My name isn’t really Big Braeburn, its Big Macintosh. I come from a mirror universe. There was a bad storm, and I was caught in a whirlwind. When I came to, I was in this place. I really want to get home. Do you think this Harmony can help me?”

“Maybe, if we can set him free,” said Wooden Spork. “Right now, Princess Nightmare Moon has him trapped in the Chains of Eternal Torture.”

“If we can set Harmony free, he can bring Princess Celestia back from exile,” said Dirt Clod. “Then we can escape the evil rule of Princess Nightmare Moon.”

“I want to help you,” said Big Mac. “We’ll stick to the shadows. If anyone sees us, just pretend you’re my prisoners.”

“Do we trust him?” Wooden Spork whispered to Dirt Clod.

“I don’t see where we have much choice,” Dirt Clod mused. “He looks just like Bad Mac, so if the guards in Nightmare City think he is Bad Mac, they’ll let us go where we need to.”

The Kind and Modest Trixie

“Ah, there you are,” said a silver-coated pony wearing a shabby indigo cloak and a weathered wizard’s cap. “I’m glad you all got here safely. Dear Big Macintosh, I’m so sorry that my magic drew you to this terrible place. The spell I cast petitioned the powers that be to bring to us the one who could help us be free of the tyranny of Nightmare Moon and her followers. I assumed that the spell would free Harmony. Instead, it brought you to us.”

“Aw, well that’s all right,” said Big Mac. “I just hope I can help you, and I hope that maybe once I’m done helping you, you can send me back where I belong.”

“I’m sure that between Harmony and myself, we can,” Trixie said. “The fact that you look like the brother of one of Nightmare Moon’s generals is a great help to us. All you really have to do is take us to the armory to get outfitted in the garb of the palace guard. Then you can take us into the courtyard and tell the guards on duty that they’re relieved. Believe me, they will jump to obey the orders of Bad Macintosh. Just follow me, and we’ll be in the palace in no time.”

The Kind and Modest Trixie led the group into the cellar of the palace. Skeletons hung from chains in the cells, and there were instruments of torture in the center of the room.

“This is the dungeon,” Trixie said. “The armory is just down the hall. You go ahead and tell the guard he’s relieved of duty.”

“You got it,” Big Mac said.

Big Mac assumed the demeanor of his brutal counterpart.

“You! Go take a break!” he snorted to the guard. “I’m gonna need some time for me and my team to get outfitted, and I don’t want to be disturbed by the likes of you.”

“Yes sir, Bad Macintosh,” the intimidated guard said, saluting and scurrying off.

Big Mac led the others into the armory, where they chose suitable clothing. Gilda opted for a cloak which covered her face and feet.

“Wonderful. Now to the courtyard!” Trixie declared.

The Conflict

Gilda headed into the rain cloud. At first it seemed that all would go smoothly as the powerful griffin worked to wring the rain water from the cloud. Suddenly, a multicolored streak flashed across the sky and Gilda was knocked away from the cloud. General Rainbow Slash attacked her rival furiously.

“When one of the Generals of Disharmony appears, the others are often not far behind,” said Trixie. “We must be prepared for combat. This really isn’t your fight, Big Macintosh, but are you prepared to help us if you must?”

“Yup,” Big Macintosh said. “I want to help you all take back the kingdom, and I want to get home to my own land. So it kinda is my fight too, Trixie.”

General Flutterdeath and General Blacklight Gloom swooped over the wall. The gate burst open, and in came General Apple Doom and Big Mac’s doppelganger, Bad Mac.

“Imposter, you will pay for impersonating me!” Bad Mac bellowed.

“Oh goody! More bones to be ground to make my bread!” squealed General Stinky Pie.

“Miss Kind and Humble Trixie, I’m pretty strong, but there ain’t no way I’m gonna be able to hold all of these strong ponies off alone!” a worried Big Mac said.

At that moment, a kettle full of mud poured down over Apple Doom, Bad Mac, and Stinky Pie. There on the wall surrounding the courtyard stood Dirt Clod and Wooden Spork.

“You won’t have to fight them alone, Big Macintosh,” said Dirt Clod. “We’re going to fight them with you.”

“He’ll fight me, and he’ll lose,” snorted Bad Mac. “Come on, you cheap fake. It’s just you and me, stallion to stallion.”

“Well, I hardly think that’s fair, when the big bad generals are ganging up on a couple little fillies,” Big Mac retorted. “That’s what I call just plain cowardly.”

The others were ignoring Trixie and Harmony for the moment.

“All I need is just one good shot,” Trixie muttered to herself.

Trixie procured a magic wand from her cloak. She mumbled a few words and pointed the wand towards the sky. A blast of lightning shot forth from the wand.

“Harmony, get ready to drink the clear rain!” she demanded.

“Not if I can help it!”

In a flash of indigo light, General Scarity tore across the courtyard. She slammed into Trixie, knocking her off balance. Instead of hitting the cloud, the bolt from Trixie’s wand struck Rainbow Slash.

Infighting

“You idiot! Look what you did!” the seared Rainbow Slash snarled as she fluttered to the ground, trying to put out the sparks on her wings.

Trixie fully expected the full brunt of the wicked Pegasus pony’s wrath to be turned on her. Instead, Rainbow Slash turned an accusatory hoof to General Scarity.

“Don’t blame me if you can’t get out of the way fast enough!” Scarity huffed. “I was only trying to help.”

“As always, you’re no help at all, General Prissy Hooves,” Rainbow Slash snapped. “You’d rather spend your time primping yourself to impress the latest Stallion Du Jour than fighting the battle to maintain disharmony in Nightmare City.”

“You know, General Clumsy Wings, I’ve had just about enough of your crummy attitude!” General Scarity shot back. “You think you’re so tough. Well, I’ll bet that in a hoof to hoof combat on the ground, there’s no way you can hold your own.”

“I’ll take that bet,” Rainbow Slash thundered.

“Without your wings?” Scarity sneered.

“I can beat you with both wings and one hoof tied behind my back!” Rainbow Slash snorted.

Meanwhile, after slipping in a puddle of mud while trying to catch Dirt Clod and Wooden Spork, General Apple Doom and General Blacklight Gloom started to argue.

“Can’t you even catch an insolent little earth pony, you uncoordinated Alicorn?” Apple Doom demanded.

“Well, I don’t see you doing a particularly good job of it yourself, you overrated hayseed,” Blacklight Gloom spat, flinging the mud from her face into Apple Doom’s face.

“You know something, Princess Blacklight Gloom—and I use the term ‘Princess’ very loosely in your case,” Apple Doom expounded. “I didn’t think it was possible, but those wings of yours haven’t done a darn thing but make you one whole heck of a lot clumsier. In all my days, I’ve never seen such a clod. You’re lucky that you were Nightmare Moon’s teacher’s pet, ‘cause you wouldn’t have lasted a day down on the farm!”

“Well, you’re lucky that Princess Nightmare Moon had need for your family’s rotten apples,” Blacklight Gloom shot back. “Because you and your kin aren’t good at anything but growing inedible crops!”

“You take that back!” Apple Doom screeched as she sprang at Blacklight Gloom. The two mares began to wrestle.

“Flutterdeath, get those fillies!” Stinky Pie ordered. “I need to grind their bones to make my bread!”

General Flutterdeath stopped midflight. She turned her wrath on General Stinky Pie.

“You know something?” the malevolent yellow Pegasus hissed. “I am sick and tired of taking orders from you, you chaotic pink lump of half-baked dough! We are peers on paper, but in reality, I am your superior, and from now on, you will take orders from me.”

“Like fun I will!” Stinky Pie countered. “Do you think you can take me on, you snake-voiced, donkey-faced, bat-winged bumbler? If it wasn’t for me, you’d have been grounded long ago! You’d rather sit around pulling legs off ants and wings off birds than fight a real fight.”

“Since when have you ever fought a real fight?” Flutterdeath demanded. “You’d rather stand around baking inedible baked goods—or should I say baked bads—than fight a real fight!”

“I’m ten times the fighter you’ll ever be!” Stinky Pie protested. “And everyone loves my cooking!”

“I have to admit, your cooking could kill an entire army,” chuckled Flutterdeath. “We could also fling your unpalatable baked goods at them to stop them in their tracks.”

“I have had just about enough of you!” Stinky Pie shrieked.

“Then bring it on!” Flutterdeath roared.

The yellow Pegasus and the pink Earth pony wrestled furiously.

Gilda saw her opportunity. She grabbed a strand of the rain cloud with her talons. She flew around the cloud rapidly, wrapping it in the strand.

“Harmony, open up!” she called.

Gilda squeezed the fresh rain water from the cloud. Harmony opened his mouth to catch the refreshing drops.

At that moment, Princess Nightmare Moon appeared.

“You fools! Stop fighting amongst yourselves and being distracted by these nobodies!” she shrilled. “While you engage in this meaningless roughhousing, the true threat to our power has been released from his bonds. If we don’t stop him, it’s all over!”

Princess Nightmare Moon hurried to stop Harmony from drinking the rain water. She was bowled over by the full force of Gilda slamming down on her from the sky.

“No! Let me go!” the dark Pegasus bellowed as Gilda pinned her to the ground.

Harmony rose up on his hind legs. He shone with a glorious light.

“Celestia, come forth from your exile!” he commanded.

Big Mac’s Parting Words

The humbled generals and Nightmare Moon stood in shackles before the returned Princess Celestia and her allies.

“Ladies, I’m usually a stallion of few words,” Big Mac said. “But I’m hopin’ that the words I say might reach your hearts. You see, in the world where I come from, there are doubles of all of you, but these doubles are good and kind. Where you all are the Generals of Discord, they’re the protectors of the Elements of Harmony.”

“I don’t believe it!” snapped General Stinky Pie.

“Yeah. Elements of Harmony indeed,” sneered Rainbow Slash. “Who ever heard of anything so silly?”

“Or so namby-pamby and weak!” said General Scarity.

“Wishy-washy goody horseshoes,” hissed General Flutterdeath. “I’d destroy them in a flash, and eat their hearts!”

“Ooh! I’d cook their hearts first!” enthused General Stinky Pie.

“With all due respect, Generals, y’all are wrong about the Elements of Harmony bein’ weak,” said Big Mac. “The goodness and loyalty of their guardians gives them strength. The lot of you lost the battle today ‘cause your fighting among each other weakened your cause. Now, maybe I’m more naïve than some of you sophisticated types, but I believe that all of you have goodness in you. I don’t know what made it go away, but I believe it can come back, and when it does, you’ll be able to live good and happy lives.”

“Never,” snorted Blacklight Gloom.

“Hey!” said Apple Doom. “If you’re the counter-whatsit of my brother, I’m just wondering, what’s my twin like?”

“My sis is the best ole gal in all of Equestria,” Big Mac said with a smile. “She’s got kind of a sharp tongue sometimes, but she means well. The thing that makes her happiest out of anything in the world is seein’ other ponies happy.”

“Well, that certainly doesn’t sound like Apple Doom,” sneered Scarity.

“No, but it does sound like my sister Apple Jack,” said Big Mac. “And your counterpart, Rarity, is a kind and gentle mare who is very beautiful and stylish. She’d do anything to help a friend.”

“Well, we do have the beautiful and stylish part in common,” Scarity said.

“General Stinky Pie, your counterpart just loves making other folks happy with her parties and good cookin’,” Big Mac said.

“Good cookin’? She can’t be no counterpart of Stinky Pie!” Rainbow Slash guffawed. “Hey, what about me? Is my counterpart the fastest in the land, like me?”

“Fast and daring, and never hesitates to help those in need,” said Big Mac. “Rainbow Dash is the best. General Flutterdeath, your counterpart likes animals too, but she likes to help ‘em, not string ‘em on necklaces. And you, Princess Blacklight Gloom…”

“Just shut your nickering mouth!” Blacklight Gloom snapped. “What do I care what some goody goody counterpart of mine from another dimension is like?”

“Maybe you don’t, but I think down inside maybe you do,” Big Mac said. “Your counterpart is Twilight Sparkle. Her element is magic, and that’s the element that holds all the others together. Just like you, she’s a very special pony.”

Although the jaw of Blacklight Gloom was set in an attitude of defiance, there was a look of sadness in her eyes.

“I think maybe I remember something,” Blacklight Gloom said. “But it was a long time ago.”

“Don’t tell me you’re falling for this disgusting sweetness and light garbage!” Rainbow Slash snapped. “You always were the weakest among us, Blacklight, even though you were Nightmare Moon’s special favorite.”

“Big Mac, come on,” Trixie said. “The gateway back to your dimension is open, but it won’t be for much longer. We have to hurry.”

Return to Equestria

Gilda, Harmony, Trixie, Dirt Clod and Wooden Spork led Big Mac through the Neverfree Forest, back to the stables near the abandoned palace. Big Mac saw the shimmering gateway of light that he had been drawn through from his own dimension.

“Thank you for helping us,” Harmony said.

“Heck, it’s no problem,” said Big Mac. “Thank you for helpin’ me get back home. Y’all are wonderful. I just want to say one thing before I go. Dirt Clod, that ain’t a very good name for a special pony like you. I’d like to think of you as Diamond in the Rough.”

“I think I like that,” the young mare said. “It sure was nice to meet you, Big Mac. We’ll never forget you.”

Big Mac looked back one last time on the friends he’d made in the strange alternate dimension. He then stepped through the portal.

“Woahhhhhhh!” Big Mac cried as the swirling energies spun him all about.

Big Mac lost consciousness momentarily. When he came to, he was outside the stables at Celestia and Luna’s abandoned palace. He heard hoof beats and a moment later saw Apple Jack and her friends, and Apple Bloom and the Cutie Mark Crusaders approaching with Zecora.

“Big Mac, are you all right?” Apple Jack asked.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said.

“You ain’t hurt anywhere?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Nope,” Big Mac said.

“He took quite a spin in the big whirlwind,” Zecora said as she examined Big Mac. “But it turned him loose without a bruise.”

“How long was I gone?” Big Mac asked.

“Heck, I don’t know for sure, Sugar Cube,” Apple Jack said. “I went back to check on Apple Bloom. When we saw the whirlwind whip up, I got worried and came to find you just in case.”

“I came along in case Apple Jack needed help,” Apple Bloom said. “We met the other Cutie Mark Crusaders on the way, and they agreed to help us.”

“Then we met up Twilight and Spike, who were on their way to see if Fluttershy was all right,” Apple Jack said.

“I was on my way to see if Pinkie Pie was okay,” said Fluttershy. “I found her going to check on Rarity.”

“Before that whirlwind came, my tail was twitch-a-twitching like crazy!” said Pinkie Pie.

“Rarity and Rainbow Dash were on their way to check on Twilight Sparkle and Spike,” said Fluttershy. “So we decided to head into the Everfree Forest. We found Zecora. She had seen the whirlwind too, and she agreed to help us look for you.”

“I’m so glad you’re okay, Big Brother,” said Apple Bloom. “All of this is my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on staying home alone, you and Apple Jack would have gotten started sooner, and you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

“Heck, Sis, it ain’t nobody’s fault,” Big Mac said. “Anyway, that whirlwind wasn’t just any old whirlwind. It was a magic whirlwind that took me into another dimension.”

“Another dimension?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Well, yup. See, everybody that’s good here was bad there, and everybody that’s not so nice here was good there. So Trixie the Kind and Humble cast a spell to find a champion to help her and her friends free Harmony the Chimera, so he could free Princess Celestia from exile and end the eternal night created by Nightmare Moon.”

“Trixie the Kind and Humble, huh?” Apple Jack chuckled. “So, who were her friends?”

“Well, there was Gilda the Good Griffin,” said Big Mac. “She squeezed the fresh rain water out of the cloud so Harmony could regain his strength and summon Celestia.”

“Gilda the Good Griffin, eh?” chortled Rainbow Dash. “That’s rich! So who else was in your dream, Big Mac?”

“Well, you were all there,” said Big Mac. “Only it wasn’t a dream, and you-all weren’t you. You were bad versions of yourselves. You were the Generals of Disharmony. Apple Jack, you were General Apple Doom. Apple Bloom, you were Poison Apple, and Poison Apple and the other Meanie Mark Crusaders liked torturing anypony who didn’t obey the rules.”

“Maybe he did hit his head. I think he should be home in bed,” said Zecora.

“Zecora, you were Zegorra,” Big Mac said. “And Pinkie Pie, you were General Stinky Pie, and you liked to grind critters’ bones to make your bread.”

“Ew!” said Pinkie Pie.

“Big Mac, that’s enough!” said Apple Jack. “Your imagination’s done gone and run wild, and you need to rein it in!”

“But it ain’t my imagination, Sis,” Big Mac protested.

“Well, Dr. Hooves says that there are alternate dimensions,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Anyway, I’m kind of enjoying this story. So tell me, Big Mac, what was I like in this other dimension?”

“Well, your counterpart was General Blacklight Gloom,” said Big Mac. “Your assistant was Spike the Impaler, and everyone was really scared of both of you. Rarity was General Scarity. She got in a big fight with General Rainbow Slash after Trixie’s lightning bolt hit Rainbow Slash instead of the cloud. That’s what gave Gilda the Good Griffin a chance to squeeze the water from the cloud so Harmony could drink it and regain his strength.”

“What about me, Big Mac?” Fluttershy asked.

“Fluttershy, I really don’t think you want to know,” said Big Mac.

“Oh, but I do! I’m really curious. What was the other me like?”

“She was nothing like you. She had fangs and a voice like a snake. But she did like animals.”

“Well then, she was like me,” Fluttershy said.

“I didn’t finish. She liked to make them into necklaces.”

“So what happened?” Scootaloo asked. “How did you get out of this scary dimension?”

“Yeah, Big Mac. How did you?” Sweetie Belle inquired.

“Well, when Harmony drank the fresh rain water, his strength returned, and while the Generals of Disharmony were fighting with each other, he summoned Celestia.

“So then the other world went back to being good?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I think so. I don’t know about the Generals of Disharmony, but I told them about all of you. I think maybe what I said kind of sank in. Hey Apple Jack, what are we gonna do about them pies?”

“Don’t worry about that tonight, Big Brother,” Apple Jack said. “Let’s sleep on it tonight. We can worry about getting them delivered tomorrow.”

“Long as I don’t go through no more vortexes, that sounds like a real good plan,” Big Mac said.

“Twilight, do you think he really went into some kind of other dimension?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Or is he just telling tall tales to entertain the kids?”

“I don’t know, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight Sparkle said. “A lot of things are possible. Dr. Hooves says that there are worlds where they don’t believe magic is possible. But we know better, don’t we?”

“We sure do,” Rainbow Dash said.

“So which world do you like better, Big Mac?” Apple Bloom asked. “You were a hero in that world! That must have been really cool!”

“It felt kinda nice,” Big Mac agreed. “But I like this world a lot better, Little Sis. Kindness holds things together a lot better than meanness. Say, did I tell you about my two helpful friends, Diamond in the Rough and Wooden Spork?”

“No. Tell us! They sound really great!” said Scootaloo.

“You look puzzled, Apple Jack,” Rarity said.

“Well, Rarity, I’m trying to figure out if my brother’s pulling our legs, if he got knocked on the head and had a crazy dream that he really believes happened, if he’s just making up this tall tale for the kids, or if he really did help save another dimension where we were all evil,” Apple Jack said.

“Does it really make any difference?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Big Mac is okay! That’s the only thing that matters. I think that calls for a party, don’t you?”

“Pinkie, I couldn’t agree more!” Apple Jack said. “You’re the best party-throwin’ pony I know. Soon as we get home, let’s get to work on it.”

“Okeydokey!” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully. “Come on, everybody, we’ve got a party to plan!”

“I’m so glad the storm has passed, and everyone is safe at last,” said Zecora.

“I’m glad that Fluttershy doesn’t wear birds for necklaces and Pinkie Pie doesn’t grind ponies’ bones to make her bread,” said Scootaloo.

Bad Apples

In the farmhouse kitchen at Bad Apple Acres, Pinkie Pie’s counterpart was cooking delicious-smelling baked goods. Big Mac’s mouth watered. He hoped that at some point he would be able to sneak in and steal a morsel or two.

Big Mac ducked around the back wall of the farmhouse when he saw the evil-looking duplicate of his grandmother approaching. Her eyes blazed with a malevolent red light, and he could swear that she had fangs. She was wearing a spiked leather saddle with what appeared to be a mace strapped to it.

“Well, Stinky Pie,” Big Mac heard his grandmother’s counterpart say as the door slammed. “You’ve really outdone yourself this morning. I can’t wait to taste these concoctions of yours. Your little cooking hobby is certainly a pleasant one.”

“Thanks, Granny Grim, I’m glad you approve,” Stinky Pie chuckled wickedly. “Of course you never know who I may bake into one of my pies!”

“I know that they deserve it!” Granny Grim laughed. “Have you decided which of the six sub-monarchies you’d like to rule over?”

“I don’t care, so long as there’s stuff I can cook,” Stinky Pie said. “Of course Rainbow Slash will want to rule the sky realm. I imagine that Flutterdeath will take the forest. Scarity will want someplace with plenty of gems, so I imagine she’ll wish to rule the underworld with its imines. Say, Granny Grim, do you remember that time the blackbirds decided to start an uprising?”

“You sure taught them a lesson,” Granny Grim laughed.

“That’s right. I baked four and twenty of them in a pie. The blackbirds have behaved themselves ever since.”

A malevolent-looking version of Fluttershy flitted through the door. Big Mac was horrified to see that she was wearing a necklace made of dead birds.

“I’ll rule over the forests, Ladies,” Flutterdeath hissed in a voice like a snake. “You know how those woodland creatures fear me.”

“There’s certainly none better for the job,” said someone with a deep voice.

Big Mac saw his counterpart entering the kitchen.

“Good to see ya, Bad Mac,” said General Apple Doom. “Join me for a slice of this egg and eyeball pie that Stinky Pie made for breakfast. Where are the Meanie Mark Crusaders?”

“Well, them wicked little fillies had a couple of dissenters to make an example of,” Bad Mac snickered.

“Goodie! More filling for my pies!” Stinky Pie cheered.

Out of the corner of his eye, Big Mac saw two small figures sneaking away from the group of slaves being forced to plow the fields and tend to the apple trees. He decided to see what they were up to.

“Maybe I can find some hay to eat before I starve to death!” he thought to himself.

Gilda the Good

“So how are we going to free Harmony from the Chains of Eternal Torture?” Big Mac asked. “Are you fillies magicians?”

“No, but the Kind and Modest Trixie is,” said Wooden Spork.

“Okay. Well, where do we find the Kind and Modest Trixie?”

“She finds us,” said Dirt Clod. “Nobody can betray her location because nobody knows where she is. But she is the most magical pony ever, and she will be where she needs to be when we need her. We just have to trust.”

“It don’t seem like we have much choice,” said Big Mac. “So, is Harmony in the dungeon of the palace?”

“No, he’s in the courtyard, so everypony can see him. Nightmare Moon made an example of him so others would know not to rebel,” said Wooden Spork.

As the trio approached Nightmare City, they were approached by a griffin.

“Oh good, you’ve managed to escape,” the griffin said. “When we heard about Goodhorse and Braeburn, we feared the worst. But wait—what are you doing with Bad Mac? Okay, you! Put ‘em up! I’m ready to fight to the death!”

“Calm down, Gilda,” said Dirt Clod. “This isn’t Bad Mac. This is Big Macintosh. He’s Bad Mac’s counterpart from an alternate universe. He wants to help us. In return, he hopes that Harmony can help him get back home. Big Mac, this is Gilda the Good. She’s a friend of ours.”

“And the sworn enemy of Rainbow Slash and the other Generals of Disharmony,” said Gilda. “Rainbow Slash eliminated most of my kind during the last raid on Cloud City. Since then, the Kind and Modest Trixie and I have been working together, waiting until the time is right to attempt to free Harmony. Come, let us meet the Kind and Modest Trixie at the entrance to the Morbid Mine. She will lead us through the tunnels into the courtyard.”

Harmony

“Guards, you’re excused!” Big Mac said authoritatively. “My team and I have some classified work to do here.”

The guards left. Big Mac stared in awe at the doppelganger of Discord, who was chained in the middle of the courtyard. Every now and then sparks of magic electricity passed into the body of the chimera, who writhed in pain.

“That’s horrible,” Big Mac said. “Can you set him free now?”

“Leave it to me,” Trixie said.

Trixie waved her wand. Bolts of energy struck the locks on the shackles holding Harmony in place. The shackles fell away. The chimera was free.

“Come on, Harmony, the Hour of Sunrise is almost upon us!” Trixie declared. “We need your energies to cast the spell to free Celestia and bring balance back to Equestria at last!”

“I only hope I have the strength,” Harmony sighed.

“You do,” Big Mac said. “I know you do. These mares—and this griffin—have spoke so highly of you. I know you can do what needs to be done. I believe in you!”

“Thank you, kind sir,” the exhausted chimera said. “If only I could have a drink of good clear water, I know I’d be fine. The water here is so murky and brackish. Nightmare Moon only allows her commanding officers to have clear water.”

“I’ll go wring some rain water from that cloud above,” Gilda said.

“Hurry,” said Trixie. “The Hour of The Shadowed Sun occurs in just ten minutes. Don’t let anyone see you, Gilda.”

“This cloak will hide me,” Gilda said. “I’ll be back in a flash.”

The Return of Celestia

For the first time in a thousand years, bright light shone in the skies of the alternate Equestria. Princess Nightmare Moon recoiled, hiding her face from the light with her wings. The wicked Generals of Disharmony slunk into the shadows. Bad Mac dropped to the ground, trembling in fear.

The citizens of Nightmare City bowed down to Celestia.

“Take them to the holding cells while I figure out what we should do with them,” Celestia ordered, indicating Nightmare Moon and the Generals of Disharmony. She then turned to her rescuers.

“Thank you all for freeing me,” she said. “There is evidently much work to do in order to rebuild.”

“Begging your pardon, Your Highness,” Big Mac said. “In the world that I come from, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna live in harmony. ‘Course I don’t know if that can work here, seeing that everyone who is good in my world is bad here, and everyone who’s not so nice is helpful. Maybe Nightmare Moon can be changed back into Princess Luna, if she ever even was Princess Luna here.”

“Big Macintosh is the counterpart of our Bad Macintosh,” Trixie said. “He’s from another dimension. I’m afraid it was my fault that he was brought here. I did a spell to bring us a champion. The spell worked, but I don’t want him to be trapped here on account of me. Your Highness, is there any way we can send him home?”

“There is a chance,” Harmony said. “We must go back to the place where he came through into this world. If we can reopen the portal, we can send him back through.”

“Thank you, Sir, I’d like that very much,” Big Mac said. “I reckon my pie wagon probably didn’t survive the whirlwind, and I’m gonna have a heck of a time explainin’ this to my granny and my sis, but much as I’ve taken a shine to you folks, I’d really like to go home. I was wondering, would it be possible to speak to the prisoners before I leave?”

“Well, certainly,” Celestia said, looking puzzled. “I’m not sure why you’d want to, but after all you’ve done for us, of course I’ll grant your request. Guards, bring the prisoners to the throne room.”