Game Over

You've got a new level!

With an ease born from experience, Applejack quickly tapped the panel. Enjoying how her body slowly grew stronger as the rush of magic was devoured by her anatomy.

Many things had happened since she rebooted the universe. One of them was that this world wasn't at all like her original one. Thanks to the tutorial, she had found that her dimension had been modified to fit what Discord called a video-game. She didn't had an inkling of an idea of what one of those was, but as she grew up on this new world. She found that it was vastly different from her original world.

For example, this world had levels. In her original world you had to work your plot off to gain muscles and power. But here, you gained experience and many other things by just increasing your level, which simplified many things, but also complicated many others.

House chores actually became quite fun to do, when you did them in a matter of seconds thanks to the mechanics of the game. They also benefited you with experience, and some talents, which she had exploited beautifully until she couldn't level them anymore. Part of her thought of it as dishonest, but that part was quickly disappearing with the passing of time, as she understood that on this world, she wasn't doing anything wrong.

Sadly, that's only one of the few things that she found quite entertained and fun on this new world. For example, she found that she also had to literally work to increase something called Social Links, which determined how closer she was to someone.

It hurt a lot to have to literally work to gain the love of your parents. Who to her surprise hasn't perished yet in this world, which was good. But the more she spend time with them, the more she understood that it wasn't that different than her old world. As you really had to spend time and invest in your friendship to get closer to them, the more you leveled the Social Link, the closer you were to that pony.

Applejack had also noticed that if you weren't careful, you might end in love with someone if your Social Link went pass the 5 rank. Which tended to complicate things a lot in that department once you went by that point with someone, as she discovered with Rarity on the school, once their Social link went pass 7. And the mare had developed some doubts of her own sexuality as she developed a kind of crush on her that thankfully, came to pass. Reinforcing their friendship in the process to be at an healthy 8.

Another thing that wasn't entirely fun at all, was that this universe was full of monsters. Literally, many normal animals had mutated and become quite aggressive toward ponies. Such encounters caused a few series of changes to appear on their society, the most important of them was that you had to actually fight to live on this world. Her family had to actually defeat monsters daily to survive and protect their farm, as they lived near the forest. Which was infested with monsters and creatures that routinely fought against them for many reasons that she wasn't really interested to know.

“Hooey! good job Applejack. That's the last spider...” Added Big McIntosh, who was beside her as part of her farm party, an shield was firmly put on his back, unneeded this time. She quickly smiled at him, noticing that she was now only ten levels under him, as above his head floated an impressive 35.

“Be careful Big Mac, that level is looking flimsy now.”

He chuckled, and the both of them walked toward the loot, quickly recovering the items and the coins that the beasts had left behind. The Palomino scowled, as she noticed that this time the most valuable object on the pile were the coins.

“Those spiders are becoming quite useless on our campaigns. There are too many of them on this orchard, with little reward for our efforts.” With a quick use of her menu, she quickly added the sum and objects to her inventory, satisfied that she had touched the half million. Which meant that she now could buy better equipment at the town.

She looked at the big lug (Or at least, the one who would become one, as he was still quite small), who was now examining the trees carefully, trying to see how much damage the critters caused on this attack. Quickly using some key objects to cure the most damaged of them into an healthy condition, their bar now on the green instead of the flashing yellow. He guard was held low, confident that they were safe at the moment. Applejack on the other hoof, used that moment to revise her stats. Quickly noticing that she had gained two abilities on that battle.

“Sweet, a regeneration ability, and... observe ability?” Muttered the teenager, slowly adding the abilities to her inventory, and immediately reading what kind of use they had. The first one being quite useful and self explanatory, the second on the other hoof...

An skill to find the target's information. Observe is obtained through continuous observation...

“How is that useful...?” Applejack looked at her panel, then at her brother. And Quickly put the ability to use, as it was obvious that it was an pretty harmless ability, probably useless. “Observe!” She enchanted, looking at the colt's frame that was suddenly enveloped by a lot of information that she wasn't able to see before.

Name: Big McIntosh Apple/Wine.

“What the hay!?”

Race: Earth Pony
Age: 16 (Sixteen).
When he was barely two months old, an accident left him orphaned and alone, his godmother, Tangerine Apple, Nee Orange, quickly took him under her care, believing that she was unable to conceive after years of trying. Renamed as Big McIntosh by Jack Apple as he was adopted into the Apple family. His coat, despite its color, has more to do with his old family, the Wine's. Destined to be the heir of the family, until two years later when Tangerine found that she was pregnant, despite the new arrival of a new heir, they still raised him to be their son despite his origins. With hard work, he had become an exemplary and proud member of the Apple's large family.

Applejack couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing, especially as she noticed that her panel had lowered itself as her brother had finally initiated a chat with her, to caught her attention.

“So you learned the truth, Jackie?” Asked the colt, his eyes holding a fragment of doubt, mixed with anxiety... “I hope that it doesn't change things between us?”

Was this part of this new universe? Yeah, she had her doubts about McIntosh in the past on her world, especially when she was a filly on heat and she didn't felt physically repulsed toward him as she was supposed to be when the estrus made its appearance. But with time she had learned to ignore it, and toss it aside, until it hadn't bothered her anymore as it used to. Was the original Mac adopted too? He certainly was unique on their large family. Being the only one with a coat that wasn't a shade of green, gold or yellow which was the norm, not the exception on her family, as only he and few others shared the red coat, brownish red in the case of the other exception. Who she actually knew was an adopted colt.

She closed her eyes, feeling a little dizzy at such a discovering... How was she so blind? And also, why? Why would they hide something like that from her? Why the need to lie? Then it hit her, did it matter? Did she loved him less just because they didn't share any blood between them? The answer was a firm no, with or without it, he was something quite precious to her. Her dear big brother, though, this discovery did have some deep implications that merited some thought.

“No, it doesn't change a thing, Big Mac...”

You feel your relationship with Big McIntosh grown yet deeper...
Your Social Link with Big McIntosh is now Rank 7.
Your level has increased by two.
Big McIntosh level has increased by one.

Applejack smiled at him, her cheeks burning at the feeling of the link increasing its rank between them. She had been quite close to her brother in the original world, but not like this. Though, deep inside of her, she knew that part of this closeness was simply because of the social link own magic.

“Let's go, Big Mac... there's still work to do...”

The both of them trotted toward the east field, as they saw on their map that a bunch of monsters were consuming their trees, literally, as they saw the dots that marked them disappear with each new minute.

“So the final horde appears? What do you think they would be this time, Mac?” Asked Applejack, as an lasso was firmly put on her waist. Ready to be used in a few seconds. At her side, the small frame of McIntosh suddenly stopped, as both of them saw the huge horde of Fire Beetles consume the orchard with ease.

“I believe that this might be a little harder than the rest, Applejack. Stay at my side and don't let them separate us. They're five levels about you, so if they gang on you. You're a goner then I'll be one too...” He quickly activated the shield on his back, which suddenly divided itself in pieces of metal that enveloped its body, covering each inch on a tick and powerful armor.

“Got it, don't forget that the armor consumes your magic. And the bottles to replenish it are quite expensive, so don't consume them too fast.” Said Applejack, as they ran toward the distracted beetles, McIntosh ramming its frame upon them and dealing a huge deal of damage on their health bars.

Using her lasso, she quickly captured the more sturdy of them, enveloping him with her magical lasso with ease, paralyzing the creature on the spot.

“Now, the fun part, UP!” with ease, she raised the Beetle, and soon used it as a hammer against it's brethren, their chitins cracking and breaking with each impact, until she reached the minute. And her Lasso deactivated and returned to her hip, leaving and horde of dizzy insects that she soon pounced upon, bucking, kicking and hitting as hard as her metal protected hooves let her.

In a matter of minutes, the whole horde was eradicated. Leaving two partially exhausted ponies behind, who quickly consumed health and magical potions, restoring their energy bars as the fight was far from over. As the second wave appeared, this time instead of orange chitins, they all were brown. Meaning that they were Earth Beetles with some endurance to physical damage.

Applejack prepared to use her lasso, hoping that it would work a second time, when she was suddenly enveloped by a magic miasma, that told her that Big Mac had activated the special ability of his armor. Increasing her stats.

“Thanks Big Mac!”

She ran toward the insects, ramming her front hooves on them as fast and brutally as she could, knowing that the empowering feeling would soon come to pass. So she killed as much of them as she could until, to her horror, her hoof's protectors finally cracked and fell on to the orchard ground. Her defense and attack decreasing dramatically with that.

“Horse feathers! MAC!” She screamed, as she used her lasso special ability to create a defensive dome around her. As she was quite too weak without equipment to fight against this beasts. Soon, to her relief, the locomotive that was McIntosh rammed itself into the awaiting beetles, killing the beasts in a matter of seconds, at the cost of his armor. As it deactivated and transformed into an shield. That he quickly grasped with his front hooves, as he pushed and rammed the heavy thing against the insects.

Meanwhile, Applejack closed her inventory, her emergency equipment now equipped. As the lasso returned to her hip. She ran to her partner side, knowing that both of them were dangerously low on magic.

She ran and fought at his side, bucking the creatures, topping them upside down. Leaving the delicate bellies exposed to be hit with the shield. It was a much more brutal method, as it splashed them with Beetle junk all over, which decreased the efficiency of their armor and weapons. But thankfully, it was enough for them to finish the final wave of the day.

Applejack panted as she sat on the field. Gasping desperately for air as she surmised the earnings of such an intense battle.

You reached a new plateau , congratulations...
Your current level is 31...

She smiled in satisfaction at reaching such a level, as it enabled her to use a similar armor than that of her brother. She soon noticed too that she had now a huge amount of bits on her account, which meant that she might even have enough to not only buy said armor, but actually also buy some potions.

“By Celestia, that was a hard battle, those things chitins managed to destroy my equipment!” Said Applejack, as she smiled in the direction of the red colt, who smiled at her and continued to collect the spoils, on his head the number 39 was visible... apparently his increase hasn't been as huge as her own, but that was understandable, as apparently leveling would become harder to attain from this point on.

“Pa can kill those waves with a movement of his hoof, Applejack.” Added McIntosh, as he slowly recollected the last item, and began to walk toward her, a smile on his muzzle.

“So can Ma...” She answered, smiling back. Both adults were actually so high that none of them could see their levels, only three question marks. She looked the frame of McIntosh, huge compared to her own. He was an handsome colt, despite the gore and bits that covered his body and mane.

“I admit that it's time to re-spawn this field... the trees are way too damaged to collect anything.” Said McIntosh as he finally reached her, nuzzling her playfully as he offered her some of his magic so she could recover faster, which she was grateful for.

“Yeah, Pa's not gonna be happy with that. But then, he should have helped us if he wanted a perfect job.” She raised onto her hooves, enjoying the feeling of Mac's magic rushing through her body. Easing the pain, and the aches. “But then, he still has the most hardest missions on the farm...” It was scary to know that some missions usually required both of her parents to deal with, and even with their forces united, sometimes they constantly came back badly hurt and in huge need of potions.

As Applejack walked back to the farm, she thought deeply of what was to come. Her mother was due to gave birth in a few months. Which meant that the tragedy could repeat itself. Increasing the harshness of their life to an amount that she wasn't really sure if she or Mac could take care of.

It was why they had insisted on increasing their levels as fast as possible, knowing that soon their mother would be unable to assist them on the farm due to her pregnancy. Granny's Smith was then left with the duty of protecting their house, as it couldn't be left unattended, or it would be destroyed or invaded by beasts.

When they reached the barn, both of them quickly ran toward the cleaning room, desperate to take off the gore that made them feel so down, as it affected their status.

They entered the shower, a huge room that quickly bathed them with water and other substances that took away their ailment status and also the gore. Leaving them as clean as new. It was funny how something so private as a shower on her original world, was something so different on this one.

Applejack walked toward their discarded equipment, seeing that some of it was damaged beyond repair due to the amount of damage that it had received. Her hoof's protectors among the most damaged of all.

“Horse Apples, it seems that now a visit to the town is inevitable. I guess that we could visit the armory once the school is done?” Asked the mare as she noticed her brother looking at his shield critically, perusing the damage carefully.

“Yeah, my armor received some nasty gashes. It needs some maintenance, and maybe an upgrade...” Added McIntosh, as he sighed and stored the shield on his inventory. Then looked at her, his golden locks sinfully attached to his skin, making him look quite...

The palomino frowned, recognizing immediately the feeling that now coursed through her body.

That explains why I've been ogling him... I reached my first Estrus... it would also explain why he was so touchy after the battle, he seems as affected by the pheromones as the original one...

“Well brother... I... well, you see. I need to see Ma... I'll... see you later!” She hadn't wasted any second on that spot, knowing that if she stayed there with the rank of their social link, and her actual condition, things might become quite too intense for her tastes.

Thankfully, her travel toward the house wasn't that long, so she reached the house quickly, opening the door and barging inside at top speed, as she needed to speak with her Ma as quick as possible.

“What have I told you about running on the house, young filly?” Said Tangerine Apple, followed closely by an scowling Granny's smith.

“Ma, quick, hide me! I've reached estrus!” Added Applejack, as she really tried to hide herself from that point on. Too afraid of what will happen now that she knew that McIntosh wasn't exactly her kin by blood.

“Oh dear...”

“Ah told ya that just because ya raised them together, wouldn't meant that once she reached estrus she wouldn't notice him. It's nature... ya can't cheat it, at least not that easily...” Said Granny Smith, as she walked toward Applejack, and slowly directed the filly to a comfortable chair, so they could talk easily.

Tangerine followed them, fear on her eyes of how Applejack would receive the news, when to her surprise the palomino added:

“I've... I've reached a level high enough to learn the Observe Skill, I know that Mac's not my brother by blood. It doesn't matter to me, I love him already as my big brother... but...” Added the Palomino, as she tried to explain to them what had happened to her, and how she felt.

The first time this happened, she was too ashamed to ask Granny's Smith about it. She had heard the townsfolk speak about it, and how wrong it was. Which had ignited her stubbornness to such an level to ignore just how delicious Mac used to smell when the estrus came. Both of them had learned to evade the other on that time, knowing that it wasn't a good idea to be together for long in such an state. Deep inside of her, she always believed that Mac had been also as attracted to her at some points. Thankfully, the Cherilee incident created an opportunity for him to know another mare. Sadly, she also knew that he had deep doubts about the teacher mare, especially as he didn't knew if the attraction that he felt toward her was natural or a remnant of the love poison, as he knew that he wasn't attracted to her before that event.

In that world, years of seeing him as a brother suddenly disappeared with a single sniff of his aroma when she was on heat. Which normally, forced her to hide herself on her bedroom, masturbating savagely while thinking things that she later did her best effort to ignore and forget.

With a sigh, Tangerine and Granny's looked at each another. Then at the palomino.

“Honey, it's complicated... you see. Naturally on estrus, we find the aroma of a sibling quite a turn off, it's a magical defense to prevent incest. It's why it's safer to stay with the family when such a thing happens. Our pheromones usually help us retain some control over the urges... but...” Tangerine gulped, not sure of how the filly would take the news...

To her relief, Granny continued:

“The problem is that, while emotionally Mac's your brother... physically he isn't. So his pheromones attract ya, and yours attract him. This doesn't mean that just because the both of ya find attractive the other, ya should be rutting like savages...”

“Mom!”

“There's no need to sugar coat it, Tangerine. She's reached her estrus, so we will treat her as the grown mare that she's now. Just because she's still a runt, doesn't meant that she isn't a mare.”

With a sigh, Tangerine nodded, before looking at the palomino and saying:

“I've love Mac like a son, darling. But even I'm affected by his aroma at this stage, even your Pa. Which is why you need to make a choice...”

This, actually was quite familiar to Applejack, as she understood what her mother was telling her, on the original world, she decided to ignore it. Using her natural stubbornness to grown almost accustomed to it. The aroma affected her, but not enough to make her lose her mind, though, it had taken her almost three years to reach such an mental state. Mostly because the time she spend at Fillydelphia set back her schedule.

“Or you could let nature decide...”

Blushing madly, Applejack looked at her mother with surprise at what she had heard. Granny's Smith hasn't said that to her the first time. Actually, she had reinforced her resolve to ignore it. To her relief, the old mare quickly explained:

“Do not mistake this, young filly. Just because we're offering ya the choice, it doesn't meant that we would let ya on your own. A pregnant mare on this house is enough... so if ya choose to embrace it, ya and Mac will be betrothed. As it would solve easily the problem of who's going to inherit the farm in the future. But this is only possible because your Ma and Pa are here to help me with the farm and the finances. Without them, Celestia forbid it, that option wouldn't be available. As I'm too old to be chasing ya two, also, if ya chose to ignore it, there are some herbs that might help you.”

After hearing Granny, Applejack couldn't stop from gaping at her grandmother. Now knowing why the old mare had insisted on adding some funny tasting herbs to her food the first months. It was a deceitful thing to do, but a necessary one, as she now understood that Granny couldn't supervise 24/7 the two of them. Applejack closed her eyes, and thought deeply of how much it would have complicated her life if she had a daughter at such an age, and with their conditions. And found that yes, Granny did the right thing when she helped her to ignore her natural urges.

She still didn't understand how the old mare managed to get over losing her loved ones, and the responsibility of raising three young equines, and survive. Now though, there was finally another option for her problems, the kind that she hasn't the courage to speak with her friends on the original world.

It wasn't a secret to anyone that the ambiance on her house was that of a married couple, she and Mac raised Applebloom as if she was their filly. With her filling the role of the mother, and McIntosh that of the father. Yes, they never told her to call them nothing but her brothers, but the feeling was there.

“I... I wouldn't mind, I mean... to be with him. I already like him...” And the fact that now that she knew that he wasn't her blood brother, had seemed to increase the attraction toward his aroma. Making it more powerful than it should be.

Tangerine sighed, then hugged her child, her hoof massaging the long hair of the Palomino.

“If you're sure. Then I don't see a problem. Though, we need to go to the town and clarify things with at the town hall... also, I need to buy some contraceptives. I know you, Applejack. I can see you already scheming on your head, don't deny it young lady.”

Granny just laughed, also saying:

“I wonder where did she get that, hum? My son could testify how intense could a filly be when she put her eyes on an Apple...”

Clearing her throat, and trying to ignore the blushing of the mares in front of her as they obviously reminded a lot of things that she wasn't too keen to find that much details of. Applejack quickly told them:

“I need to go to the town, it's school day. And Mac and I need to go to the Weapon Store to update and buy new equipment...”

Nodding, Tangerine looked at her daughter and said:

“Then I'm coming for you two after school. We will go and register you two, and after that, as a gift I will pay your new equipment... how does that sound?”