Author's Note
This is a sort of double AU in the sense that Twilight is in an alternate universe but it's also sort of an alternate universe because she explores the timeline here when she doesn't in the actual episode.
One
The pegasus skimmed the oily surface of the ocean. Behind her, the robotic team of sky clearers released clouds of thick, black smoke. They had sucked up the natural clouds in the sky (which there were very few of) and converted them into smoke. Rainbow Dash was happy after a successful day of work. Her artificial respiratory system had allowed her to survive in the toxic sky. No pegasi dared venture up there anymore unless they had the sufficient modifications made.
The flames from her jet-powered wings danced across the water as she lowered a finger and allowed it to dip beneath the water. All of Equestria's water was filthy and mostly composed of oil. Sighing, she flicked it off as Canterlot came into view and so did the castle.
When she was five, her father had told her about a pony named Celestia who controlled the sun and moon because her sister didn't want to raise the moon anymore. She believed it was true for a few years, but the name had disappeared into the pages of legend. There was no day or night in Equestria. The sky was always clouded with smoke making it hard to breathe. Thanks to Rainbow Dash's sky clearing robots, they only made it worse as it never rained. That was probably a good thing, as all the rain that had been forcasted for years was mostly acid.
She raised into the air so she could get a better look at the capital. Her robotic crew closely followed her. Her telescopic eye scanned Canterlot for the landing pad, and when it was found she set a direct course for it. She nosedived, the sky clearers forming a line and diving in turn.
Her hooves gently hit the concrete ground and the robots stopped buzzing. She lifted the flight goggles from her eyes and brushed her mane to either side.
An orange pegasus with the same jet pack wings stood before her.
"Thanks, Rainbow Dash." she said. "It's Soarin on tomorrow, so you can relax."
The sky clearing team known as The Wonderbolts always tried to be fair and take turns.
"Thanks Spitfire. It's always nice to get a day off... just so I can practice my awesome flying!"
Despite the robotic sound of Rainbow Dash's voice, the emotion was all there. Spitfire nodded, smiling at her blue friend. "I'll see you at the end of the week."
Almost immediately, Rainbow Dash fired up her wings and took off, spiraling around in the air. "I've just gotta go and get a new Slice Badge! I lost mine!" she shouted over the roar of the engines. She was headed to Fluttershy's toothpaste factory.
"Twilight... is that Ponyville?" came the voice of a baby dragon named Spike. "It looks like it to me."
His friend, a purple alicorn, stood up weakly. "How many places does Starlight plan to send us to?" she grumbled.
"I don't know, but should we see who made a mess of the place this time? I mean, we haven't got anything better to do."
Twilight got to her hooves and picked up Spike. "Come on Spike, let's get to Ponyville."
Ponyville looked abandoned. In fact, it looked a little bit like the boarded-up Ponyville Sombra wanted to attack in one of the timelines they'd already been in. Sugarcube Corner was just a regular house and Carousel Boutique displayed a sign in the window saying "Sorry, darlings, I've moved to Canterlot!"
"Let's see..." Twilight mused. "We've had Sombra, we've had Queen Chrysalis, we've had Nightmare Moon, we've had Tirek, we've had Discord... who could possibly rule Equestria now?"
Spike wasn't listening. Instead, he was staring at something that resembled a factory right where Sweet Apple Acres should have been. "Maybe we should find out what Applejack's up to? She's been there every time we've had the chance to see her."
"Good idea, Spike!" Twilight told him, walking in the direction of the factory towers.
The carved out apple sign was no longer there. Instead, a sign displaying two carved out apples - an apple missing a slice and the slice in question - hung above the gate. Emblazoned into a metal plate above the barn, which was no longer a barn but a large, unsightly factory building, was the text "WELCOME TO FLIM FLAM FIELDS."
Spike just stared, mouth agape. "How did this even happen?"
"I guess since we weren't friends, nopony was there to help Applejack when her farm was at stake." Twilight replied gravely.
The two entered the building which smelt of fresh apples, and were surprised to see Applejack at what appeared to be a conveyor belt. She looked upset and bored, and did nothing except hammer a red button every few seconds.
"Do ya work here?" she asked them, speaking in a monotone similar to Maud Pie. "'Cause if ya don't, get yerselves outta here."
"Applejack, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm very curious. Who rules Equestria?"
The question sounded ridiculous considering the earth pony had no idea that Twilight was from another realm. Applejack eyed her suspiciously for a few seconds before responding.
"Who owns this farm?"
"Fluttershy? Fluttershy?"
Rainbow Dash's voice rang out through the empty factory. Everypony was on lunch break.
"I need your help with something!"
She opened the metal door labelled "Fluttershy" and peered through it. The light was on, and a yellow pegasus was sat in a chair, writing down notes on a sheet of paper.
"What is it?" she asked, not even turning around.
The rainbow-haired pony rolled her only organic eye. "I just lost my slice badge, and I was wondering if you had any more."
"They're in the back." the yellow pony said, spinning in her chair. She was wearing work overalls with patches sewn on displaying various things. One showed a bottle of toothpaste, one showed the renowned cutie marks - the apple and the slice - and one had the F & F logo, which was the white silhouette of two unicorns facing each other. Her pink mane was dirty and poorly cut, and her skirt was badly frayed.
Rainbow Dash looked puzzled. "Where exactly IS the back, anyway?"
Fluttershy sighed and muttered something under her breath. She got up from the the chair. "Since you're my sort of friend - I talk, I don't trust - I'll take you there."
Rainbow Dash grinned, following the pegasus across the balcony overlooking the assembly line.
"They rule Equestria?" an incredulous Twilight Sparkle asked for the seventh time.
"Yep." Applejack responded, hitting the button again.
"THEY RULE EQUESTRIA?"
"Ah said, yep. In fact, today's the third anniversary of their reign of terror."
"For three whole years?" Twilight gripped her mane and pulled sharply downwards. "Why hasn't Celestia done something about it?"
"Celesti-who?" the earth pony asked. She had stopped pressing the button altogether and empty cups which should have been filled with cider passed her on the conveyor belt. Realising this, she looked back down at her work and motioned towards the door.
"Go on now, yer bein' real distractin'."
"Sorry Applejack." Twilight said, frowning and picking up Spike again. "I guess I'd better get going. Good luck...?"
The princess quickly left, carefully shutting the door before whispering to Spike, "How did Applejack not know about Celestia? Whether she rules or not, why doesn't she seem to exist?"
"Don't ask me all this confusing stuff, Twilight. It just makes me feel less clever." Spike warned her.
"Sorry, I guess I just wish I could ask somepony, although I don't think they'd know either."
"HEY!" came a loud voice that Twilight recognised. "GET OFF OF THE FARM! NO TRESPASSING!"
A pink pony with long, straight hair stepped out from a run-down shed. Her attire resembled Applejack's - her hair was tied back in a ponytail and she wore work overalls which were cut by hand to act as shorts. As well as the cutie mark badges, she had a name badge reading "Pinkamena".
"Sorry!" Twilight flustered. "I was just heading out."
The mare eyed her suspiciously. "You'd better be. Where are you headed to?"
"The... the train station! I'm going to... to Canterlot! My, um, that's where my family are!"
It partially wasn't a lie. Twilight's family back in regular Equestria did live in Canterlot, but she had no idea about Shining Armour or her parents in this world.
"The station's that way." Pinkamena grumbled.
"Thank you." Twilight replied. "Come on, Spike, we're going to Canterlot!"
"Thanks for the badge, Fluttershy. I really appreciate it. I don't wanna look bad in the meeting this evening." Rainbow Dash said, grinning.
"I'll be there." Fluttershy said, just about managing a smile. She didn't smile or display signs of happiness often; she spent most of her day shouting at the factory workers. At the toothpaste factory, only unicorns were employed due to their increased concentration and magic abilities. Currently they were streaming into the assembly line room and taking their places.
"Excuse me." Fluttershy whispered to Rainbow Dash. "GET BACK TO WORK, YOU LAZY CLOPS!"
She cleared her throat. "Carry on."
"Uh..." Rainbow wasn't sure how to respond. "I'll probably see you there."
"Don't count on it." Fluttershy replied, making her way back into her office and slamming the door behind her, leaving Rainbow alone overlooking the very tired-looking ponies below.
"I'm sure glad I don't have to do stuff as boring as this." she whispered to herself although she didn't really need to whisper due to the deafening sound of the machines being powered by the magic provided. Magic-powered machines were a breakthrough in Equestrian technology. Sighing, the pegasus powered her wings and flew out of a nearby skylight which had been opened to allow breathing, not that any of the air was clean enough to safely breathe.
"See you later then, Fluttershy."
"Excuse me!" Twilight apologised. The train to Canterlot which she had just boarded was awfully crowded. She couldn't move an inch as ponies were clustered all around her.
"Do you think something might be happening in Canterlot?" Spike asked.
"Maybe, but I'm not sure what it could possibly be. We'll just have to find out!"
The baby dragon made himself comfortable in Twilight's arms. This was going to be a long ride.
