Earth

by lavendernoodle

Rating: everyone
Tags: Mystery, Adventure, Alternate Universe
Length: 1699

The Mane Six visit a town that seems normal enough, with deeper secrets within...

(NOT AN HiE OR PONY ON EARTH STORY)

The Cutie Map has called the Mane Six on yet another adventure, and Twilight is more than surprised. Not since the "Our Town" incident has the Map called all of the girls. Twilight is not worried though, as each of the girls has their own strengths:

Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, master of flash-cards and helping ponies befriend each other.
Rarity, a gorgeous, talented fashion designer that finds the best in everyone.
Rainbow Dash, the quickest pegasus in Equestria, who is not afraid to speak her mind.
Pinkie Pie, the only pony who can make anyone smile.
Applejack, a loyal, hardoworking pony.
Fluttershy, a kind pegasus who doesn't give up.
And Starlight Glimmer, the Princess of Friendship's first pupil, on her first friendship mission.

They arive in the town soon enough, and the ponies are all cheerful. It reminds them eerily of Our Town, until they find the secrets buried under the town's happiness.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-07-11 23:34:43 UTC

Starlight

"So the Map called...all of you?"

Starlight Glimmer peered down at the projection of Equestria that was spread across the purple crystal table. Twilight didn't look up from her books as she said, "I guess so. It hasn't happened since...you know, Our Town."

Starlight cringed, remembering her past. "Twilight, I know you're busy but...I have to tell you something."

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

Starlight coughed, and then continued, "I can't say how sorry I am. In the past, I have been a dictator, a traitor to Equestria, and...a murderer."

"Starlight, you already told me---"

"Twilight. I haven't been punished. I deserve to go to prison or be thrown into Tartaraus or something."

Twilight shut her book and sighed. "The Princesses have excused you, much to some ponies misery. We've done all we can to erase your past."

Starlight huffed. "I don't want that!" Twilight's eyes widened at her student's howl. "After all of the lies and...just, terrible things I have tried to outrun...you can't forget. If I can't forget, I don't want to hide anymore."

Twilight opened her mouth to say something when the doors of the castle were thrown open. The rest of the Elements of Harmony crashed in. "Sorry, darling. We came as quickly as we could," Rarity puffed, obviously out of breath.

"Hey girls. I've been trying to figure this out but...I can't find anything on this town. Not even it's name," Twilight said, levitating her books and notes in a halo around her head.

Starlight backed away slowly.

The door to Starlight's bedroom slowly creaked open. Starlight quickly wiped her eyes off of her cheeks. Twilight walked in. "Hi."

"Hi."

"I...um, didn't mean to embarrass you out there."

Starlight sniffed. "I know. It's okay."

Twilight frowned. "I'm sorry anyway. You know, everypony makes mistakes. I'm not going to say that what you did wasn't wrong but...you never actually killed anypony. You never hurt anypony, except emotionally, I suppose. But hey, the families you split were brought back together thanks to everything you've done." Starlight began sobbing, so Twilight went on, "You've met Sunburst's sister Sunset before right? You know, in the human world, she turned into a crazy she-demon and almost destroyed the portal to Equestria. She ripped off the whole front of Canterlot High and turned everyone--er, everypony into mind controlled zombies. And...they still look at her funny sometimes, but they know she's changed. You can always make up for your past."

Starlight stopped sniffling. "You're right."

"I want you to come with us on this trip," Twilight said.

"What?"

"Sure! I mean, it's a 'friendship' problem, right? And excellent experience for you. For all of us, really. I know this probably isn't really how it's supposed to work but hey, I'm the friggin Princess of Friendship, so I do what I want."

They laughed. Starlight asked, "Is it okay with everypony else?"

Twilight frowned. "Well, I didn't exactly ask them. But I'm sure they'll be fine with it."

Applejack

The girls sat around the map, observing the projections of their Cutie Marks swirling around the town at the edge of the map. "I don't understand Twilight," Starlight said. "There's absolutely nothing about this town, not even a name."

"I've never even heard of it," Dash said.

Rarity laughed. "Neither have I, Rainbow, but you aren't exactly one to read history books."

"Neither are you!"

The girls laughed. Applejack didn't. She was a bit nervous.

After all, the last time that they went to a town without a history or even a real name, they ended up losing their Cutie Marks. Their personalities.

AJ had good reason not to go. There was plenty of work to be done on the farm. It had been a few years since they had been sent on a journey by the Map. And of course, the "Our Town" incident.

"So, I guess we can meet back here in an hour or two?" Starlight asked, and the rest of the ponies nodded. "Have your bags packed with anything you might need. Possibly...anything that has helped you on a past mission.

"Don't worry about that, Starly-Warly! All we need is our talents. Our wonderful, incredible..." Pinkie Pie's voice faltered. "Cutie Marks."

Applejack felt pity for Starlight, but she did not know why. Twilight had made a big show about how the Princesses had forgiven Starlight for her crimes, in a way brainwashing Equestria into forgetting that what Starlight had done was...awful.

Applejack suspected that she had been the least surprised when Starlight admitted to her crimes. AJ had always had a bad feeling about Starlight, even after Twilight decided to mentor her.

And now, Twilight was inviting her on a mission! What, Applejack wondered, would Starlight contribute to the ponies of this nameless town?

When everypony had left the room but Twilight, Applejack approached her. "Twi, can ah talk to yah for a minute?"

"Sure, Applejack. What's up?"

Applejack kicked at the ground. "Um...I was just wonderin'...why did yah invite Starlight on this mission?"

Twilight cocked her head. "Well...she is my student. I thought that this would be a good opportunity for her to learn a bit about friendship." She went back to organizing her books. "Listen Applejack, I know you dislike Starlight the most and I can't blame you, but she really has changed. She feels more guilty for her actions than anypony---"

"As she should!" The words flew from Applejacks' mouth before she could stop herself. "Celestia herself said that Starlight enjoyed sending ponies to those death camps. Seperating those families."

"You think Princesses never lie?"

Silence.

"AJ, listen to me. Starlight is not the same pony. I even have reason to believe that a curse was put on her."

"A curse?"

"Applejack, I've had enough!" Twilight's books fell around her. "Starlight is going no matter what you say!"

Applejack took a step back. "Fine."

Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Danger Dash is always up for adventure. She was a little surprised to hear that the Map had called them again, none the less all of them.

But hey, if the Map needed her, the nameless town must be in some serious trouble.

"Do we have to take this train?" Dash whined, leaning on Applejack. "I could fly there in a split second!"

"And how do you suppose the rest of us get there, sugarcube?" AJ asked, shoving Dash off.

She groaned. "I could lift all of you, even Fluttershy, if I had to."

Everypony looked at the yellow pegasus. "I think...I could fly on my own, Dashie."

Rarity flipped through her magazine. "What's the plan again, darling?"

Starlight was reading some book that looked wayyyyyy to big for Dash. "Erm...We'll take this train as far as Manehattan and then walk from there. According to the Map, it won't take too long. So, thankfully, Rainbow won't have to carry any of us."

Everypony laughed. Dash frowned and lifted her muzzle to the sky. "Ha ha, very funny. I don't think you'll be much help either Starlight, with your brainwash---"

"Rainbow Dash!"

Dash opened one eye. "What?"

Starlight looked almost on the verge of tears. "I don't know what's gotten into all of you. A few months ago, you all seemed very content letting me mentor Starlight, but now..." Twilight's voice drifted away.

"Darling, I don't mean to be rude, but...I think we all did it because the princesses respect her. Not to say I have doubts about Starlight, but I might understand why Applejack and Rainbow Dash do."

Starlight ran off, crying. The girls sat in silence for the rest of the ride.

"Oh, how I wish we could stay in Manehatten!" Rarity cried.

"Rarity, will you shut up already? You go to Manehatten, like, every week." Dash said, flying around in circles above her friend's heads.

"That is not so! I go to Canterlot once every two weeks, but I haven't been to Manehatten since my fashion show when we met Coco Pommel."

Twilight zipped up her saddlebag. "Well, wave goodbye for now. Maybe if this trip goes well we can come back and celebrate."

They walked. Starlight was right when she said it wouldn't be far, but for Dash it felt like years. Her friends just kept stopping and whining and Dash felt like she was going crazy.

"Can we please hurry up a little?" Dash asked when she'd finally had enough. "I can literally see it from up here."

"Me too," said Fluttershy.

"Yes darlings, I'm sure they'd pay all expences for the Princess of Friendship and her friends."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I hate when ponies say stuff like that. I don't want ponies to respect me because of my title."

"And what brings you to Earth?"

The ponies had slipped into town hoping to meet the Princess or Mayor or whoever the heck was running this secret place, but had unfortunately ran into a farmer.

"Excuse me, but are you a Princess?" Twilight nodded, to which the pony gasped and bowed. "Allow me to introduce myself. Ah am Sunset Weld, but a small farmer out here. May ah ask, who are you?"

Twilight outstretched a hoof. "I am Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship. These are my friends, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Starlight Glimmer."

"Hello," they all said.

"It is an honor to meet you all," the mare said. "I had no idea there was a Princess in our midst.

Dash raised an eyebrow. "You didn't...recognize us?"

Sunset shook her head. "Afraid not."

Twilight continued, "Well, we're on a bit of a mission. You see, there's this Map..." Twilight told the mare the whole boring story, much to Dash's annoyance.

"That is mighty interesting, Miss Sparkle."

"Yes. We were wondering if you had a mayor or a ruler of some sort that we could talk to."

The mare grinned. "You've come to talk to Mr. President!"

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"He's basically our leader. I don't know if you'll be able to talk to him, but hey, you're a Princess."

"Could you take us to him, darling?" Rarity asked.

"Sure thing. You mares can spend the night if you'd like. It's gettin' mighty late."