Final Fantasy Equestria: New Beginning

Chapter 14

The Difference Part Two

(Sweet Apple Acres, Morning)

The smell of food filled the house of the apple family as the warrior version of Applejack was in the kitchen cooking food for herself and her counterpart’s family. While she was cooking, a familiar voice filled the room as the warrior turned her attention from her cooking to see Granny Smith entering the room from the doorway.

“Well, looks like somepony is up and about early. Especially after what happened yesterday from what Applejack said.” Granny said as she eyes the warrior up and down as she was wearing a tank top and daisy blue shorts. She soon noticed the scars, blast marks, and animal bites covering certain parts of the earth pony’s arms . “Hard to believe you’re from another world. Yet you look like Applejack if she was a couple years older.”

“I’m about ten years older than your Applejack if I’m not mistaken. But I find it hard to believe you’re still the same even in another world...only thing missing is your classic shotgun that you use to scare the business ponies away.” She said which caused Granny to laugh.

“I still have old Betsy, but sadly she’s been dismantled.”

“....Finally shot somepony with it?”

“I’m not at liberty to say. But all I can say is that I’m not allowed to hold a firing arm of any kind anymore.” She said before making her way to the table and eyeing the spread of food that was on it. “I know some of the food looks like they’re from the family, but what about this stack of pancakes with...what I can guess are berries?”

“A lot of the food you see on the table are from Eorzea. You’re free to have as much as you like. Though fair warning. The meat that you see on the table is for me.” The warrior said as the older mare eyed it.

“Huh, didn’t think your world’s ponies can eat meat.” She said before sniffing it. “I’m not into eating meat and stuff. But if I was still young, I wouldn’t mind having a bite of it.” Applejack lets out a loud laugh as she makes Granny smith a plate of pancake covered in an apple like syrup with three slices of apples on it.

“I mostly make it for myself and the others when we go on our little adventures and stuff.” The warrior said as she placed a plate of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast with butter glazing one side.

“Given the marks covering most of your arms and legs. I take it you've been on a lot of adventures?” Granny asked as it caused the warrior to shake her head.

“War for the most part actually.” The Warrior said before digging into her meal. “The only scar I had on me was when I was trying to cut wood with my pa, and a piece of the wood I cut nicked my left cheek on my face.” She said before presenting the scar in the form of an X. “Didn’t hurt at first until Ma disinfected it with her magic. Pa was pretty much freaking out to the point where he tripped and fell into a barrel filled with apples...it didn't help that he went rolling down hill and into the pig’s pen.” Granny smith lets out a fit of laughter upon hearing this.

“Something like that happened to Pear Butter a while back when Big Mac was born. Only she ended up flying into a giant wedding cake instead of the pig pen.”

“Oh that I would love to see happen to Ma in my world...I would never let it go.”

“I take it they’re alive in your world?” She asked as the warrior nodded.

“Or to be more accurate, they might. I don’t know if Equestria is still around or not seeing how Sunburst teleported us before the blast could hit. But I can assume they’re alive seeing how the last time I saw them was when they decided to retire in Kugane where the Kirin live. Well a place in Kugane where the Garleans haven’t taken hold of from what I’ve been hearing…”

“I’m sure they’re still alive along with your home. After all, you are an apple after all. Take more then just some kind of...whatever it was you were fighting to take this family down after all.” Granny said as she placed a hand on the warrior’s shoulder. “Plus you have family here..even though you’re from someplace else.”

The Warrior gave the elderly mare a small smile upon hearing this. Just as she was about to say something else, her ears twitched upon hearing hoof steps coming from the doorway of the kitchen. Looking over from the laughing elderly mare, she could see Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac making their way into the kitchen. Though upon making eye contact with each other, Apple Bloom quickly hid behind Applejack, Applejack was glaring at the warrior, and Big Mac was still in a groggy sleepy state of mind as he moved past the two to take a seat at the table.

“About time you three woke up.” The warrior said before presenting them with the fully cooked food. “Feel free to have whatever you can eat on the table. Mind the meat, those plates are for me.” She said which caused the three of them to pause and stare...well Big Mac for a moment before shrugging and taking a plate of pancakes for himself.

“You...cooked the meat that you got from that monster the other day?” Applejack asked as the Warrior nodded with a grin on her face. “That's just not right and sick on so many levels.”

“Applejack…” Granny said as the two looked at her, which caused her to chuckle a bit. “Young Applejack, not you dear.” She said before looking at Applejack. “Now I know she may be different, but that doesn’t mean you can be rude to her just because her home and stuff is different than how things are here. As long as she’s here, she’ll be treated as part of the family...even though it’s the same family just from a different world...this whole different world magic mumbo jumbo is really confusing and annoying.”

“But Granny-”

“Butts are for sitting Applejack. Now sit and enjoy the meal that your other self made for the family.” Applejack lets out a sigh of annoyance as she and Apple Bloom took a seat at the table. Though Applejack was next to Granny Smith and Apple Bloom next to Big Mac as they make their own plates of pancakes seeing how it was the only food available that wasn’t meat related. Once the three made their plate, they took a bite from their meals in union. Their eyes widen to the burst of flavor hitting their tongues as Apple Bloom lets out a muffled cheer of delight because of this.

“You’re welcome by the way.” The warrior said before quickly finishing up her meal. “Y’all the first to try food from Eorzea!”

“Well don’t we feel special.” Granny commented before digging into her own plate of pancakes as she smiled. “Nice to see you haven’t lost your cooking skills.”

“You can thank Ma for that. Taught me everything she knew before going on with Pa to Kugane to retire for the most part.” The warrior said which caught Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac off guard as they looked at the warrior in disbelief. “What?”

“You mean ma and pa are alive where you’re from?” Applejack asked as the warrior reached into her pocket to pull out a locket. Once it’s out, she opens it as it reveals a family picture of the Warrior along with her version of Apple Bloom, Big Mac, Granny Smith, Pear Butter, and Bright Mac.

“Wait, is that me?” Apple Bloom asked, pointing a finger at the version of herself holding a gun like weapon and a robotic drone floating next to her head.

“Yep, well other you to be accurate.” The warrior said before noticing Applejack’s deadpan expression. “What?”

“Why is she holding a shotgun?”

“Not a shotgun, but it is a gun nonetheless. It’s what machinists use when they fight and what not.”

“Why would you let her even near something that dangerous? You know young fillies aren’t allowed to be near stuff like that?”

“She’s old enough to know what she’s doing. Didn’t shoot anypony that wasn’t a friend or part of the family. I mean Pinkie Pie is her instructor after all, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“But that still doesn’t change the fact that-”

“Different world, different rules. Not like you have a say in how my family do things where we’re from.” The Warrior said before getting a second plate of food that consisted of meats and fruits. “You really need to get that stick out of your flank. You’re acting so up tight like Rarity.” She said as Apple Bloom and Big Mac chuckle from the comment, only for them to go silent and look away when Applejack glared at them.

“She’s not wrong though. You need to relax a bit, sugar cube.” Granny said as Applejack lets out a huff of annoyance before going back to eating.

“Well, this is going to be an interesting time here.” The Warrior thought before going back to eating her meal.

(Ponyville, Rainbow Dash’s home)

The Dragoon was the first to wake up as Rainbow Dash was still sleeping in her room. While Rainbow Dash is still asleep, the Dragoon made her way into the bathroom as she began to take off the armor she had on. Upon taking her armor off, she looks over the burn marks covering the right part of her eye, her left arm and left section of her chest, right hip along with the right thigh, and her left foot. She soon spread open her one good wing which was still perfectly intact, but the other was gone.

“Seen better days huh me?” The Dragoon said before reaching into her saddlebag to pull out a roll of bandages and began covering up the old burn marks on her body. “Guess it could be worse. Could be dead or eaten by that damn Wyvern.” She said before finishing up wrapping her burn marks. She then thened over her armor for a moment before placing them inside her saddlebag, but soon pulled out a foestriker tabard, mythril mitt gauntlets, dwarven cotton gaskins of maiming, and gaganaskin legguards of maiming and began to put them on her. Once she was finished looking over herself a bit in the mirror, she heard a knock coming from the bathroom door followed by her younger voice speaking from behind it.

“Hey, whoever’s in my bathroom, you better get the hay out or else you’ll be met with my hoof up your flank!”

“....Can’t believe that’s how I was when I was young.” The Dragoon thought before quickly placing her heavy armor into her saddlebag and opened the door, which caused Rainbow Dash to blink for a moment before realising.

“Oh right, forgot that you’d be living here for the time being...what’s with the bandages covering part of your face?”

“Nothing.” She said before moving past Rainbow Dash. “I’m going to get some air. I’ll be back whenever.”

“Whoa, wait a minute, otherworld me.” Rainbow Dash said as she quickly darted in front of The Dragoon just as she was about to leave her cloud home. “You do know that ponies will find it odd that there’s two Rainbow Dashes right? What if they think you’re a changeling or something.”

“Okay that’s being racist towards Changelings, and I don’t really give a flying feather about what other ponies think about me.”

“Well I do. And I prefer not to have my reputation ruined thank you very much.”

“Not my problem.” The Dragoon said as she tried to open the door, only Rainbow Dash to slam it close.

“It is your problem. Especially seeing how you’re in our world.”

“I’m only here because we were sent here by Starburst with his weird magic, and because of the fact that the ascians are in this world and are going to run a muck in it.”

“Great, nice going on bringing those hooded freaks here.” Rainbow Dash said which caused the dragoon’s eye to twitch.

“I’m sorry, but what did you just say?”

“Well it seems odd that none of this weird stuff happened until you and the others came. We didn’t have monsters or something like what happened in Our Town appear out of nowhere like that. So it’s obvious that-” Before she could finish, the dragoon quickly grabbed the young pegasus by her throat as she began to let out choking noises from the dragoon’s iron grip.

“Listen here you stubborn jackass. I’m not in the mood for your idiotic assumptions or thinking we’re the cause of this. Stuff like this happens seeing how you live in a world that hasn't seen its fair share of bloodshed and war. Blaming us for something like this is ignorant and stupid on your part. So I’m going to say this, seeing how this is the only way to get it through your thick head.” She said before releasing her grip on Rainbow Dash’s throat, causing her to gasp for air.
“Don’t fucking mess with me or my friends. Because unlike most ponies, I don’t hold back when it comes to knocking down an overconfident pegasus like you a peg or two.”

“W-What the hay is your problem!?” Rainbow Dash yelled while coughing a bit from the lack of air. She soon noticed the dragoon looking at her as she saw her eye color change from purple to red.

“My problem is that I’m looking at a ghost of what I used to be...and I dislike it.” With that the dragoon leaves the cloud house and begins to fly off into Ponyville. As she did this, her eyes returned to the same purple color as she let out a sigh of annoyance and disappointment. Not at the fact that she’s living with a past version of herself, but letting her temper get the better of her in the situation she was in. “Nice going Rainbow Dash, you just had to let her words get the better of her.”

“True, but in fairness. She is you after all. Words won’t get through to her head, only actions will.” The Dragoon stopped upon hearing a familiar voice as she let out another sigh.

“You know, it’s kinda rude to invade somepony’s conversation with herself?” The Dragoon said as a ball of light appeared next to her as it revealed a familiar green and purple dragon, only this version of Spike looked like a young adult, wings on his back, and wearing armor with dragon-like features.

“Kind hard not to, seeing how I can communicate with you when Twilight’s asleep.” Spike said as he folded his arms and smiled. “So, not going so well with your counterpart?”

“You saw the conversation, it’s pretty obvious.”

“True. Reminds me of how it was when we met Twilight for the first time. Only without the “I’ll kill you if you betray us.”

“I hate her. There’s no denying that fact.”

“Twilight or past version of you?” Spike asked as the dragoon deadpans at the young dragon. “Right, stupid question. If I’m being serious here. You don’t hate her, just the fact that her actions remind you of how you were at the age of nineteen.”

“Yeah…” The Dragoon said as she traced a hand along the bandages on her face. “And look how that turned out in my case. Over confident, thinks she's a tough shite, thinking she’s invincible, carefree and too relaxed.”

“Like how you were before Niddhog rained dragonfire upon cloudsdale.” He said which caused the pegasus to flinch upon hearing that. “You think something like that will happen to her?”

“If not that, then something worse. Look I get there are some differences between both worlds. But she’s too much like my old self. Sure I can be overconfident when I know I can win, but give me credit that I know to take things seriously.”

“I can get that. But still, you’re going to have to apologise to her when you get the chance. Seeing how she’s you, you can understand why she’s acting like this.”

“....Yeah...I know...I’m not doing it now though.”

“Oh I know, I mean later on when you get the chance to. Right now, just clear your head by having a look around town and what not. You might find something that might interest you.”

“I’ll try that...thanks Spike.” She said before moving up close to him and raised a fist up towards him. “Seventeen years, and you still have a way to cool me off with your fancy words.”

“You can blame Twilight for that. Spending time inside the grimoire of her book and listening to conversations really does help to be the voice of reason.” He said before bumping her fist back with his own. Only for it to phase through as he felt his body starting to disappear. “Seems Twilight is starting to wake up.”

“Guess it’s going to be awhile before we can talk again, huh?”

“Seems like it. Try not to let your temper get the better of you and try making peace with your counterpart. Also...Tell Rarity I said hi would you?” He asked just as his body completely vanished from her sight.

“Yeah...I will.” She said before flying off towards Ponyville. “Don’t worry Spike, we’ll figure out a way to get your body back. Just wait a little bit longer.”