Applejack knocked on Twilight's door, an annoyed expression plastered on her face.
Moments later, Twilight opened her door. "Hello."
"Twilight, I need your help, nopony can recognize me!"
"Who are you?" Twilight asked flatly.
"Applejack!"
"But you're not Applejack."
"Of course I am! How am I not?"
"Applejack has a blonde ponytail. You clearly don't."
"Apple Bloom cut my ponytail off in another one of her cutie mark schemes."
"I don't think I've ever seen Applejack without her ponytail."
"Well, you have now, 'cause I'm standin' right here!"
"Let's say you are Applejack, don't you think I'd recognize you without your ponytail?"
"That's why this is so frustrating. I AM Applejack and nopony believes me!"
"Can you prove that you are Applejack?"
Applejack thought for a moment before reaching into her saddlebags, giving Twilight her cut-off ponytail. "Here, this is my ponytail."
"What do I do with this?"
"I don't know, hold it up so you can see that I'm Applejack."
Twilight did as instructed, holding the ponytail in her magic and lifting it behind Applejack's head.
"Oh! Hi Applejack, what are you doing here?"
Applejack facehoofed. "Now you believe me?"
"Believe what?"
Applejack sidestepped her floating ponytail. "I'm Applejack."
"You are not Applejack."
Applejack stepped back.
"Oh! Hi, Applejack."
"Twilight, do you have some tape?"
Applejack knocked on Rarity's front door, resisting the urge to scratch the back of her head.
"Hello, Applejack, how are you?" Rarity asked.
"Finally, somepony who recognizes me!"
Rarity lead Applejack over to the couch and the pair sat down. "What's going on, darling?"
"For some reason, nopony can recognize me without my ponytail."
"It is an iconic feature of yours."
"Thanks, I guess."
"But you have your ponytail, wherever would it go?"
Applejack's continued head-scratching caused her ponytail to fall off. "Well, there."
Rarity's eyes went wide. "They were right, you're not Applejack!"
"What do you mean? Of course I am! Apple Bloom just cut off my ponytail."
"That's precisely what an impostor would say."
"Rarity, I am Applejack."
"I can't believe you, whoever you are. To come into my house, pretending to be one of my best friends."
"What?"
"Get out of my establishment, go fool somepony else."
"But…"
"Out!"
Applejack sighed, picked up her fallen mane, and walked out of Carousel Boutique.
Applejack knocked on Fluttershy's cottage door.
Fluttershy answered the door with a warm, "Hello."
"Fluttershy, I need your help."
"With what? Who are you?"
Applejack gave Fluttershy her cut-off ponytail. "Can you help me reattach my ponytail somehow? I'll tell you who I am if you help me."
"I guess I could try to help."
"Thank you, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy led Applejack into her home, where the two sat on her couch.
"I've never had to do something like this before, it might hurt a little."
"I can handle it."
It did, in fact, hurt, but Applejack stuck through it as Fluttershy pulled and weaved her hair.
"There, done," Fluttershy said.
Applejack hugged Fluttershy, "Oh, thank you, Fluttershy."
"Who are you, again?"
Applejack leaned back. "It's me, Applejack."
Fluttershy stared down Applejack, trying to decide if she believed her. "Maybe."
"What do you mean maybe? I am Applejack."
"Applejack's ponytail hangs down lower."
"That's because you had to reattach it."
"I'm sorry, but I don't believe you."
Applejack sighed. "Goodbye, Fluttershy."
"Goodbye, Applejack impersonator."
Applejack opened the door to Pinkie's bedroom. "Pinkie, are you here?"
Pinkie appeared in front of Applejack. "Yes, I am."
Applejack didn't react, and asked, "Who am I?"
Pinkie stared at Applejack, pondering who was in her room. "You're Applejack's twin sister!"
Applejack groaned. "I am Applejack!"
"Are you sure? You look a lot more like her twin sister I just met."
"Yes, I'm sure. I need help. Nopony recognizes me. I'm Applejack and nopony believes me."
"Why doesn't anypony recognize you?"
"Apple Bloom cut off my ponytail."
"That's all it took for everypony to think you are somepony else?"
"Yes."
"I know a pony who could solve this whole thing right up for you!"
"Who?" Applejack asked with a glint of hope in her eyes.
"Applejack, of course! But I don't know where she is right now."
Applejack sighed. "Goodbye, Pinkie. I need to go find Rainbow Dash."
"Goodbye!"
Applejack trotted through the streets of Ponyville, calling out Rainbow's name.
"Rainbow Dash!"
Eventually, she found success, when somepony called out her name.
"Applejack!"
Applejack rushed towards the voice, pushing past ponies.
"Rainbow Dash?"
"Applejack?"
Both ponies stared confused at one another.
Applejack asked, "What happened to your mane? You're missing the bottom half."
"Funny story… Apple Bloom cut it off while trying to cut my mane."
"That's what happened to me! She cut your mane after cutting off my ponytail?"
Rainbow sighed. "No, she did mine first."
Applejack was even more confused at this. "Why did she cut my mane after it went so bad with you?"
Rainbow averted her gaze. "Because I asked her to."
"What?" Applejack asked in disbelief. "Do you know how much trouble my missing mane has caused me?"
"Yes, I do. That's why I asked her to do it."
Applejack, about to yell at her friend, stopped. She thought about her interactions over the day and sighed.
She needed somepony that would believe her.
She stepped forward and gave Rainbow a hug.
Rainbow hugged back. "I'm sorry about your ponytail. I just didn't know what else to do. Nopony believed it was me."
"I forgive you."
After the hug was over, Applejack looked Rainbow Dash up and down.
"What?" Rainbow asked.
Applejack smiled. "You should wear your hair like that more often, it's kinda hot."
Before Rainbow could think of anything to say, a blush overtook her face.
Applejack just hugged her again, quieting any reply Rainbow had.
After the hug, Rainbow asked, "Should we talk about what you just said?"
"Sure, if you want. Let's talk on the move."
"Where are we going?" Rainbow said, following Applejack.
Applejack smiled. "Apple Bloom needs a new haircut, don't you think?"
"Sure."
