As you all know, yes it’s a cliche line but I’m starting with that, the mane 6 share a close bond of friendship. This bond was connected by sonic rainboom Rainbow Dash did as a young filly. This allowed the 6 special ponies to earn their cutie marks. But what if things were a little different.
For example, what if when Applejack saw the rainboom, it didn’t point back to Sweet Apple Acres. But Manehattan instead.
***
“Wow,” the young Applejack said to herself in awe of the rainboom. “It was pointing right here,” she said to herself, a little sad. “I guess it’s some sort of sign that ah should stay here in Manehattan.”
So Applejack stayed.
While she still had trouble fitting in with the ponies of Manehattan she always was quite the stubborn pony and kept at it. While she still missed her time at the farm she would in time find things to enjoy in Manehattan. Plus she had to admit, she rather liked her mane in a beehive. Eventually she got accustomed to the fancy lifestyle of her aunt and uncle Orange and embraced it.
“I must say you’re getting along quite well with the others my dear,” Aunt Orange said.
“How about we buy you a new dress?” Uncle Orange said. “If we find the right one we could turn Applejack into Applejewel.”
“That would be most delightful,” Applejack said in her fancy sophisticated accent. Applejack along with her aunt and uncle would search around for the right dress for Applejack. They also found the right makeup that after buying Applejack placed in her mane.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Applejack asked.
"Of course my dear," Uncle Orange answered. "Some earth ponies can hold all kinds of things in their mane."
"But if it's too much we can always get a purse that goes with your mane," Aunt Orange added.
Applejack would stay in Manehatten for a about a year. During this time she gained not only a sense of fashion, but a skill for money and economics. Thanks in part to her aunt and uncle.
“We’re so proud of you dear Applejewel,” Uncle Orange said.
“Yes,” Aunt Orange said. “You’ve become such a lovely little lady in your time here with us.”
“Oh thank you,” Applejack said with a rather large smile. Suddenly a piece of makeup fell out of her mane. "Sorry," said as she picked it up.
“Quite alright, now come along, we’re going to be late for the party,” Aunt Orange said.
“Another one?” Applejack asked.
“Yes, it’s the price of living the sophisticated life,” Uncle Orange said.
“I grew up on a muddy old apple farm and even I think going to party after party is exhausting.”
“Well dear planning and making all those parties can be rather exhausting as well,” Aunt Orange said.
“Can you imagine if 1 pony had to plan all those parties?” Uncle Orange asked.
“That would be something amazing,” Applejack said. “If any 1 pony actually managed to do something like that, they would probably be one of my best friends.”
(You can add a part where Applejack sends time at the party here if you want)
After the party and shaking the makeup out of her mane, Applejack retired to her room and once again found herself staring off to Ponyville yet again. It had been nearly a year since she moved away, but she never stopped thinking about her family back on the farm.
The next day, after doing quite a lot of thinking the night before, sat down with her aunt and uncle orange.
“What’s on your mind my dear?” Aunt Orange.
“Well,” Applejack paused. “I’ve been giving this a lot of thinking. It’s actually been in the back of my mind for quite a while. As grateful as I am that you took me in and let me stay here. I don’t think this is gonna work out.”
“What do you mean?” Uncle Orange said.
“The thing is,” Applejack paused again. “I wanna move back to Ponyville.”
Aunt and Uncle Orange didn’t know what to say at first, causing an awkward silence to pass.
“Are you sure about this little Applejewel?” Uncle Orange said.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Applejack said. “Like I said, I’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“Don’t you like it here in Manehattan?” Aunt Orange said.
“I thought I would,” Applejack answered. “And then I thought I would eventually after I stayed here for a little while. But all this time I’ve had this feeling inside I could never get rid of. It’s like I left a part of me at Sweet Apple Acres.” Applejack paused. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that home is where the heart is.”
“I see,” Aunt Orange said. “I was kind of hoping to talk you out of it. But it seems your mind is made up.”
“My mind was made up for a while now. It just took me this long to realize that. I guess I’m rather stubborn.”
“Oh that’s a safe bet,” Uncle Orange said. “Stubbornness runs in the family.”
“That’s true,” Aunt Orange said. “That’s sort of why we came out here. We wanted to branch out on our own despite others saying we couldn’t. Your grandmother included.”
Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle as she was all too familiar with Granny’s stubborn side.
“So you aren’t mad?” Applejack asked.
“Mad? Or course not,” Aunt Orange said. “We wouldn’t want you to stay here if you weren’t comfortable.”
“And besides,” Uncle Orange said. “You can always come by and visit once in a while.”
***
Applejack, after being dropped off by her aunt and uncle ran straight into Sweet Apple Acres and was greeted by her entire family, including her new born baby sister Applebloom.
(My headcanon is that Bright Mac and Pear Butter were still alive when Applejack left because we didn’t see Applebloom see her off)
“She’s the most precious thing I ever done see,” Applejack said.
“That’s exactly what I said when I first saw her,” Pear Butter said.
“Well technically the first thing you said was “Oh thank Celestia I finally got that thing out of me.”
“Quiet you.”
Soon after meeting her sister Applejack went back to the farm to catch up with the family. As well as tell them all about her time in Manehattan with her aunt and uncle.
“Sounds like you had quite a lot of fun there,” Granny Smith said.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed. “It also seems you’ve come back just in time. We could really use some help.”
“What do ya mean?” Applejack asked.
“Well,” Bright Mac said. “We didn’t want to drop this on you since you just got back here.” Bright Mac then looked over at his son who smiled. “But we’ve been having some financial problems.”
“I’d hate to say this, but if things keep up as is, we might lose the farm,” Granny Smith said.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac said. “We may have to find somewhere else to live soon.”
“I think I might be able to help,” Applejack said.
“Do the Oranges have a huge house we can stay in?” Big Mac asked.
“...I meant I can help financially,” Applejack said. (maybe go back and add parts of AJ learning this stuff in Manehattan)
“Oh…Right.”
Applejack got right to work helping with the money problems and managed to save the farm. She even helped bucked some apples. “Still got it.”
(Probably a good idea to stretch this out) In no time at all the farm money problems were solved and Applejack got her cutie mark in the process.
“Huh, apples and oranges. Go figure.” Applejack did not belong in Manehattan, but what she learned there helped her learn something that could help the place she did belong in.
But she also remembered a few things she learned on the farm to help it, such as apple bucking. The morning after getting her cutie mark she got right to that and cleared all the apples on a tree on her first buck. “Still got it.”
***
Now from a country pony to a high class and dramatic but still lovable fashion pony that was forced to work in a mine because she also had financial troubles.
***
“Uhg, this is so unladylike,” Rarity said as was digging through the mines. “Of all the jobs I could get to help my parents I had to go to work in a mine.”
“That’s an oddly full summary of why you’re here,” a worker not too far away said. “Why most of us are here actually.”
Rarity made her way further into the mine and tried to locate some more gems. Along the way she stepped right on a dirt clod. “Ew dirt, get away dirt.”
“If it bothers you so much why not wear boots?” Another worker asked.
“Oh please,” Rarity said. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in those drab things.”
“Okay whatever kid.”
Eventually Rarity managed to not only gems, but a bunch of them. This made the foreman very happy.
“Nice work as usual Rarity,” the foreman said.
“Can I go home now, I’m in massive need of a spa,” Rarity said.
“You may go,” the foreman said. With that Rarity quickly made her way out of the mine. “That kid always does a great job finding gems.”
“I just wish she wasn’t such a whiner,” a pony standing next to the foreman said.
After making her way out of the mine and into a spa Rarity went to visit her parents. (I figure you should leave Sweetie Bell out of the story because she most likely hasn’t been born yet)
“So how did things go for you today, Rarity?” Her mother asked.
“Okay,” Rarity answered. “I just wish I could find a clean job.”
(You can also add stuff here about Rarity’s social life or her relationship with her parents)
Back at the mine, Rarity started another shift and was already unhappy.
“Oh how I wish dirt was clean.”
“Oh come on, it's not so bad,” another worker said.
“Yeah come on cheer up,” another stallion called out. But Rarity recognized this voice. She turned around and was surprised to see her father and her mother as well.
Suddenly the ground started to rumble because at that very moment the rainboom had happened. As a result Rarity’s horn started to freak out which everypony around her couldn’t help but notice.
“Uh, that isn’t normal,” one of the workers said.
“Why is her horn doing that?” Another asked.
“Rarity are you okay?” Her mother asked.
Suddenly and without great notice (I know that’s redundant but it’s dramatic) Rarity’s horn started to basically short out. Moments afterwards the mine started to collapse and Rarity instinctively got out of the way of the falling rubble.
Rarity ducked into a tunnel where the rubble wasn’t falling and shortly afterwards all the rubbles stopped all together.
“Mother father, are you alright?” Rarity asked as she ran over to the rubble.
“Yeah we’re okay cupcake,” her father replied.
“Don’t worry I’ll have you out in a minute.” Rarity then tried to clear away the rubble with her magic but to her shock, nothing happened.
“If you're trying to use magic it won’t work,” her mother called out. “Whatever caused this mine to collapse is causing our magic not to work. Rarity, listen, you’ve got to get out of here.”
“What?”
“You’ve got to go get help,” her father added.
“No!” Rarity almost shouted. “I can’t leave you there.”
“But Rarity there’s nothing you can do,” her mother cried out.
Rarity paused. “Yes there is.” Rarity then dug into the ground and despite the blood, sweat, and dirt, she saved the minors and her parents with her bare hooves. She smashes through the wall (maybe stretch this part out if you want) but unfortunately she wouldn’t the chance to hear all the gratitude as she passed out from exhaustion.
***
Rarity eventually awoke in a small hospital where she was taken to after the mines were evacuated. When she awoke her parents filled her in on everything. Including how she saved them. Her memory was a bit of a blur.
“My gosh,” Rarity said as her parents finished. “These blankets are a horrible shade of white. Oh and it’s rather amazing that I pulled that off.”
“And that’s not the only thing,” Rarity’s mother then pulled the sheet off the bed revealing that Rarity has earned her cutie mark during her heroic actions.
“I have my cutie mark,” the young hero said with sheer joy. “And it looks fabulous.”
“We’re so proud of you honey,” her father said. “You found the inner strength and managed to save so many ponies. You have a bright future ahead of you.”
“Bright is right,” Rarity agreed. “Because I’m quitting my job at the mine and getting a job somewhere above ground.”
Rarity then bursted into laughter which her parents joined in on.
***
Next we travel far away from Ponyville to a small rock farm home to a small pink pony by the name of Pinkie.
A quiet filly in a small family was moving rocks from 1 side of the farm to another with a little help from her beloved sister Maud.
“These rocks are really rolling aren’t they Pinkie Pie?”
“That was really good Maud,” Pinkie Pie responded while laughing. But only on the inside.
“Thank you. I’ve been waiting for weeks for the right opportunity to use that one.”
Suddenly Pinkie stopped moving the rocks and was rather deep in thought. “I’m leaving the farm,” Pinkie said.
Maud’s jaw nearly hit the ground. “Where did that come from Pinkie?”
“From you,” Pinkie answered, shocking her sister once again. “You said you were waiting for the right moment to use that joke. I’ve been thinking of leaving the farm to go on a quest to find happiness.”
“You have?”
“Yes, I’ve been wondering when was going to be a good time for that.”
“You have?”
“Yes, and perhaps the old saying says it best Maud. No time like the present.”
“...Alright Pinkie Pie,” Maud said, wishing to support her sister.
Shortly after that Pinkie Pie packed her things and said her goodbyes to the rest of the family.
“Be safe Pinkie Pie,” Maud said.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” Pinkie Pie replied. (as for the rainboom perhaps she only saw a part of it before) Pinkie Pie wasted no time as she ran off and searched various parts of Equestria. (You can also add parts of Pinkie going to parts of Equestria you like.) Everywhere she went she examined things that made others happy.
“I just don’t get it,” Pinkie Pie said to herself after leaving another town. “All those things that other ponies like and not one of them makes me happy. There’s got to be something that makes me happy I know there is. But why can’t I find it?”
(Maybe have Pinkie travel a little more here)
Pinkie journeyed on and just as she was ready to give up, she came across a small village not too far away from her rock farm. In this said village nopony was happy and Pinkie was about to tell that just by looking at all of their faces. Pinkie asked around why they weren’t happy and they more or less said the same thing.
“I don’t know.”
“Sounds like I would fit in just fine here,” Pinkie said to herself and actually chuckled. Pinkie gasped. “I made myself laugh, and if I can make these ponies happy too.”
Pinkie then ran all over the village once again using the various things she collected on her journey away from the rock farm. She also used various things she collected on her travels that she figured would come in handy later, and she was right.
Somehow Pinkie instinctively knew what things would help what ponies.
“Why are you trying so hard to make us happy?” One of the ponies asked.
Hearing that Pinkie had to stop and ask herself that as well as other ponies who were wondering the same thing gathered. “Because,” Pinkie paused. Then suddenly she realized something. “Because that’s what makes me happy!”
Suddenly Pinkie tried to turn the whole village into 1 huge party and nearly everypony in that village gathered together around the energetic pink pony. “Come on ponies,” Pinkie called out. “I wanna see you smile.”
And that’s just what she got as everypony became happy and Pinkie got her cutie mark. With a huge smile on her face and in her heart Pinkie bidded her new friends goodbye and headed for home. There she surprised her family with her cutie mark as she told them all about her adventures.
“You made a whole village happy Pinkie Pie?” Maud said. “Wow, I’m so proud of you Pinkie.”
“Mhmm,” Marble agreed.
“Just 1 question,” Limestone said. “How were you able to become happy just from making others happy?”
“I just like to do it,” Pinkie answered. “I searched all over to find happiness, but it was in my heart all along. Ironic yet poetic. Ironetic.”
***
And now we travel from a simple rock farm to the pegasus city of Cloudsdale where we’ll be focusing on 2 young fillies. 1 with the heart of a warrior and the other a very gentle soul. The latter of whom had quite a bit of a bully problem. But more often than not the former was around to get them to back off.
“You wanna a hoof sandwich!?” Rainbow Dash asked, ready to rumble.
“You think you can take all 3 of us at once?” One of the bullies said.
“Keep pushing me and find out!” Rainbow Dash said back.
Suddenly Rainbow Dash’s parents showed up and the bullies flew off with their tails both figuratively and literally between their legs.
“Yeah fly off!” Rainbow Dash said. Suddenly Bow picked up her daughter and hugged her.
“Best protector from bullies ever!” Bow said as he continued to hug her daughter.
“Dad I can’t breathe,” Rainbow Dash barely managed to say.
Bow then placed her daughter down who was able to catch her breath. “Sorry. Still the best though.”
“Yes she is dear,” Windy Whistles agreed. Windy then went over to the young Fluttershy and bent down to talk to her on eye level. “Are you alright dear.”
“Oh yes,” Fluttershy answered. “It wasn’t so bad, I’m used to it.”
“Well you shouldn’t be, you gotta be brave.”
“But I’m not like you Rainbow Dash.”
“But I used to be like you Fluttershy.”
“You were?”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash answered. “I was super shy about flying in front of other ponies even though I was already good at it. But when my parents brought me to the other fliers I was eventually able to fly with them.”
“Just like that?”
“Well more or less,” Rainbow Dash answered, not wanting to go over every little detail of her story. “The point is being brave isn’t about not being afraid, it’s about doing something even though you’re afraid.”
Suddenly Windy Whistles picked up her daughter and gave her an even tighter hug than her father. “Oh my little dashie is the best speech giver ever.”
“Mom I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.”
***
A day or so later Fluttershy once again found herself as the rump of the joke.
“Fluttershy, fluttershy, fluttershy can hardly fly,” the bullies chanted. But as quickly as they started Rainbow Dash flew down to her rescue.
“Leave her alone!”
“And what if we don’t?”
“Keep making fun of her and find out!”
Eventually Rainbow Dash decided to race the bullies.
“How is this going to get them to stop bullying me again?” Fluttershy asked herself.
“You're going down,” one of the bullies said.
“In history maybe,” Rainbow Dash retorted.
“That was a really good comeback,” Fluttershy said to herself.
The racers took off but doing so caused Fluttershy to spin off the cloud she was on and fall to the ground below and land right in the Everfree Forest. After a quick yet pleasant song Fluttershy got close to the animals there.
Suddenly a small pack of Timberwolves appeared and tried to attack the animals (maybe stretch this part out a little more) and the pack soon cornered a family of bunnies.
Being brave isn’t about not being afraid, it’s about doing something even though you’re afraid.
Fluttershy suddenly felt a fire inside her light up and just as she jumped right at the timberwolves, the rainboom went off. Both of which got the timberwolves attention as she Fluttershy sprang into action. (This can also get stretched out a bit as Fluttershy beats up the timberwolves but slowly gets overwhelmed)
Fluttershy was backed up into a tree as the timberwolves had her surrounded. Fluttershy was scared, but she wanted to keep fighting. 1 of the timberwolves jumped right at Fluttershy who was about to punch it when suddenly Rainbow Dash jumped down right on top of it and broke it into pieces.
“LEAVE HER ALONE!” She cried out. (might be a good idea to do a part where Rainbow Dash wins the race but tries to find Fluttershy and learns she fell)
Right after that the other animals attacked the other timberwolves with help from Rainbow Dash’s parents. Eventually the timberwolves ran off further into the Everfree Forest.
“Way to go my little Dashie,” Bow said. “That timberwolf never stood a chance.”
“Thanks dad. And Fluttershy, I’m so sorry I made you fall. I could have gotten you killed.”
“It’s okay Rainbow Dash, it was kind of my own fault for forgetting I can fly. You were right about being brave, I got hurt a bit but it felt great to fight back.”
“Oh,” Windy said. “Fluttershy, you have your cutie mark.”
“Huh?” Fluttershy then looked down at her flank and saw that her flank was no longer blank. “Oh my gosh, you’re right.”
“Hey cool,” Rainbow Dash said as she turned and showed her flank. “We both got a cutie mark on the same day.”
“Well let’s get this 2 back up to Cloudsdale and have a double cuteceanera,” Bow said and the 4 ponies did just that. But from that day on Rainbow Dash would become extra protective of her friend Fluttershy.
***
And now we focus on the last pony in this wonderful world of what ifs is a young yet talented unicorn who becomes the personal student of Princess Celestia herself.
“YES!” She screamed as she jumped around the princess in joy.
“Twilight,” Princess Celestia said as placed her hoof on the young filly to get her to stop bouncing around her. “Please settle down.”
“Yes, your highness,” Twilight said as she looked up.
“Let’s try to put all that energy into something more productive.”
“Okay.”
Over the next few days Twilight would give 120% into her studies and it should as she would always get good grades. Over the course of her time at the school she became more and more interested in magic.
“My my,” Princess Celestia said as she graded yet another test. “Such intelligence for 1 so young.”
“Thank you,” Twilight said with a smile.
“Keep this up and you’ll be a great pony someday.”
“Do you think I’ll ever be like you Princess Celestia?”
“I think it’s a possibility,” Princess Celestia said with a wink.
Later Twilight went to her room back home and was even more excited.
“You should have seen it Smarty Pants,” Twilight said as she was alone. “She winked right at me. Like a secret way of telling me I can be an alicorn too. Maybe I can even take her place as leader of Equestria 1 day.”
“That might be going a bit too far,” Smarty Pants said as Twilight did a voice out of the corner of her mouth.
“I suppose you have a point,” Twilight said.
“Twily,” Shining Armor said as he knocked on her door. “Dinner’s ready.”
“I’ll be eating in my room tonight,” Twilight answered.
“Again?”
“Yes.”
Shining Armor huffed. “Alright then.” (maybe stretch out the part while Twilight neglects her family to focus on her studies)
As Twilight focused more and more on what she learned she started becoming more and more interested in what she might become.
“I can see it Smarty Pants. I can make myself an alicorn. Just like Princess Celestia.”
Smarty Pants fell over.
“No really it can work. I used my magic to make that baby dragon huge, so imagine what could happen if I did that on myself.”
The next day Twilight finished her way school work as soon as possible and found a large empty room in the school.
“It’s gonna work,” Twilight said to herself as she looked the mirror. “Huh didn’t know my mane was so messy.”
“That’s because all you’ve been focusing on is studying magic,” her reflection said.
“What the? Are you a magic mirror?”
“No, I’m your conscious,” the reflection answered. “Listen you got to stop focusing on magic so much.”
“But I’m great at it.”
“So what? There’s so much more to life.”
“No there isn’t,” Twilight snapped back right away, shocking her own reflection. “And I’m going to become an alicorn. Just watch.”
Suddenly Twilight cast the same spell on yourself. But things didn’t go right and before long everything went black.
The next thing Twilight knew, she was waking up in the personal bed of Princess Celestia.
“Thank goodness,” Princess Celestia said as she approached the bed. “I was starting to get worried.”
“What happened?”
“You cast some sort of spell on yourself and nearly tore yourself apart.”
“I was trying to make myself an alicorn,” Twilight answered.
“I know,” Princess Celestia said. “I saw your notes. I can also see that you haven’t been taking care of yourself.”
“Yeah,” Twilight admitted. “I’ve been focusing a lot of studying magic lately.”
“Twilight, there’s more to life than studying magic.”
“Told you,” Twilight’s reflection from a nearby window.
“Listen Twilight. I know you love to study and learn about magic. But if you aren’t careful, that love can turn into an obsession. I founded this school to help unicorns reach their full potential and become something great. But you’re starting to act like a mad scientist.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright,” Celestia said as she placed a hood on the young unicorn.
“Can I still stay at the school?”
“Of course.”
“And can I still become something great 1 day?”
“Of course. Do you feel well enough to get out of bed?”
“Yes,” Twilight said as she did just that.
“Well then before you go, how about I teach you a few new spells since you’re clearly so interested?”
“Actually your highness, I think I’m overdue to have dinner with my family.”
“Alright,” Princess Celestia with a smile. “Whatever you think is best.”
Twilight then made her way to the door and gave her teacher a wave who waved back after she left.
“I think you will somepony be special indeed."
***
After finally hearing Rainbow Dash's story about getting here cutie mark the CMC ran off to try other things.
"Well that was really interesting to know that in one way or another that rainboom of yours affected us all," Fluttershy said.
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash agreed as she lightly pulled Fluttershy to her side so she wouldn't trip over some confetti on the floor.
"But Applejack darling," Rarity said. "How could you never tell me that you spent so much time in Manehattan?"
"Well Rarity it was hardly much time, it was only about a year," Applejack replied.
"I think it would be quite the bonding experience if we went together," Rarity suggested.
"Perhaps the 2 of us can go when the farm isn't so busy," Applejack answered.
"I could perhaps lend a helping hoof there."
"You? Help at the farm?"
"Applejack darling, I may act proper and delicate but I learned a long time ago the value of getting my hooves dirty."
"Okay, I'll take you up on that offer."
"Well since we're all here," Pinkie Pie said. "Let's have a party!"
"Another one?" Fluttershy asked.
"Yeah, why not?" Pinkie asked. "I just love parties!"
"I suppose," Twilight said. "But let's not go overboard, you don't want your love to turn into an obsession trust me."
***
And that brings us to the end of the series of stories that could have been, there are just 2 words left to say and they are-
THE END
