//------------------------------// // August // Story: The Long Year // by The Red Parade //------------------------------// August. ‘ Καλλίστη.’ The August heat put a damper on things as it often did. Cheerilee found herself swamped by lesson preparations and endless research, sifting through countless texts from both Daring’s personal library and Applejack’s notes. The work was good though, in the sense it kept her busy. Daring had expressly forbid anyone from passing through the lake until she researched the potential risks involved, and Night Glider had been poking around various “sources” to try and learn whatever she could.  As for Strawberry… Cheerilee hadn’t seen too much of that mare, which was likely a good thing. She wasn’t certain what role the mare had in Applejack’s death, but she remained convinced that it was non-zero. Regardless, Cheerilee couldn't get her mind off of that strange mare she had seen in the garden. Who was she? What was she saying? Had Applejack seen her too? And… Why had the flowers been growing in the shape of her hat?  All questions with no answers. But the more Cheerilee read, the clearer the picture began to feel.  She was pulled from her musings by a knock on her door. “Coming!” “I’m not getting any younger out here!” Cheerilee froze as she recognized Strawberry’s voice from outside. Her fight or flight instincts kicked in, and she was half-tempted to race out the back door before taking control of them. Instead, she pulled the door open and put on her best smile. “Good morning Strawberry!” “So it would seem,” Strawberry replied. “Can I come in? Or do you want to keep me out in the sun and watch me turn into a puddle?” Cheerilee stepped aside and let Strawberry into her house. “Phew. Scorcher out there. I never understand pegasi sometimes,” Strawberry said as she wiped her brow.  “What brings you by?” asked Cheerilee, eager to wash her hooves of her.  “Just wanted to do some fact checking, as our friend Miss Glider would say,” Strawberry said as she helped herself to Cheerilee’s couch. “I heard you ran into someone when you took a swim in the Mirror Pool?” Cheerliee sat across from her uneasily. “Yes. I… Don’t know how to describe her.” “Tall? Beautiful? Whispering to herself? Killer looks?” Strawberry guessed as she kicked her rear legs onto Cheerilee’s coffee table.  “You know who I’m talking about?” “I don’t know anything about anything, honey,” Strawberry replied. “But I can take my best stab at it.” Cheerilee looked down at the novels scattered around her table. “Was that… Was that the gardener?” “Mm! Close but not quite.” Strawberry picked up a novel and thumbed through it. “I think that was our good friend Ingenue.”  “Ingenue?” echoed Cheerilee. “You probably know her better as a daughter.”  Cheerilee scrunched her face in thought. “As in the chief’s daughter from the Applelachian story?” “Bingo!” said Strawberry, using both her wings to point at Cheerilee. “You did your research, you’re definitely a teacher!” Cheerilee just huffed. “How can you be sure?” “Please, have you met me? I’ve never been wrong in my life!” Strawberry tossed her mane for dramatic effect. “But seriously. Ingenue in legends has always been described like that. Mysterious, beautiful, quiet. Always avoiding you. You’re more likely to run into her dad than her.” Cheerilee sat up, remembering that booming voice which chased her. “The chief?” “Yup! You’re two for two now, gold star. You’ll remember that most stories agree that the chief sold her out for magic. Word on the street now is that he regrets it and wants to find her, to get her back. Guessing Ingenue’s not too psyched about that.” Where are you? “I suppose that makes sense,” Cheerilee conceded. “I just… How do you know so much about these things?” Strawberry shrugged, leaning back on the couch. “I just hear a few things here and there.” “But… You’re a pegasus.” Strawberry sighed. “Observant, aren’t you.” She was quiet for a second. “I’d say you wouldn’t believe this, but… We’re knee-deep in this already, so what the hay.” She took a deep breath and locked eyes with Cheerilee. “I wasn’t always a pegasus.” An eerie silence filled the room. “Huh?” “I wasn’t always a pegasus.” Strawberry flared her wings and glared at them in disgust. “I used to be an earth pony.” Cheerilee stared, trying to get the gears in her mind to turn. “You… What?” “I know. It’s why I don’t often tell ponies.” Strawberry snorted, folding her wings into her chest. “Look, a long time ago, I… I was in your horseshoes. Applejack’s too. I wanted to learn about these myths, wanted to make my magic better.” She paused, staring absently out the window. “And I guess someone didn’t take too kindly to that.” “Who?” “I dunno, but they told me to stop. Surprise surprise, I didn’t listen.” She shook her head sadly. “Slapped a pair of wings on me, and I was never the same. I’m jealous of you, y’know, same way I’m jealous of every other earth pony around here. You don’t know how natural your magic feels until you lose it.” Cheerilee sat still, processing what she had just heard, until Strawberry stood up and sighed. “I’ll leave you be now.”  “Oh! Uh, yes. See you soon.” Strawberry headed for the door but paused. “Because I know it’s on your mind… She didn’t know about me,” Strawberry said. “Nobody did, except for Night Glider I guess. I had nothing to do with her death.” With that, Strawberry left and shut the door behind her. When Daring answered the door, Cheerilee recognized that signature look of fanaticism in her eyes. “I finally got the archive to send over the first edition copies!” She disappeared without any further explanation. Cheerilee sighed and stepped into her house. Daring was dressed half in her adventure attire and half in her A.K. Yearling outfit, looking very odd with her reading glasses perched on top of her pith helmet.  It was like watching a starved honey bee flit about an orchard. “I’m guessing you’ve decided it’s safe,” Cheerilee said dryly.  “Huh? Oh, no. There’s mountains of danger, hundreds of thousands of unknowns.” Daring stuck a pencil behind her ear and squinted at a piece of paper in her hoof. “But they’re dangers I can handle. You on the other hoof…” “I can handle myself just fine!” Cheerilee huffed. Daring looked up and laughed. “Nah. You’re, uh, too…” She tapped her chin. “Let’s go with pudgy.” “Pudgy? Pudgy?!” Cheerilee marched over and stuck a hoof in Daring’s face. “Are you seriously calling me fat?!” “I’m not!” Daring protested. “I’m just saying you’re… soft! Round edges. You’re not used to my line of work.”  Cheerilee gaped at her. “You… Just because I sit behind a desk all day? I’d like to see you try and handle a crying foal who’s just thrown up their lunch in the middle of August.” Daring just rolled her eyes. “Lot different from dodging poison-tipped arrows.  You need to have skills like I’ve got.” She looked around her table. “Where did I put my pencil?” Cheerilee reached over and plucked the pencil from behind Daring’s ear and tapped it on her nose. “Skills, huh?” Daring snatched it with an embarrassed scoff. “Shut up.” “Sure, sure.” Cheerilee couldn’t help but laugh. “Gosh… It’s really been too long.” “It has,” Daring admitted. “We really should go grab a coffee when this is all over.” Cheerilee perked up at that. “Is that spot by campus still open?” “Sure is. Some things never change at least.”  “Yeah…” Cheerilee sighed. “I still can’t believe she’s gone…” Daring but a hoof on her shoulder. “Yeah. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.” A sadness fell upon her eyes. “It’s a lot to try and get through. Trust me, I know.” “Daring, do you think we’ll ever find out who killed her?” “I don’t know, Cheer. I don’t know.” The two sat down on the couch, and Cheerilee found herself fighting the urge to rest her head on Daring’s shoulder. Daring looked at her sadly. “Hey, Cheer… I need you to answer me honestly. Me being here, right now… Is this helping? Or is it… Is it making things worse?” She considered the question carefully. “I… I need you here, Yearly,” she eventually said, hoping that this was the truth. “I know what we had before makes this hard but… I need someone right now,” Cheerilee whispered.  Daring leaned in and wrapped her oldest friend in a hug. Cheerilee hugged back and closed her eyes, trying to let the warmth consume her. A small twinge of guilt twisted in her gut as she thought of Applejack. She wasn’t sure if she should let it out or push it deeper. Solstice/Eclipse: A Collection of Notes From a Former Royal Scribe, Ballad Blues. Page 552.  When Discord found out about Celestia’s deception, he tore into the surrounding lands with a fury. From his mind he forged a sinister device, taking the form of a beautiful golden apple, with a coat that shone as bright as her sun. With a blast of magic he appeared in the throne room, just as Lord Bladesmith was about to finish his vows. Immediately the Princesses took defensive positions, and Celestia demanded that Discord leave. “What, so soon?” replied the Lord of Chaos. “I merely wish to pay my respects to the bride and the groom!” “Your presence is one that sullies these halls,” Luna declared. “Leave at once, else I shall separate your head from your body.”  Discord bowed to her command. “Very well, but before I leave: a gift.” He tossed the apple into the center of the room and smiled. “For the better sister.” With that, he vanished. The crowd was immediately drawn to the strange fruit, and quickly Celestia realized that they awaited a verdict: to whom would the gift be bestowed upon?  She lit her horn and fired a blast of magic, and the apple quickly vanished. “We shall not entertain any object born from the Lord of Chaos,” she declared. The crowd withdrew, disappointed, and Celestia returned to her throne and motioned for the proceedings to continue. She never knew that Luna watched and wondered: why had she not given her a fair chance? Why had she dismissed the question completely?  Those questions lingered in her mind for years to come, no doubt playing a part in that one fateful night many summers later.