//------------------------------// // Exposition Time // Story: Friendship is Equal to or Greater than Magic // by Fanon Canon //------------------------------// "There he is!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed upon opening the door to the duo of Rarity and Spike. "There's my number one assistant, the hero of the hour, the centre of all the admirations and all the respect and esteem I could possibly think of." "You finished." Spike interrupted sleepily. "For the moment." The purple unicorn replied without losing all the vigour in her voice, welcoming the pair into the library. Moving a few steps in, Spike could detect a very strange aura about the place, as if all the contrasting perspectives under the roof were vibrating off the walls. Soon they came upon the centre room where Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and gathered, all in the middle of something resembling both a pleasant exchange of dialogue to an extreme opinions based argument. "I do have to applaud you Applejack." Fluttershy was saying. "These fun new ideas you have seem like a real win if you were to run for mayor someday." "No you mongrel." Applejack snapped back. "I seek not a society where one must govern the many. My society would be one where any such mare or stallion has it within their means to become whatever authority figure they chose to be, to have so much power over many in the hands of one unchecked is the bane of every self-conscious society." "Your newfound traits and ideals suggest some emotional alteration of profound measurement." Pinkie Pie stated. "Indeed, your current expressive pre-set contrast your previous incarnation so sharply that save for appearance, you could be mistaken for another steed altogether." "Oh I'm different am I?" Applejack replied getting defensive, and Spike could see she had picked up on Pinkie Pie's elongated lexicon much faster than he had. "I hope you have taken a good look at yourself, Pinkie!" "I am basing your query on figurative terms and not physical, though that should be apparent to us both." Pinkie Pie replied, and Spike could only assume she was getting defensive herself, thought it was hard to tell through her monotone voice. "I have indeed fully understood the radical reconstruction in my language and terminology. But based on my predisposition towards you and your equally radical developments, I would make the bold hypothesis that your change, in a manner of beliefs and ideals is far more contrasting to your former temperament of honesty and reliability, then my current outlook of methodical verbal assortment in comparison to my previous state of elation and gaiety." Applejack paused in her arguing, clearly stunned and speechless by Pinkie Pie's swift analysis of her. And she was not the only one, for Rarity, having seen fully what had become of Pinkie Pie, was in a similar state, but managed to get out a word before anyone else could. "Umm, Pinkie?" She asked quietly. "Ahh greetings my legendary creature known as the unicorn in good standing. I take it you have evidently not spared thought to anticipating what modification to my persona this incantation of ours would have, and judging from your posture and vocal patterns of timidity, I would make the assumption that I am indeed correct in my deduction." The raspberry earth pony retorted almost instantly the second Rarity asked. Rarity like Applejack was now in another state of speechlessness. "Oh how fun!" Fluttershy excitedly cried out. "Well if we've all made our introductions." Twilight spoke, feeling like she hadn't contributed much. "We should be ready to begin." Gathering round the ponies and Spike in the centre of the room, Twilight hopped up onto a heightened stage where she made her address. "Now then." She began. "If we would…" "Wait a sec, Twilight." Rarity suddenly said in alarm. "We've forgotten Rainbow Dash." The ensemble looked about and true enough they had completely forgotten about their fellow Pegasus, and Spike groaned in fear of the possibly journey it would take to fetch her. "Fear not my fellow mares of good breeding and social stature." Pinkie Pie suddenly announced. "Utilising the reality distorting influences bestowed upon me by the writers in question that determined my character in the early days of its formation; I shall go forth and retrieve our winged companion in a simple matter of seconds, for this is a much preferable alternative to the likely long, tedious and ultimately unnecessary journey by foot or wing." And with that, she zoomed out of the front door in a fats single pink blur, returning seconds later with the missing pony they sought. "Do you mind I'm trying to work here?" Rainbow Dash pleaded, but upon further analysing her surroundings she realised the irrelevance in caring about that anymore. "Okay guys." She said disapprovingly. "What is all this?" "Ahh, Rainbow Dash, just in time for the group meeting did you not get the memo?" Twilight cheerily asked. "Obviously not." Rainbow Dash snarled back. "Well would you kindly take a seat please and let us get on with this." Applejack snapped irritably. "This is holding me up big time." Rainbow Dash, normally one to plead and argue her case for leaving decided that she better oblige her fellow friends, if only for now. Now that the whole gang was present, Twilight felt confident in continuing her lecture. "Now then gentlemares." She addressed the group of seven. "I trust most of you at least know why we are all here, but for those that don't let me clarify." The group was silent, eagerly waiting for where she was going. "Sometime last night, I cast a spell." She began. "I very select spell, one that could have proven a great many potential outcomes, all of this relevant to my studies of friendship and the like. The effects of this spell seemed unlimited, widespread and completely unpredictable, but in order for them to properly manifest themselves, I required a willing catalyst to properly engage and activate them, and that is where our little dragon friend come into place." She gestured to Spike, who now had a great deal to think about, and was slightly irritated with her for not providing him with all the details before she sent him out on his quest. "Now I will now point out the obvious." Twilight continued. "Since yesterday, you have no doubt been feeling very different ever since yesterday, correct?" "Obviously." Fluttershy noted. "Evidently." Applejack replied. "Our conjecture has proven precise." Pinkie stated. "I don't feel any different." Rainbow said with some puzzlement. "Well the effects all present themselves differently." Twilight went on. "And from I've gathered, I can only document and measure all the different contrasting feelings from the ponies that Spike had spoken with, and let me tell you it has been quite the experience. But what else I've learnt is that the effects of this spell are not simply limited to whoever interacts with the catalyst, and there do appear to be some ponies that show no difference in personality, such as out Rarity here." "Oh, how you much envy me." Fluttershy said giddily turning to Rarity. "I on the other hand am displaying some measurement of jealousy towards my fellow unicorn, for I would be appreciative to be exempted from the notions of this particular enchantment." Pinkie Pie affirmed, whilst Rarity simply remained quiet, eager to hear more from Twilight. "But anyway." The unicorn continued her speech. "I believe that the effects of this spell are not permanent, and can potentially be undone." "You would seek to free me of these ideals." Applejack retorted in disbelief. "That sounds an awful lot like a means to covertly indoctrinate me to the many beliefs." "Let me finish Applejack." Twilight pleaded, and Applejack settled down and allowed her to continue. "Whether any of you want to be free from these effects is not up to me, in fact I believe it is something no pony can do at this stage. In order for such a thing to work, you must all undergo some extreme experiences that should negate the effects and return you to your old selves." "Whoa now, I think I kind of like this new outlook." Fluttershy said in slight defence. "This is the only outlook I want." Applejack said defiantly. "Can I go now?" Rainbow simply asked, already growing tired of staying in the same spot. "Well now." Twilight announced. "I believe that is all the information I have with me at the moment, if you would like to make your departure feel free to do so, but consider yourselves warned; I do not know where the effects of this spell will take us, but I know something's going to come out of it, and there'll be challenges for us all." The group showed some signs of distress at her foreboding, but Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were soon on their feet making plans to leave. "Goodbye old Twilight, this had been quite the experience, but the animals call to me, don't want any of them dying on me now do I?" The yellow Pegasus said of her friend, giving a brief chuckle at the possibility. "Yes this has been most fulfilling." Applejack continued. "Yeah whatever I'm going now, those works aren't gonna work themselves now." Rainbow Dahs made a hasty farewell before she flew out the front door. "Now that I have the appropriate time to consolidate my options I have realised how our fellow companion belonging to the species of mythological winged creatures of divine origin whom was so caught up in returning to the labour that awaited her back at the workplace amongst the clouds that she did not pause to spare thought to my sudden change in vocabulary. This is satisfying to me as it represents a fresh break in the constant string of reactions that most of my kin have greeted me with upon our first interaction." Pinkie Pie mused to herself. "Yes well goodbye then." Twilight replied rather clumsily before the remaining trio made their departure leaving Twilight alone with Spike and Rarity. "Now there's something I don't get here Twilight?" Rarity asked now that they were alone. "You seemed all too excited to get all these new feelings from this spell, but now you're talking about ending the effects." "Oh don't be silly Rarity." Twilight casually retorted. "I'm only presenting the idea of any potential reversal of these effects, doesn't mean I want to end all this. At any rate I've got all I need from the ponies that Spike has spoken to, so it's really just impractical for them to continue going on living that way." "But you're not concerned about what they may get up to?" Rarity asked with obvious concern. "Like I said if they are to free themselves from the effects of this spells, it will have to be done on their own, and since their off living in their own minds I'm afraid there's very little we can do to help them." Twilight reasoned, showing very little concern herself. "Anyway, you should probably get on home yourself, if I'm right I imagine your sisters getting up to all sorts of dumb things." "Right." Rarity replied, surpassing a light hint of sarcasm, before she too made her farewells to the pair and departed. "Spike you've been awfully quiet." Twilight said of her little dragon assistant. "Is there something on your mind?" "Only one thing." Spike finally spoke. "What happens now?" "Now?" Twilight echoed in a little obliviousness. "Now you should get some sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow." "What's going to happen tomorrow?" Spike was almost afraid to ask. "Tomorrow, we are off to Canterlot, plenty of ponies to meet and greet there, and I must consult the Princess on this." His purple unicorn explained. "Are you sure about that?" Spike continued with obvious concern. "Well we can't just simply leave this spell lying around like this, how knows where it will end up." Twilight clarified. "Okay then." Spike admitted, for the events of the day were starting to bear down on him, and he suddenly had an appreciative feeling for a place to lay his head. As he made his way past Twilight in search of his bed, the unicorn was deep in thought herself, an exciting feeling of thrill and anticipation for where this spell would lead them. "Yes." She muttered. "It's going to be quite the ride."