//------------------------------// // Flashback part 2: Keeping Up Appearances // Story: Magic Gear Solid: Broken Balance // by Barrobroadcaster //------------------------------// Old Equestria, 1500 years ago Ponyville, Pudding Residence 15 days before Unification Day "Well? How do I look?" Rice asked as he adjusted the collar of his shirt. "The hat makes you look silly daddy." his son said with a giggle. "Hey now, your great-great-grandmother was the first Pudding to wear this hat when she was chancellor during the first-" "-first Hearth's Warming Eve, you told me daddy. It still looks silly." his son remarked. Rice smiled at the young colt. He'd taught Vice well and didn't need to remind him. Rice was the second pony in his family to be elected chancellor, the first being his great-grandmother Puddinghead. That being said, his son was right: the hat was silly. It had only been a coincidence that the chancellor's hat was actually made to look like a bowl of pudding resting atop one's head though his great-grandmother was known for her eccentric and quirky nature. Still, Rice hoped to follow in the hoofsteps of Chancellor Puddinghead today when he talked to the two other tribe leaders. Looking the part was important. He examined himself one last time in the mirror making sure the outfit was perfect. The pink color and poofy style didn't really fit him that well but he thought adhering to tradition would be good for his first summit with the tribe leaders. "I think that about does it. You ready to get going?" Vice thought for a moment and then grabbed his Smarty Pants doll from off a shelf behind him. "I am now." He took the doll everywhere with him, the last gift he'd recieved from both his father and mother. Rice had done his best to bring up his mother slowly; he knew how hard it had been on their son. Unfortunately, Rice was having a hard time bringing it up at all. He smiled at his son holding the doll and fought back the stabbing pain in his stomach. "Let's not keep the other tribe leaders waiting then. We should be done in a couple of hours... I hope." Rice said, hoping he sounded more optimistic than he thought. He lead his son out of their house and into the Ponyville street. The townsfolk greeted him as they walked. Rice was only too proud to represent them. "You excited to spend some time with Cake?" "Yeah, I guess so." Rice picked up on his son's tone. "I thought you two were friends." "We are, it's just, he's learning to do magic." "Oh..." Rice understood immediately what was bothering his son. "I just wish I could learn something to make me special." Vice said. They'd had the discussion before. Pegasi learned to fly, unicorns learned magic, earth ponies... learned dirt. Horn and wing jealousy wasn't something discussed often amongst ponies even in private conversations. Accepting one's destiny was simply how ponies got through the day. For some, it was harder to accept than others. Rice was detirmined it wouldn't be hard on Vice. "Well, maybe it's time you started learning magic too." Rice said with a glimmer in his eye. "You mean earth pony magic?" Vice's enthusiasm perked up instantly. Earth pony magic, the term Rice had taught his son as a way of explaining science and technology to the young colt. Truly though, he believed there was some magic in what he did. He just wished the other tribes could see it... "That's right. How about I take you to the workshop tomorrow? Daddy'll show you all what kind of magic he's working on." "You mean it? Really?!" his asked excitedly. "Of course! We'll even get you a few copies of some earth pony spell books." Rice said, referring to some basic instruction manuals. It would be a good place to start. A nice crafting project together would be the perfect way to show him that earth ponies can accomplish great things even without wings and magic. It would be a small demonstration but it would be a start. They reached the Cake's house at the corner of Sugar Street and Cube Road, the developing area of town. Several families had opened up stores in the area and business was prominent. In time, it was likely this corner of town would become something of a social center. Rice knocked on the door with a hoof. The door opened to reveal a large cream colored stallion with a heavy brown beard. He stood at least a head taller than Rice and he wore a smile on his face as the two stood in front of him. "Chancellor Rice Pudding!" he announced with a formal bow. "How good to see you my friend! It's the big day isn't it?" "It's good to see you too Bunt. I'm actually on my way over there now, just dropping off Vice for a while." "Of course, of course! Well, come on in." Bunt crouched down a bit to address Vice. "Cake's probably up in his room if you want to go see him." Rice shyly nodded and trotted past the larger stallion. Vice and Bunt watched him as he walked inside. "He's still a little shy." Rice said as he watched. "Yeah. He'll grow out of it I'm sure." Bunt said as he looked over his shoulder. "So, he tells me Cake's started studying magic." Rice said, starting a conversation. "Oh yeah, we're real proud of him. He's been reading his spell books all night." Bunt sounded like he was trying to be happy but at the same time on the verge of tears. "It'll be time for him to join the unicorns then won't it? He'll be going to a school in Canterlot." Rice asked. "I know... he's mother and I couldn't be happier." Bunt turned around, still smiling. Tears rolled down his face. Rice knew too well that they weren't tears of joy. The Cakes were earth ponies but their son was a unicorn. On rare occassions, pony parents had offspring that were a different species entirely. A pegasi and a unicorn could produce an earth pony foal, two unicorns could produce a pegasus, etc. According to the legend, this was to keep balance between the tribes. But the tribes were seperate, the earth ponies had Ponyville, the pegasi had Cloudsdale and the unicorns had Canterlot. On these rare occassions, the foal was sent to an academy in one of the communities with others of their species. It was considered 'natural'. Unforutnately, it also meant the cakes would likely never see their son again except on rare occassions. It was one of the things Rice believed and others like him believed needed to stop. "Bunt, I'm sorry. I... I'm so sorry." "It's okay Rice. Really, it's fine. He's going to be the best unicorn in Equestria. He'll learn all sorts of magic." Bunt now cried uncontrollably as he spoke. "No, it's not. I... I'm going to put a stop to it." Rice declared. He was almost on the verge of tears himself now. What if Vice had been a unicorn? Or a pegasus? Or an alicorn? There were families like this all over Equestria. Pegasi, unciorn and earth pony alike. It was time for the tribes to be united. "Oh... don't do anything on our account. We'll be fine..." Bunt tried to sound optimistic through the tears given the hoplessness of the situation. "It's not just for you Bunt. It's for all of us. Don't worry, I will get them to see things our way." Rice consoled his friend. "Yeah... I know you will Rice. You better get going now. Don't want to be late for your first meeting right?" Bunt turned around and entered the house. Rice closed the door slowly behind them, turned and walked towards the town hall. His eyes were on the ground as he walked the streets towards his destiny. He noticed his shadow and saw the pudding hat atop his head. He couldn't help but grin. Rice picked his head up marched on, renewed and confident that he would make the other two tribe leaders understand things. He'd do it for every pony in Ponyville. Nay, he'd do it for every pony in Equestria. He trotted on.