“Gosh, I didn’t realise how much work re-shelving day was gonna be,” Scootaloo said, sitting down in the vast dining room at lunchtime. They’d been working especially hard for the past hour while Spike was preparing lunch for himself and eight hungry ponies, so they were grateful for the rest.
“Me neither,” said Apple Bloom, hopping onto a seat beside her. “Either of you seen the journal?” she asked. “I haven’t.”
“No,” Sweetie Belle said, wiping her forehead with her foreleg. She wasn’t sweating anymore, but using magic constantly for a few hours was taking a toll on her stamina.
“I said it would be impossible,” Scootaloo said.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom acknowledged. “Just hoped we’d get lucky.”
“It’s kinda weird,” Scootaloo said. “I mean, we left the journal on the table yesterday, and it wasn’t covered in books when we came in. I looked. Why would Twilight move it?”
“Any number of reasons,” Apple Bloom said. “It don’t matter. What matters is it ain’t there.”
“Of course it matters,” Scootaloo answered. She was frustrated, though not with Apple Bloom. “Now would be the perfect time to read it, except it’s not there.”
“Why do you want to read the journal?” Sweetie Belle asked yet again.
“Let’s just tell her,” Scootaloo said to Apple Bloom. “We’ve got time.”
Apple Bloom made an uncertain face, but she didn’t instantly shoot the suggestion down, and Sweetie Belle sat forward eagerly.
Spike strolled into the dining room holding two large plates. Twilight and the other ponies were behind him, each transporting something delicious. Spike announced, “Lunch is served!”
Rarity trotted towards to Sweetie Belle with a large bowl of salad. The other two looked at her sheepishly as Sweetie Belle pouted modestly. “We’ll tell you later, honest,” Scootaloo said just before Rarity reached them.
The next time Twilight permitted everypony to take a break Sweetie Belle seized the initiative. “Okay, so now you can me what you found out from the journal,” she said.
“You guys still haven’t seen it?” Apple Bloom asked. They sat in a triangle, once again grateful for the opportunity to rest.
“No,” Sweetie Belle huffed, while Scootaloo shook her head wearily.
“I guess we can’t use it to explain anyway,” Apple Bloom said.
“Uh huh,” Sweetie Belle agreed readily. Finally she was going to find out what exactly held her friends’ keen interest.
“Hey guys!” Spike called, approaching them.
“Oh, come on!” Sweetie Belle complained, quietly though so Spike didn’t overhear her.
“I just wanted to say you’re all doing a great job with the books.” Spike smiled broadly. “We couldn’t have gotten this much done without you. I really appreciate the help. Twilight does too.”
“Thanks, Spike,” Apple Bloom said.
“You guys look fed up,” Spike commented.
“We’re just a bit tired,” Scootaloo admitted. She was sure that she never wanted to see another book again in her life. She was not meant to be a librarian.
Spike wasn’t sure Apple Bloom would look so glum if that was the only reason, since she did tough chores on Sweet Apple Acres all the time. He suspected a combination of fatigue and - assuming Applejack and Twilight were right about the interest the Crusaders had in Starlight Glimmer’s cutie unmarking spell - frustration with not having access to the Journal of Friendship.
“Didn’t get your cutie marks, huh?” Spike said sympathetically, hoping to distract them somewhat. “Never mind. You know, I’ve kinda always envied you guys for that.”
All three Crusaders pricked up their ears. “What d’ya mean?” Apple Bloom asked.
Spike leaned against some nearby books. “You get to try out everything with the excuse of searching for your cutie marks. That’s gotta be loads of fun.”
“Sure,” Apple Bloom said. “But looking for our cutie marks is serious business too.”
“It’s the whole reason we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” said Sweetie Belle, slowly.
“I wouldn’t want to find my cutie mark if it meant giving up being a Crusader.” Spike stretched out his spine, which was aching a bit from how much bending he’d done, and he didn’t think much of how the three fillies stared at him. “Oh, hey, I was gonna make some more snacks,” he said abruptly. “Maybe nachos. How’s that sound?”
A little frown marred Apple Bloom’s face. “Nachos sounds fine,” she murmured.
“Wait,” Scootaloo said quickly. “Do you know where the Journal of Friendship is? Twilight said that Sweetie Belle should write about when we went to Appleoosa. We’ve been so busy we haven’t had a proper chance to look for it, but we haven’t seen it around.”
Spike drummed his claws against the back of his neck. “Sorry, guys. I haven’t seen it either. I wouldn’t worry about it though.”
“I’m not worried,” Sweetie Belle said grumpily. “Um, I mean, I can write in it some other time,” she backtracked when Spike looked askance at her. “So I’m not worried.”
Spike nodded and walked away. “Seriously, can you please tell me what’s going on before someone else wanders past?” Sweetie Belle asked once he was out of earshot.
Scootaloo launched right into the tale, driven by apprehension that Apple Bloom would hesitate again. “Okay. You know your sisters went someplace when that funny map appeared in the throne room?”
Sweetie Belle nodded. It had been a few months ago. Rarity hadn’t told her anything more than that she and her friends had helped other ponies to find real friendship, which was Twilight’s mission as the princess. Sweetie Belle hadn’t thought anything more of it.
Apple Bloom took over. “They went to a village run by a unicorn called Starlight Glimmer. Yesterday I found an entry all about it in the journal. I wasn’t that interested ‘til I saw something called the cutie unmarking.”
Sweetie Belle’s nose wrinkled. “What’s that?”
“It’s a spell Starlight Glimmer used to replace cutie marks.”
“What?” Sweetie Belle said loudly.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo hushed her. Luckily no one else noticed Sweetie Belle’s eruption.
“Applejack told me Starlight Glimmer used magic to replace all the ponies’ cutie marks with an equal sign that made them all the same,” Apple Bloom elaborated. “She said most of the ponies were happy about it.”
Sweetie Belle scrunched her nose again. “About all having the same cutie mark?”
Scootaloo nodded. “It’s weird, right?”
“But our sisters helped them make real friends and then they decided to have their real cutie marks back. I think.” Apple Bloom sighed, aware that her knowledge was lacking. “That’s why I wanted to find the journal, so we could read more about it.”
“I wanna know more about Starlight Glimmer and why she knows how to change cutie marks,” said Scootaloo. “I mean, why would she even want to know how to do that? Not even Princess Luna and Princess Celestia can do that.” Perhaps Starlight Glimmer had disliked her cutie mark, like Trouble Shoes had, but instead of living with it she learned how to change it.
“I bet Twilight wondered too,” Sweetie Belle said. “After all, magic is her special talent. Why don’t we just ask her to tell us about the cutie unmarking and Starlight Glimmer?” she suggested.
“I already asked Applejack,” said Apple Bloom.
“So?”
“Well… I thought it was kinda strange she didn’t tell me about cutie unmarking already,” Apple Bloom said uncomfortably. “‘cause she’d told me Starlight’s name and about helping ponies in the village to make real friends with each other, but not that.”
“Rarity didn’t even tell me her name,” Sweetie Belle said. And Sweetie Belle hadn’t minded - how could she when she didn’t know that the unicorn existed, much less that she possessed a spell specifically related to cutie mark magic? The only other spell related to cutie marks Sweetie Belle had ever even heard of was the one by Starswirl the Bearded that Twilight fixed after its magic gave Rarity Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark. Starlight Glimmer must be a powerful unicorn.
Scootaloo was rubbing her hoof against the underside of her jaw thoughtfully. “That’s suspicious,” she said.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at her quizzically. Scootaloo surreptitiously glanced at the adult ponies, who were gathered around the table they were using to categorise the books. “You said Applejack went out after you talked to her last night,” she said.
“Yeah, so what?” Apple Bloom asked.
Scootaloo lowered her voice, recognising the sting in her next words. “What if she came here and hid the journal?”
“Why would she do that?” Apple Bloom demanded immediately.
“If she didn’t want us to know anything else about Starlight Glimmer she might,” Scootaloo said. “Like you said, it’s strange she didn’t talk about the cutie unmarking at all even though she told you Starlight’s name. If Rarity didn’t either… it sorta sounds like they might’ve been hiding it.”
“No way,” Apple Bloom said indignantly. “My sister’s the Element of Honesty. She wouldn’t lie to anyone, especially not me.”
“It’s not lying if you don’t tell somepony everything you do,” Sweetie Belle said quietly.
“Yeah it is,” Apple Bloom scoffed. “And Applejack ain’t a liar.”
“But—” Scootaloo began.
“No!” Apple Bloom stamped her front hoof, madder than a wet hen. “She could’ve been doin’ anything when she went out last night!”
“Let’s just ask my sister and Twilight,” Sweetie Belle interjected, trying not to feel guilty about Apple Bloom’s assertion that not telling someone everything was indistinguishable from lying. Apple Bloom was just upset, that was all.
“What if they’re in on it?” Scootaloo asked.
“Well that’s why we should ask them,” Sweetie Belle answered impatiently.
“This is ridiculous,” Apple Bloom said angrily. As if Applejack had something to do with the journal’s absence! It was so much more likely that Twilight had simply moved the journal to read or write in it - she’d probably read Scootaloo’s words about Trouble Shoes a thousand times already.
Proving it would be easy enough. She stomped towards the older ponies. “Twilight?”
Twilight spoke to Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy about the Journal of Friendship at lunchtime, while helping Spike take food to the dining room. There wasn’t much chance to discuss it in depth, and Twilight forgot about the matter until Spike pointed out that everybody could do with another break.
Now they were gathered around the sorting table. Twilight wondered if anyone besides herself had been properly concentrating on the real task of organising her books, because everypony - except Pinkie Pie, who was strangely silent - apparently had an opinion on Applejack’s decision.
“I don’t get it,” Rainbow Dash was saying, shaking her head. “Applejack’s all about honesty. I mean, she couldn’t tell a lie to save Sweet Apple Acres if it was on fire. How is she happy lying to Apple Bloom herself, never mind getting you to help her?” she asked Twilight.
“It does seem a little odd,” Fluttershy admitted.
“Leaving out some parts of a story isn’t the same thing as lying,” said Rarity.
“Of course it is,” Rainbow disagreed.
“Hardly,” Rarity insisted. “I don’t tell you about every single thing that happens when I’m designing and making a dress. I know you’d find it boring.”
“Is that why you didn’t tell Sweetie Belle about what happened to us? Because you think us losing our cutie marks was boring?” Just thinking about Starlight Glimmer still made Rainbow Dash very angry.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Rarity snapped. “I don’t share everything with my sister, Rainbow. Why didn’t you tell Scootaloo everything?”
“I don’t have to,” Rainbow answered in exasperation. “Scootaloo isn’t my sister.”
“What if she was?” Rarity countered.
“Well, I—I-I’d tell her all about it! She loves hearing about adventures and us being awesome, which we were.” Rainbow performed a few punching motions in mid-air and flew in a fast, tight circle above their heads as she spoke. “We beat Starlight and she went all the way back to those mountains she came from! Good riddance!” Rainbow crossed her forelegs, glaring at Rarity.
“Because that’s such a good lesson to teach your little sister,” Rarity said sarcastically.
“You feel sorry for Starlight?” Rainbow asked heatedly.
“I do,” Fluttershy said so softly that Twilight only heard her because she was standing beside her.
“Applejack’s caught between a rock and a hard place,” Pinkie Pie suddenly said, preventing Rarity from answering Rainbow.
“What?” Rainbow Dash asked, more shocked by the role reversal of Pinkie as a voice of reason than by the actual comment. The other ponies looked at her in surprise as well.
“Telling Apple Bloom that Starlight Glimmer hurt us wouldn’t make her smile,” Pinkie said, eyes on the three fillies. It was a simple statement, yet it lay at the heart of Applejack’s conflict.
“If it was me, I don’t think I’d want to worry her with something she didn’t have to know,” Fluttershy disclosed softly. She looked at Rarity. “Is that why you didn’t tell Sweetie Belle?”
“The truth is it didn’t cross my mind to,” Rarity admitted, flustered. “I didn’t see Sweetie Belle until a few days had passed. I suppose I chose to concentrate on the good things that we did for Sugar Belle and the others, for my own benefit. When it came to telling Sweetie, I told her that story.”
“So you lied to yourself and then you lied to her,” Rainbow Dash stated.
Rarity’s scowl was tremendous. “Stop,” Twilight requested before Rarity could retort. “I don’t think it’s the same, Rainbow.”
She looked over at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They huddled together conspiratorially, as unknowable to the outside world as any group of close friends. Tenacious, intelligent, loving – yes, Twilight could sympathise with Applejack’s concerns for her sister’s well-being. They were reflected in her friend’s expressions. There was even some uncertainty on Rainbow’s face.
“None of us care for somepony the way that Applejack does,” Twilight said quietly. “We talked about whether it was for the best. She said she thought it was. I don’t think it’s my place to act against her wishes.”
“She made it your place by asking you to help her lie to Apple Bloom,” Rainbow protested.
“She didn’t say she wanted to keep what Starlight did a secret forever,” Twilight answered defensively. “I think she was really just asking for some time to decide what to do. We only just cleaned up winter; you know how much she has to do at this time of year.”
Apple Bloom suddenly stamped her hoof. “I think she might be out of time,” Fluttershy squeaked.
“There’s no evidence that they’re talking about what we’re talking about,” Twilight said, anxiety unfurling in the pit of her stomach.
“Oh come on, Twilight,” Rainbow said, tone scathing. “What else could they be talking about? Spike said they just asked him about the journal.”
“I guess we’ll find out,” Twilight answered as Apple Bloom turned around swiftly. A detached part of her mind whispered that they should leave the library: what if somepony bucked something in anger and ruined the progress they’d made? She studiously ignored the idea.
“Twilight?” Apple Bloom’s stride and stare were both irate. The other two Crusaders flanked her, although they looked more like Fluttershy than like their friend. “Where’s the Journal of Friendship?” Apple Bloom asked determinedly.
This is certainly my decision now, thought Twilight.
She was mistaken. “I know why you want the journal, Apple Bloom,” Rarity said, walking around the table. She didn’t look to Twilight for leadership. “And I can tell you suspect Twilight has hidden it from you deliberately. Well, I’m sorry to say it, but you’re right.”
All three Crusaders gasped. Apple Bloom’s face fell. Rarity saw that reaction but her own gaze went to Sweetie Belle and never wavered.
“Sweetie, I didn’t lie to you, but I didn’t tell you the full story about the village that the Cutie Map told us to visit. To be honest, I didn’t think it was important to tell you the whole story. You recall you told me your friend Trouble Shoes was truly happy after you helped him?”
Sweetie Belle nodded.
“Well, the ponies in Starlight’s village were truly happy once we helped them get their cutie marks back, and I thought that was the most important part of our adventure. There are things about how we got there that I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want to remember them myself.” Rarity paused, and then inhaled deeply. “And I’m sorry, but I won’t tell you what those things are, and you can’t read the journal. Not yet. If I tell you, then your friends will deserve to know, and that’s not my decision to make. We’ll have to wait for Applejack to arrive.”
Silence descended on the ponies. No one quite knew what to say. The mood was sombre.
Frankly, Rainbow Dash was impressed by the extent of Rarity’s honesty. She hadn’t expected her to be so blunt about potentially not letting the fillies read the journal.
She noticed that Scootaloo was looking at her morosely. The expression filled Rainbow with surprise, and then confusion, which soon morphed into concern. “Scootaloo—?” she started, but Apple Bloom interrupted her.
“Did my sister tell you to hide the journal?” she asked Twilight, voice wavering with disbelief.
Twilight frantically recollected all of the friendship lessons she and the others had learned together. Was there one about what to do when you’d made the right choice yet still hurt somepony’s feelings? She couldn’t remember one. Had she made the wrong choice in supporting Applejack?
“I’m sorry, Apple Bloom,” she apologised quietly, the omission serving as confirmation.
“I can’t believe it,” Apple Bloom said. She looked at Sweetie Belle unsteadily, stirring her and Scootaloo to move closer in support.
The tension was broken and a new one introduced by a voice from the hallway. “Howdy, y’all.”
Applejack was walking towards the library, smiling tiredly. Her coat was slightly matted. Although it looked as though she had wrung her hat and mane out, both still occasionally dripped.
“Didn’t realise everyone would be here,” Applejack said. “Hope you don’t mind sharing with an extra hungry pony.” She indicated Spike, who was ambling along next to her holding a plate brimming with nachos.
A second passed as she took in the gloomy expressions on her friends’ faces. “What’s wrong?” she asked instantly, coming to a halt.
“You couldn’t have got here five minutes ago?” Rainbow Dash complained.
Anger flared anew inside Apple Bloom. “I can’t believe you told Twilight to hide the journal from us!” she shouted at her sister, causing Fluttershy to wince.
Despite telling herself all day that she had nothing to worry about, Applejack had been apprehensively picturing a moment like this. After the day’s work was held up by Granny slipping as she stubbornly insisted on seeing to the chickens, her mind’s eye had only grown more dramatic. So Applejack didn’t flinch at the volume of Apple Bloom’s voice. “I had my reasons,” she said, gritting her teeth.
“Like what?” Apple Bloom demanded, storming towards her. Spike took a few steps back, protecting his plate of nachos.
“You didn’t know a lick about the cutie unmarking and you didn’t need to,” Applejack answered, voice strained. “All that matters is Starlight Glimmer won’t be casting her cutie unmarking spell on ya ‘cause she’s gone, thank goodness.”
“Starlight’s gone?” Apple Bloom repeated as though it was new information.
Glad she’d kept a lid on her desire to raise her voice, Applejack demanded, “Twilight Sparkle, I want ya to tell me what the hay is going on here.”
Twilight shifted uneasily. “I’m—”
“It is I who is responsible for this state of affairs,” Rarity cut in, stepping forward.
Applejack narrowed her eyes, irritated by Rarity’s fancy-talk and flair for the dramatic. “How’s that, then?” she asked. She regretted not having thought to visit Rarity after speaking with Twilight the previous evening.
“Twilight explained your situation to us,” Rarity said.
“She did not!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“You hush now,” Applejack instructed sternly.
Rarity continued. “Twilight told us that she’d written about Starlight Glimmer in the Journal of Friendship, and that Apple Bloom read a little of it yesterday while she was here.”
“A little is right,” Apple Bloom muttered irritably. She wished she’d read more at the time.
Despite the stubborn streak that ran through every member of the Apple family, Applejack wasn’t in the habit of shouting at her little sister. She quashed the urge now in respect for that. “And?” she ground out, still uncertain as to how much Apple Bloom had learned while she’d been darn-foolish enough to let her out of her sight.
“Twilight then explained you didn’t want Apple Bloom to read any more in case… certain things came to light. I’d like you to understand that I agree with your caution, by the way.”
Although Applejack was somewhat soothed by Rarity’s confession, Apple Bloom now had another pony to glare at venomously, and Sweetie Belle started frowning as well.
“It seems that our sisters became suspicious about the journal’s absence over the course of the day,” said Rarity.
No one noticed Scootaloo flush except Rainbow Dash.
“They didn’t accuse Twilight of hiding the journal, but it was clearly in their minds,” Rarity stated. “I decided it would be less hurtful all around if I admitted that Twilight did so. Apple Bloom was the one who asked if she did it because you asked her to.”
“And Twilight said she was sorry which means you did!” Apple Bloom erupted again. “Why won’t you let us read the journal? I don’t understand the problem.”
“The problem is Starlight Glimmer’s meaner than a wet panther,” Applejack snapped. Both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie made consenting noises.
“You didn’t say you didn’t like her last night,” Apple Bloom complained.
“Kinda thought I’d made that obvious from the beginning,” Applejack remarked sourly. Apple Bloom frowned because her sister had a point.
“Why is she bad?” It was Scootaloo’s turn to sound annoyed. “You told Apple Bloom the ponies in her village were happy to all have the same cutie mark. If they were happy it doesn’t matter if we think it’s strange, does it?”
Applejack ignored this, albeit guiltily. Outright disagreement would lead to more questions. “There’s some things you’re better off not knowin’,” she said instead.
“But you have to tell us!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed shrilly. “We have to know!”
“Why?” Rarity asked. By her glare it was apparent she was questioning Rainbow Dash as well as her sister.
Sweetie Belle looked at Rarity desperately. “Because—because if we don’t know everything about cutie marks we could end up with a cutie mark that we hate just like Trouble Shoes did.” Her voice dropped unhappily.
Both Applejack and Rarity jolted. Neither of them had linked Trouble Shoes and Starlight Glimmer in that fashion. Rarity gave a little nicker of distress and trotted over to her sister, feeling that she should’ve anticipated the concern. “Sweetie Belle, I told you that won’t happen,” she said, trying to think of something more reassuring to add. Nothing came to mind.
Clearly Apple Bloom and Scootaloo hadn’t made the connection either, as they were both gawking at Sweetie Belle. “Oh my gosh, you’re totally right!” Apple Bloom cried. “Applejack, you have to tell us! Please.”
“Now, calm down, sugarcube,” Applejack said, trying to stave off full-blown panic.
“Calm down? How can I calm down when my own sister is lying to me?”
Applejack gasped. “I ain’t lying to ya!”
“Yes you are!”
“See, I told you,” Rainbow Dash said, feeling vindicated. “Hiding the full story is just the same as lying in the end.” She hoped Scootaloo would realise she was on their side. But she couldn’t interpret Scootaloo’s expression.
“Oh, Rainbow, maybe you shouldn’t…” Fluttershy started quietly.
A series of huffy noises came out of Rarity’s mouth as she tried and failed to reign in her temper. “Honestly, Rainbow Dash—”
“Don’t, Rarity, please,” Fluttershy pleaded. In the current atmosphere harsh words would fester like food going rotten, feeding resentments like the ones which ultimately led Fluttershy to mistake cruelty for assertiveness.
Rarity exhaled angrily, and Fluttershy’s ears flattened. But Rarity heeded her advice. “Are you even trying to see both sides of the debate?” she asked Rainbow.
“Sure, you have concerns, big deal!” Rainbow shrugged scornfully. “The cat’s out of the bag. It’s that simple. We should tell them the whole truth. They can handle it.”
“Yeah,” the three fillies approved.
“Ya can’t always get what you want, Apple Bloom,” Applejack said with conviction.
“Besides, I think it’s clear they can’t just ‘handle it’,” Rarity harrumphed, much to the disdain of the younger ponies.
“I think they have a right to know more,” Twilight said cautiously. She’d stayed silent until that point partly to re-think her own series of decisions, partly because she’d had nothing to add, and partly because she hoped observing the repertoire would help her to think of a solution.
Applejack snorted, “That so?” and Rarity said, “Do tell, darling,” in a voice that wasn’t entirely kind.
“Yes,” Twilight replied. “But I realise it’s not my decision to make. What do you think, Pinkie?” she asked.
“Me?” Pinkie looked surprised to have been included. She’d shrunk in on herself again, similar to earlier when Twilight vented her anger over Gummy’s actions.
“It isn’t Pinkie Pie’s decision either!” Rarity exclaimed.
“Rarity, please,” Twilight beseeched her. Though Rarity gnashed her teeth and muttered to herself, she subsided.
“Pinkie, please tell us what you think,” Twilight repeated. She planned to ask each quiet spectator what they thought. As long as Twilight could keep the discussion from degenerating into further arguments, she was sure everyone would calm down. Then they’d be able to establish a course of action.
“I don’t know,” Pinkie said. “I thought that it was better for them not to know but now I just want everypony to stop arguing. I think that means telling them everything that happened, not a sugar-coated version, even though sugar coatings make things tastier.” She licked her lips nervously.
“Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash groaned, exasperated. Rarity grimaced rolled her eyes. Even Fluttershy looked slightly disconcerted. Applejack, meanwhile, was surprised by how much it rankled that Pinkie Pie opposed her.
“What, I’m hungry,” Pinkie said, with a quavering smile of embarrassment. As if on cue, her stomach grumbled piteously.
Now confident that no-pony was about to accidentally knock the plate from his grasp, Spike entered the conversation. “Uh, yeah, we could eat while we’re talking about this.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea, Spike,” Twilight agreed. “What do you—?”
“You know what my sister’s not telling me?” Apple Bloom demanded in amazement.
Spike chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
“You told Spike and not us?” Apple Bloom said angrily to Applejack.
“Hey!” Spike objected. Still, he felt surprisingly bad about being in the know when the Crusaders were not.
“I didn’t tell Spike anything,” Applejack answered with a grimace.
“I told Spike,” Twilight said defensively. “He’s my assistant. My studying doesn’t go as well without his help.”
“And I’m your sister,” Sweetie Belle complained to Rarity, who moaned quietly.
Twilight frowned, and reminded herself of her ultimate goal. “Let’s go back into the library and eat these nachos. Spike, what do you think we should do?”
Even though Spike discerned Twilight’s reasoning, he wished that she hadn’t. Knowing for certain - as he did right now - that his honest opinion would upset at least two of his friends was unpleasant. He hoped Rarity would remember that he was her favourite dragon and dear friend.
“Well, uh… I think you should tell them.” He persisted with an explanation though it was tricky to tread lightly when he hadn’t been present for the adventure. “I mean, isn’t part of what you’re afraid of that you-know-who would do you-know-what to these guys? But they don’t have their cutie marks, so they’re totally safe. I’m sorry, Rarity. And Applejack.”
“It’s all right, Spike,” Rarity said quietly. She didn’t feel any more betrayed than when Pinkie sided against them. Somehow, their opinion was the one in the minority. That they had the majority say didn’t comfort her. Perhaps she was mistaken in her beliefs.
Spike managed to reheat the nachos with some carefully applied dragon-fire, and he placed the plate on one of the tables with a downhearted glance at Rarity.
Only Pinkie seemed to notice the nachos. “Thanks, Spike,” she whispered. She concentrated on eating rather than on the argument. She wasn’t sure if she was going to cry.
Sweetie Belle thought the most important part of Spike’s words was that the older ponies were afraid. The cutie unmarking was sounding more sinister by the minute. Meanwhile Apple Bloom pondered moodily why their lack of cutie marks was something that could possibly keep them safe.
If we’re safe and they’re afraid it must have been a doozy of an adventure, thought Scootaloo. A flash of lightning and consequent thunder roll which rumbled outside the castle reminded her of the wild woods outside Appleoosa. She shivered.
“Fluttershy, what do you think?” asked Twilight.
Fluttershy looked steadfastly at the floor. “I-I don’t think anything.”
“Fluttershy, come on,” Rainbow Dash encouraged vehemently. “You must think something.”
The girls’ safety was paramount. Fluttershy didn’t trust the fillies to understand the danger of certain situations. But Fluttershy was a naturally fearful pony; she would think that. Her first-hoof experience came from the business with the cockatrice, but plenty of time had passed since then. The fillies had grown up so much. They were likely far better at identifying danger now.
Fluttershy didn't feel it was her place to voice this opinion. “Well, no, um, whatever everyone agrees on is fine,” she said.
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash, frowning fiercely, swooped down and landed beside the other pegasus.
Intimidated by her friend’s speed, Fluttershy squeaked.
“Fluttershy, come on,” Rainbow repeated, curbing her forceful tone. “Tell us what you think.”
Twilight nodded appreciatively.
Fluttershy whimpered. “Oh—I’m just not sure. I want to protect the girls. But m-maybe it’s best to tell the truth, even though S-Starlight’s magic was scary. But, um, if we do that, then we should tell them everything.” She’d prefer to err on the side of caution given the danger Starlight Glimmer represented, and that meant making it completely clear how terrifying Starlight was.
The more everypony said the more cornered Applejack felt. “Well, I don’t agree with any of y’all,” Applejack said resolutely. She could feel her stubborn streak taking hold.
“Nor do I,” said Rarity, although with less conviction.
“Why not?” Apple Bloom asked, sounding hurt.
“I just don’t,” Applejack declared.
“I’m not a foal,” Apple Bloom said, her own stubbornness flaring. “Why can’t you just trust me?”
“Trust you!” Applejack shouted without warning, shocking everyone. Now you’ve gone and done it, she thought, closing her eyes in despair.
The silence around her was filled with unspoken questions. Applejack collected her wits, resigned to her fate. She wasn’t the best at explaining herself, but now she had to try.
“For all I know,” she said slowly to Apple Bloom, “you could learn about Starlight Glimmer and decide the best thing to do is to walk right out of Ponyville and try to find her, without breathin’ a word to anypony other than your friends here. Matter of fact, you’d probably all go together, and I don’t know if that’s better or worse.” Applejack sighed. “I can’t trust you, Apple Bloom,” she said reluctantly. “Just last week the three of y’all went runnin’ off to find Trouble Shoes.”
Sweetie Belle was immediately ashamed. Scootaloo looked remorseful. “We helped Trouble Shoes!” Apple Bloom countered indignantly.
“That ain’t the point,” Applejack answered. “Just ‘cause it worked out fine don’t mean you were right to go wandering off. I was worried sick about all of ya!” Simply remembering the fear she’d felt when she thought her sister had been filly-napped caused her heart to beat wildly.
“I can take care of myself,” Apple Bloom answered. She’d proven so on multiple occasions.
“I’m tryin to keep you safe, don’t you understand?” Applejack looked imploringly at her friends, who felt more like her adversaries at this point. “Don’t any of you understand?”
“I do,” Fluttershy murmured. Applejack’s description of the Crusaders’ behaviour was exactly what she’d feared. Twilight also thought that given the prior evidence Applejack had good reason to be concerned.
“Why didn’t you just say that?” Rainbow asked Applejack. “We can totally make sure that doesn’t happen.” She flew over the table so she could quickly put a reassuring hoof on Scootaloo’s back. “Listen, I’m with you guys, all right?” she said, smiling. “You three just gotta promise you aren’t going to do anything crazy after we tell you what happened.”
Applejack whinnied angrily. “I didn’t say we’re gonna tell them!”
“So you’re just going to keep lying?” Rainbow Dash asked, with a hint of contempt in her voice.
Guilt, fear and anger amalgamated in Applejack’s heart. She was honestly offended by the interpretation, but given the way Apple Bloom was glaring at her, she had to consider that Rainbow Dash might have a point.
“Applejack, can I talk with you?” Rarity asked.
Applejack didn’t answer, breathing heavily.
“Please?” Rarity added.
Applejack grunted in begrudging assent. She shot Rainbow Dash a warning glance as the two stepped into the hallway.
Rarity didn’t stop walking, however, and Applejack stalked after her in a combination of surprise and annoyance. Still Rarity remained silent, as though she wasn’t interested. Applejack eventually snorted. If Rarity wanted to play coy, fine. Applejack would beat her at her own game.
They walked from the library to the throne room. Rarity rubbed her hoof against the blue velveteen cushion on her throne, apparently lost in thought. Applejack glared at the unmarked spot on the map where Starlight Glimmer’s village lay, in the foothills of the Crystal Mountains beyond Manehattan.
The gentle tinkling of magic drew Applejack’s attention away from the map. Magic wreathed Rarity’s horn, creating an unobtrusive beam of light. Rarity looked at the chandelier hanging above them, and Applejack resentfully did so as well. She couldn’t even see the memories framed by the gems.
Rarity’s light struck a gem full in its face. The air between the chandelier and the map began to waver as an image flickered into existence. Rarity was casting some kind of projection spell. The image grew in size and clarity until they could both see the past clearly, depicting the aftermath of the race at the Sisterhooves Social: the two of them and their younger sisters. All four were smiling.
The heat of anger in Applejack’s cheeks began to dissipate. Still, she snorted again. “I don’t appreciate bein’ manipulated, Rarity,” she said gruffly.
Rarity cleared her throat and extinguished her spell. “I understand your concerns, believe me,” she started carefully. “But at this point I think our friends are right. If we don’t tell the girls what happened, they may not forgive us for keeping it from them.”
“As long as my sister’s safe I can live with that.”
Rarity put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder compassionately. “She’ll be safe regardless, Applejack. All of our friends will help ensure they don’t run off on some hare-brained quest looking to capture Starlight Glimmer.”
“My cousin Braeburn tried to stop ‘em and it didn’t do any good,” Applejack countered.
“Well… yes, I see your point. But he was only one pony. There are seven of us. Nine if we include Granny Smith and Big McIntosh.”
“We can’t spend every second of the day watching the three of them.”
“Perhaps not, but…” Rarity hesitated before continuing. “Well, just between the two of us, after everything that happened in Appleoosa Sweetie Belle hasn’t been feeling entirely up to crusading. I believe she can keep Scootaloo and Apple Bloom from doing anything rash.”
The divulgence made Applejack’s ears twitch. “That why she didn’t join Apple Bloom and Scootaloo here yesterday?” she asked, and Rarity nodded. Applejack said, “I thought you hadn’t finished your dresses for Toity Hoity.” She deliberately mispronounced his name.
“No. I mention it because Sweetie opened up to me about it. It took a little cajoling, but only a little. And I’d rather she be frightened, but still feel able to talk to me, than feel aggrieved.”
Applejack certainly understood that. Not that she was happy about it given the current circumstances.
“I’ve always looked to you for guidance about how to be a good sister, and you’ve never lead me astray,” Rarity admitted, voice soft. “Perhaps I can do the same for you now. I remember that you once told me that being sisters is a give and a take. I had to learn to compromise.”
“I remember too,” Applejack sighed, touched by Rarity’s confession. “Do ya really think this is similar?”
Rarity nodded. “I do wish the girls hadn’t learned of the cutie unmarking,” she said. Then she lifted her head, as though steeling herself for a challenge. “But I think we must make the best of a bad situation. However, if you disagree, I will support you.”
“You will?” Applejack asked sceptically. “Loyalty is Rainbow’s thing.”
“Oh please, Applejack. Just because she bore the Element doesn’t mean she has a monopoly on it.” Rarity smiled at her. “Why, you’re one of the most generous and loyal ponies I’ve ever met.”
“Shucks, Rarity,” Applejack answered, torn between feeling genuinely complimented and suspecting Rarity of more subtle manipulation. “Flattery won’t get you nowhere.”
Rarity scrunched her nose fractionally. Applejack’s dialect gave the saying the opposite meaning to what she intended. Nevertheless, Rarity chose to ignore the mistake.
“It isn’t flattery if it’s true, darling,” she said. “So what is your decision?”
Applejack wanted her little sister to be happy and carefree. She always had wanted that, and always would. By and large she’d been able to keep Apple Bloom from worrying unnecessarily with staunch support and the occasional lullaby. What Rarity was suggesting would completely disrupt those wishes. Additionally, Applejack was certain that Apple Bloom would eventually forgive her with withholding information. They were sisters.
On the other hoof, family life might be unpleasant for quite some time, needlessly according to Rarity. In spite of her deep misgivings, Apple Bloom’s resentful frown wouldn’t leave Applejack’s mind. If Applejack let her fears dictate how she treated her sister, for how long would that expression linger?
“Fine,” Applejack groaned unwillingly. “I’ll trust ya on this.”
“Oh, thank you.” Rarity quickly nuzzled Applejack’s neck. Applejack nudged her away sullenly. The chill of apprehension had settled somewhere deep inside her body and it wasn’t budging.
“You mustn’t be downcast,” Rarity chided. But Applejack’s consequent glare indicated she wasn’t prepared to be gracious in defeat. Rarity smiled apologetically: she’d take the victory without asking for anything more yet.
“I… Am I a liar, Rarity?” Applejack asked her quietly.
“Not yet,” Rarity answered, though she was sure Rainbow Dash would disagree.
“I’ve got such a bad feeling about this, Rarity,” Applejack disclosed.
“We’ll manage it together, with our friends,” Rarity assured her.
“I hope so.”
“As do I.”