//------------------------------// // Sunrise // Story: The Many Lives of Twilight Sparkle // by Drax //------------------------------// “Just take the damn money!” “NO!” “Ugh,” Twilight Sparkle was at her wits end arguing with Applejack. The past five hours had been spent negotiating, debating and straight out yelling at each other over the future of Sweet Apple Acres. The alicorn queen could feel her hoof inching ever closer to her face with each passing scream, but she restrained herself. After that unfortunate cake incident she had promised herself she wouldn’t go through the strenuous task of explaining to her subjects why she had given herself a black eye. Her old friend was testing her patience though. What didn’t help was that Applejack’s brother Big McIntosh was supposed to be supporting her. Instead he’d ducked out the moment the yelling had started and hadn’t been back since. Twilight couldn’t really blame him though, she didn’t really want to be here either, but the collective purse of her new nation relied on convincing the most self-sufficient pony she knew to borrow a large sum of money from her. To say their new country was struggling would be an understatement. Ever since she’d separated Ponyville and a good deal of the surrounding territory from Equestria, she’d received no short amount of backlash from Equestria. Her former mentor had thankfully been silent about the entire ordeal, but at the same time she hadn’t said a word against the ponies who had taken it upon themselves to try and “punish” Ponyville’s new queen. She’d yet to make any kind of currency to replace the power of Equestira’s Bit, and the nobles and businessponies of Canterlot knew that. So they were using any means necessary to destroy her new nation’s fledgling economy. A nation she’d yet to properly name now that she thought about it, but that was a problem for later. At the moment she was securing Ponyville’s key export: apples. Generations of the Apple family securing their place within Equestria had assured that it was one of the few businesses in Ponyville that was still doing fairly well. But nowhere near well enough to support her plans for the next couple years. If she wanted to stop Canterlot from stomping them into the dirt they’d have to become a rising star that was too hot to touch. And at this stage in the process that growth was almost entirely reliant on Sweet Apple Acres bringing in more workers from Equestria for the upcoming season or two and shipping out more products then they had in the past three generations. A seemingly unreasonable request under ordinary circumstances, but considering the amount of money Twilight was offering her, it should be possible. “A million bits Twilight! Are ya’ out of your mind?” Applejack sat across the kitchen table hooves crossed again. It was the twel-no thirteenth time she’d done that today. Counting was one of the few things that was keeping her sane at the moment, holding her back from straight out ordering for her friend to take the moment. Part of her knew that if she made it a royal order Applejack wouldn’t contest her, but every other part of her mind was screaming that if she was going to rule it couldn’t be like her. “Look, Applejack, I’ve already got every other part of this deal secured. There are a few ponies that owe me favors in Canterlot and are willing to endorse you. Plus I’m sending Big Mac to Canterlot and Trottingham to secure deals with a few advertising companies.” She smiled a small chuckle escaping her lips. You know how he is with words, he has ways of making you do what he wants.” Applejack wasn’t smiling, if anything she was just as resolute as when she first showed up on her doorstep in the morning and Applejack had invited her in for coffee. “We Apples don’t take handouts. We either work for something or it’s not ours. If I took that money of yours my family would be in debt working it off for generations.” “Then how about I don’t charge you for it, consider it an early Hearths warming gift.” Said Twilight, pleading with her friend. “Still a handout.” Said Applejack. “Oh, come on, Applejack, what would Granny say?” The words were out of her mouth before she could even really think about what she’d said. Her gaze drifted down to her, now cold coffee, still wrapped in her magic. It was better than facing the cold stare Applejack was fixing her with. “Well, excuse me, Celestia. But if my Granny weren’t, ya’ know dead, she’d probably say you were crazy.” Twilight glared at the orange apple farmer. What Twilight had said was cruel, but at least it wasn’t intentional. The only reason Applejack had brought up Celestia was to hurt her, and she knew it. Slowly, both ponies relaxed, ashamed at their actions. “I’m sorry,” said Twilight, and she was. She knew how much her friends pride meant to her, especially when it came to her farm. Twilight was basically asking her to forsake almost everything that made Sweet Apple Acres great, even if it was only temporarily. “I-I’m sorry too, Twilight. Look let’s just forget about all of this, and tomorrow me and the girls can help you work on something else?” Applejack’s smile was hopeful, but no matter how warm and inviting it was Twilight frowned. Her friend didn’t understand, this wasn’t just The Plan, it was her only plan. It was the only hoofhold she had at the moment, and Applejack was inadvertently taking it from her. She set her coffee down on the table, and stood up, preparing to leave when suddenly she saw her saving grace. There was no doubt Applejack would be mad at her about it, she might even buck her in the face later when no one was watching, but it would be worth it. “Hey, Sis, Big Mac was wondering if it’s okay to come back in the house now.” “Apple Bloom,” Twilight called out. The young trouble making filly had grown into a strong dependable filly. Someone who was still bright eyed and bushy tailed for the future. A fact Twilight wasn’t going to hesitate to take advantage of, and so she smiled. “How would you like a job?” The young mare blinked, caught off guard by the sudden request. Meanwhile her sister was glaring at her. “What are you up to Twilight?” A deep warning hidden in her voice, that queen or no, she'd beat the ever-living tar out of her friend if she hurt her sister in any way. “You said Apple’s don’t take what they don’t work for. Then let Apple Bloom work for it. She’ll come work for me as my new lab assistant to replace Spike, and most of her paycheck will come back to the farm in order to make some “renovations” around here.” Twilight was smiling, it had only taken all morning and a less than underhanded tactic, but she’d finally gotten the best of Applejack. She could see it in the farm pony’s face that she’d been beaten, she also saw the look of somepony that really wanted to punch something, but that was something she’d have to deal with later. “Fine,” said Applejack, “But you’ve got to actually put her to work. I don’t want to hear from Apple Bloom about you having her follow you around town for a couple hours and then sending her home.” “Fine.” “Also make it hard work, backbreaking even, as if she never left the farm.” “Can do,” Twilight nodded. “Woah, woah, woah, don’t I get a say in this?” Said Apple Bloom finally breaking in on their negotiations. “I mean it feels like your selling me off here.” “How does fifty thousand bits a month sound?” Apple Bloom’s mouth hung open, her sister nodding at her to confirm what she said was true. “Most of the money would be directed to the farm, your sister has a couple projects to take care of for me in the upcoming year or two. But if you’re still willing to come work for me, meet me first thing in the morning at the castle." Her business done, she bounded out of her seat before another word could be said. Out the Apples front door and past a still cowering Big Mac. Running up the path into town and not stopping until she reached home. The sun began to rise on what would go down as an interesting day in Ponyville history. A minor parasprite infestation would take over the now somewhat redundant city hall closing it down for a week until they could be led out of town. The cake twins created what would go down as the second and most terrifying iteration of The Cutie Mark crusaders. Meanwhile, local town farmer Big McIntosh headed to Canterlot, cementing his families place in Equestrian politics for decades to come. But as most people will attest the real focus of that day should be on the youngest Apple family member, who was standing outside of friendship castle ready to form a duo that would shape the short history of this small nation. But at the moment Apple Bloom was simply standing in front of the golden doors to the castle, not entirely sure if she should knock or just enter; the last twenty-four hours had been horribly confusing. First, Twilight had shown up at the farm first thing in the morning, and hour later Big Mac had coming out, next thing she knows Twilight is offering her a job and her sister won’t explain why. She supposed, though, that it didn’t really matter. There was a job to do and for fifty-thousand bits a month she planned on doing it. With a heavy resolve she knocked on the door calling out Twilight’s name and waited. A second ticked by, then a moment, and finally a full minute with no response. Slightly, irked Apple Bloom pushed opened the huge golden doors, to reveal nothing but an empty room, no Twilight, no elegant tapestries, not even a candle light to chase away some of the shadows that were just now receding from the light streaming in through one of the windows hanging to her left. The lack of decorations and basic furniture didn’t surprise her though, all of Ponyville had watched their new queen stretch her powers by emptying the entire contents of her home, floating them up and out of town. Hesitantly, she took a step forward, and then stopped once she felt something crinkle underneath her feet. It was a note, signed by Twilight. Shifting a bit closer into the light with her hoof she bent over and began to read. Dear, Apple Bloom I hope you’ve let yourself in by now. I should be down in the dungeon lab working on something. I’ve painted arrows so you won’t lose your way. Twilight And true enough there was a freshly painted red arrow, pointing towards one of the halls off to her left, right beside the grand staircase. She followed it, until she came across another arrow at the end of the hall that led her right, then left, then right again through a dining hall, and finally down a set of stairs that spiraled down into the earth. Part of her felt like she was walking on stone, but the earth pony and the apple in her knew that was false. She was inside of a tree root. A strange, hollow tree root. The occasional lantern, its light magical in nature, hung affixed to the walls, preventing her from being plunged into total darkness. And she couldn’t help but wonder whether the castle itself was creating them or rather, Twilight had cast a spell in order to light the passage. Apple Bloom frowned She knew enough from helping Zecora to know that if this was Twilight’s spell, that would explain the occasional flicker in the lights. An event that would only happen if a unicorn was starting to lose control for whatever reason. As the lights began to flicker more and more the red maned mare picked up her pace, only untrained unicorn fillies lost control of something so simple looking. There was no telling what could make an alicorn lose control, or even what might happen when she did. Faster than she was ready for the stairway ended, and Apple Bloom found herself storming into an open room. The ground beneath her feet was, again replaced by paper, and the ever dimming lights of the stairway were abandoned in favor of ember glow of a candle. Set on a nearby table and surrounded by a sea of marked parchment and blueprints. Also sitting in the middle of that sea of creativity was its creator, wavering in her seat just as wanly as her candle. The way Apple Bloom saw it, Twilight Sparkle looked like Tartarus had run over Discord and decided to use him as a nice welcoming mat. Hunched over on her bench, almost lazily scrawling down notes on a piece of paper, and then pushing it to the side so it can join its brethren on the floor. “Ah, Apple Bloom, you’re here.” the Alicorn gave a slight wave to acknowledge her existence. Though how she could see anything with how quickly her eyelids were closing and propping themselves open was beyond Apple Bloom. “Uhm, Twilight, have you been working all night on this?” She moved closer careful not to tear or rip anything while examining her new bosses’ increasingly sloppy handwriting.” “Don’t be silly,” Said Twilight, “I’ve been working on all of this the past several nights. Although, I’ll admit tonight’s workload was a real doozy.” She gave a wavering glance to her work and yawned. “Most of its probably useless though, just the ramblings of a very tired mind.” Finishing that sentence stole what little strength the mare had left, her constant wavering finally tipping her over the edge. And she began to fall. Of course she never hit the floor, the moment Apple Bloom had seen what was happening she had rushed forward, papers be dammed, to catch her. The alicorn queen landed on her back with a thud, but years of farm work had made sure that the purple alicorns weight was only a slight hindrance. However, that didn’t stop her from making a slight note to herself to check on the queen’s diet along with her sleeping habits. Apparently, Twilight had planned for this, because pressed into the far right corner, one of the only ones that had been spared from her creative onslaught. And right next to a table holding what Apple Bloom could only guess was a small portion of the mare’s scientific equipment was a small very raw looking bed, complete with dismal bedding. Apple Bloom sighed, she’d much rather find Twilight somewhere more comfortable to lay her head, but it was either this or trekking back up those stairs and wandering through the castle trying to find Twilight’s bed room. That now that she thought about it was probably empty anyway. Seeing as Twilight had devoted, what looked like the minimal amount of tie dragging this thing down here, she might as well honor her wish and let her rest down here with her ideas. Crossing the room with Twilight’s wings smacking into her sides, stopping at the bed and slowly sliding the sleeping monarch off her back and onto it, careful not to wake her. Not careful enough though as the moment her head hit the pillow, Twilight sprang back to life, her half-lidded eyes glaring at her new worker. “No,” she said, her voice hitting a high pitched whine to make her sound more like a child than the teenager, attempting to tuck her in. “If I don’t give you work, Applejack is gonna be pissed.” Twilight’s lips puckered into a small pout, and despite how incredibly awkward this situation was Apple bloom couldn’t help but smile. “Applejack is already pissed, she’s barely said a word since you left yesterday.” Twilight’s frown deepened, “fine, even more pissed. Point is I made a deal, and you need to do something today.” “Alright how about this,” she bit down on the cover pulling it over Twilight. “I’ll fix this place up, then I’ll get to work sweeping up the rest of the castle.” “Good,” Twilight nodded letting lose another yawn. “But, uhm, first, could you tell me why you did all this.” There was having a a good work ethic and then there was using work to torture yourself. Her sister was apt to do it when she was stressed, but when she did it was always Twilight that would talk her down. “I mean it’s great how serious you’re taking all of this, but don’t you think this is a bit, I don’t now overkill?” And as tired as she was, for a brief instance Twilight’s eyes turned to steel, flaring with anew energy that she might have had at the beginning of the night but for all intents and purposes should have run out a long time ago. “One, I’m the best person suited for this. Two, it’s necessary to get it done soon. Three I’m pressing you sister into a similar situation so I really can’t complain. But fourth, and most importantly, it helps remind me.” “Reminds you of what?” But that was a question for another time, another time with sulfur mixtures and nice hot coffee to help work late into the night. For now though, Twilight’s features lost their edge, melting back into the dream world she’d entered very briefly before. Apple Bloom let loose another sigh. With the steady reminder of the paycheck waiting her at the end of the month. She stepped away from the bed, and examined the room. Wondering where in the world she should start to go through everything, but ultimately deciding that it would be best to get what was underhoof and work from there.