30: Anything is possible when you're sowing the seeds of love.
Anything is possible when you're sowing the seeds of love.
Chapter published 27th August 2013
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Early June AC 1217
Outskirts of Ponyville.
As the late morning sun poured down upon Ponyville and the surrounding areas, the air temperature was already beginning to soar, showing that today would be yet another hot one. Summer had only been officially underway for a couple of weeks now but it was already shaping up to be a particularly warm season.
As they did every year that Princess Celestia let the sun bath the planet in more of its life-giving rays than usual, theories were being bandied around as to the cause, some suggesting that the alicorn of the day was particularly pleased with her subjects this year while others believed it was so that more heat would remain into the evenings, tempting more ponies to stay up to enjoy her sister’s night.
Some brave souls even went as far as to whisper that maybe the alicorn of the day was pregnant and needed the extra solar energy... but then, that rumour seemed to bounced around at least once a decade, no matter whether the summers were particularly hot or not.
Making their way along one of the lanes that lead out of Ponyville and meandered through Sweet Apple Acres were three mares - two unicorns and a pegasus. Both of the unicorns wore a sash over one shoulder and across their backs, each fastened to a symbolic ‘tool of the trade’ as it bounced against their left-hoof cutie mark.
The green unicorn’s sash supported a small harp for she was, amongst many other things, a musician. From the purple unicorn’s sash was slung a large tome for she, like her herdmate, could claim many professions; student, scholar, scientist, librarian... and she believed that the mighty tome rhythmically bouncing against her flank as she walked best signified everything that she was.
The pegasus of the group - who was actually walking for once rather than hovering over her herdsisters - would stop in her tracks every now and again and use a wingtip to flick an almost imperceptible speck of dirt from the lapels of her Wonderbolts service uniform. As she hurried to catch up with her herdmates her uniform’s rank insignia, designating her as an Officer Cadet, gleamed in the morning sun.
“If you fuss over that thing any harder you’ll wear right though it” Lyra offered, her tone more one of amusement than irritation, which was pretty much always the case where the Still Way master was concerned.
“Yeah, yeah” Rainbow scoffed.
“Oh leave her be, Lyra. She’s been dreaming of wearing that uniform for years now, we should let her enjoy showing it off a little.” Twi laughed “And it’s not everyday she actually asks you to comb her mane before we go out.”
“Whatevvvver” RD poked out her tongue at her purple herdmate as she gave her insignia another crafty polish with a wingtip. “Give it a couple more months and this little baby’ll be replaced with a Flight Officer pin, then another year tops and it’ll be Flight Lieutenant, just you watch.”
“Well could you ladies walk and talk please, we’re going to be late at this rate.” Lyra added as she trotted backwards away from her herdmates. Unflappable though she usually was, she hated to be late when they were supposed to be meeting their stallion somewhere.
“Hey, don't be looking at me here.“ Rainbow protested as she trotted to catch up with the musician. “If Little Miss Chief Scientist here hadn’t gotten her nose stuck in that dusty old book for hours we would have left on time.”
“Come on girls, I said I was sorry.” Twilight also broke into a trot in order to not be left behind.“I just can’t believe I’d forgotten all about that old journal of Star Swirl’s that Princess Celestia had sent to me. I’m supposed to be her prize student, I shouldn't have just put it aside like that.”
“So you’re a little behind on starting an assignment. It’s not the end of the world or anything.” Rainbow’s competitive streak had kicked in and she had made sure that she was now in front of Lyra and in the lead.
“Rainbow, the princess sent me that journal two years ago!” Twilight stressed. “Two years is not ‘a little’ behind. This isn’t just tardy, this is like super-mega-tardy with a side order of ‘you’re fired’ to go!”
Her good mood of a few moments ago suddenly gone, Twilight screeched to a halt in the middle of the path, her four locked hooves leaving short skid marks in the dirt behind her. Two years that package had sat in a corner of the library, two years the princess must have been waiting for a report from her so-called ‘star’ student... TWO YEARS! How could she have been so careless? If she hadn't spent part of last night searching for just the right book to wear on her sash today then how long would it have sat there forgotten? How long would the princess have had to wait, getting more and more disappointed in her by the day? How long? HOW LONG?!
“I should go back.” As she turned back towards town, a small portion of her mane decide to forge its own path in life and started to curl away from its brethren. “I know this is a big day for Fluttershy but I’m sure she’ll understand.”
Turning back towards where her herdmates had also stopped, a section of the unicorn’s fringe had realised that the revolution had surely begun and it too started to curl away from its owner’s head.
“She’ll understand, right? I mean, I’m on a mission from a goddess, right?”
Puzzled by Twilight’s sudden change in demeanor, Lyra turned to RD who by now had a hoof in her face.
“Oh, not this again.” The pegasus sighed. “Look, Twi, I know finding that old journal has got you all worked up but this isn’t the time for it. Fluttershy has asked us to be there for her today and by Luna we’re going to be there.”
With a stern expression on her face, Rainbow walked right up to Twilight, bringing herself so close that she was practically pushing their noses together,
“If that book’s been waiting for two whole years then two years and a day isn't going to make a flying feather’s worth of difference. You hearing me?”
As Lyra considered moving to intervene, Twilight just blinked a few times before staring at the ground, her few errant strands of mane deciding today was not in fact a good day to die and falling back into line with the others.
“You’re right, I’m sorry.” The librarian mumbled “I got all worked up again, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did.” Rainbow leant forward and gave her wife a hug. “But at least it wasn't as bad as that time you locked yourself and Owlowiscious in the basement for an entire day. It took both AJ and Pinkie and their earth pony strength almost an hour to prise the poor guy out of your hooves and I don’t think anypony’s been brave enough to get close enough to try rotating him again since!”
“I’ll have you know that the owl based sciences are a grossly underexplored area of study.” Twilight answered indignantly, though still with a measure of embarrassment. She’d never meant to get that engrossed in her experiments, it’s just that hardly any pony ever had a chance to drop any mad science with a real live science owl these days. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
“Lovely though this moment is...” Lyra added. “We still need to get going. Lero, Spike and the girls left hours ago. Apple Bloom was out of the cloudhouse so fast I thought she was going to take off.”
Rainbow let go of Twilight and, after checking that the unicorn was alright, trotted away after Lyra. Twi gave herself a little shake before cantering along after the pair of them.
“No worries, Lyra.” Rainbow said, catching up with the minty unicorn just as they rounded a bend in the lane. “When we get there there’ll still be plenty of...”
Reaching their destination, Rainbow finished her statement with more than an air of disbelief.
“...space?”
Hurrying to catch up with her companions, Twilight got her first look at the small orchard in front of them. As far as she could see it was positively heaving with ponies.
Dozens, and dozens of ponies.
“Woah, just look at em all” Rainbow lifted herself off of the ground to get a better look. “There must be a couple’a hundred ponies here at least.”
Everywhere they looked there were earth ponies, and the occasional pegasus and unicorn... but mainly earth ponies. And all of them carried in some way a ‘tool’ of their trade.
Pinkie could be seen standing with the Cakes, all three of them wearing crisp, clean baker’s toques, though the party pony’s was in candy striped red and white. Next to Pinkie stood her sisters, Inky and Blinky, both with geologist’s hammers hanging from cords around their necks.
Rarity waved over to them from where she and Fancy Pants were standing chatting amiably with Rumble, Aloe and Lotus. All three spa workers were wearing their uniforms while the fashionista was wearing a wide brimmed chapeau with a number of colourfull dressmaker’s pins artfully arranged in the band. She also had a long yellow silk ribbon embroidered in the likeness of a measuring tape woven throughout her rich purple tail. Fancy Pants, as always, looked splendid in his tuxedo tails with matching top hat.
“Hello” came a deep voice from behind the three mares as Mayor Mare’s stallion, Due Diligence, came around them. “I’m glad I made it back in time. Time Turner’s still off on one of his ‘adventures’ so I’m filling in for him as record keeper today.” The humour was easily evident in the large stallion's voice as he indicated the hefty town journal resting against his flank. Due Diligence was often bemused by the town’s official time & record keeper’s sudden disappearances - and just as sudden reappearances - and had fallen into the habit of covering for his younger friend whenever he wasn’t around. This didn't stop the two of them bickering like children at times though.
“Who is everypony?” Twilight asked. “I thought Big Mac had asked for a small gathering.”
“Indeed he did.” Due Diligence agreed. “It would appear that the Apple family has more pull than even they knew. Earth pony clans from all over Equestria have sent representatives. There’s some from Canterlot over there...”
Following the stallion’s pointed hoof, the three mares could see a small gathering of high class ponies of roughly equal numbers unicorn and earth pony, including such names as Octavia Melody (plus her ever present roommate Vinyl Scratch), Fleur de-Lis and Photo Finish. Octavia had a violin bow strapped to a foreleg with a bright two-tone blue ribbon while Vinyl had a pair of jet black headphones with bright pink detailing around her neck. Both Fleur and Photo Finish were more subtle with their ‘tools’, each mare sporting small gold charms in the shape of cameras on fine gold chains around their necks.
“Then there’s the group from Manehatten and the surrounding areas over there, looking a lot less awkward about standing around in a field than the Canterlot bunch, well some of them anyway.”
Swinging his hoof Due Diligence indicted a large gathering of both earth ponies and a few unicorns. In the midst of them members of the Orange clan could be seen chatting away happily with members of Rarity’s family, her father obviously telling a loud and raucous tale to a number of younger stallions who were hanging on his every word while her mother was deep in conversation with a number of mares from the Seed family, all of them happily chatting away like old friends. Many of Rarity’s family had some variation of a spoon or cowbell hanging from their person while the Orange and Seed families generally had something fruit related.
“They all came in on the train via Canterlot early this morning.” The stallion turned to point over to another, even larger, group. “And if you thought that train was full, you should have seen the train from the south. Appleloosa, Dodge City, Cherry Falls... you name it, they all sent some pony. There’s even a few from The Arid Badlands in there.”
From within a large group of mainly earth ponies - though Rainbow was sure she spotted at least one Buffalo in there too - Braeburn Apple suddenly appeared.
“Well, Howdy ladies.“ The gold coloured stallion called in greeting as he trotted over. “It’s great to be here in Ponyville, seeing all the family and all these great folks. Why, it’s almost as great as being back in...”
“Oh crud, cover your ears guys.” Rainbow urged as Braeburn took a deep breath and reared up onto his hind legs.
“APPLELOOSA!” he cried, manes a’flapping all around with the force of his exuberance.
“Yeah, good to see you too, Braeburn.” Rainbow said as behind her Twi and Due Diligence both shook their heads to try and get rid of the ringing in their ears. “Say, what’s with all the ponies here? We thought there’d be a couple’ dozen or so coming in, max. We didn't expect almost every member of the Apple Clan in Equestria to turn up, let alone bring their friends. What gives?”
“What, and miss a petitioning?” Braeburn looked shocked at the suggestion. “There’s no way a self respecting Apple would let a family petitioning go down without at least trying to get here. Why, they're so rare these days that I can't even remember the last time a pegasus or a unicorn came to the Apple family with one.”
“Sixty six years ago.” Twilight offered, still shaking her head. “Pear Cider and Sparkling Apple were the petitioners, they asked for their branch-herd to be renamed ‘Apple-Cider’ and for Pear Cider to be officially inducted into the Apple clan.”
As four pairs of eyes turned to her in wonder at how she knew this nugget of information, Twilight grinned sheepishly. Even after all this time she still couldn’t help chipping in with bits of trivia seemingly from out of nowhere.
“Err, distant relative on my mother’s side.” She added.
“So there you have it.“ Braeburn added with enthusiasm. “When we heard word that cousin Mcintosh has put in a request for a petitioning then there was no way that any Apple worth their salt lick’s gunna miss it.”
“So that explains all the Apple family, but what about all the others?” Lyra asked.
“Well, we’re a big clan.” Braeburn nodded. “Bigger than our name even. Youngsters join herds outside the Apples, Apples take non-Apples into their herds. Next thing you know we’ve got kin in almost every earth pony family going.”
Motioning over towards the group he’d been standing with he pointed out a young orange pegasus mare with a light fuchsia mane as well as over to the Canterlot and Manehatten groups with their decent sized contingent of unicorns.
“We got a lot of kin in non earth pony families too. We Apples may be big on tradition, but that doesn’t make us the purists that we used to be. Well, for the most part anyhow. We leave that kind of nonsense up to the snobby Canterlot unico-” Braeburn’s brain finally caught with his mouth when he saw the matching expressions that suddenly shot across both Lyra and Twilight’s faces. “Err, yeah.”
“Hey, look.” Rainbow threw in before Braeburn started trying to dig himself a hole. “There’s Lero.”
The human must have been crouching down beforehand as, now that he was standing up, he towered over the ponies around him. Next to him could be seen Big Mac, the farm-pony’s impressive size meaning his head and the tops of his withers could also be seen over the rest of the crowd.
“Well, nice to see you Braeburn. We’d best go let our stallion know we’re here.” RD used her wings to gently steer her herdmates away from the plains pony before he could stuff his hoof in his mouth again... or before an irritated unicorn did it for him. “You too, Diligence. Catch you later.”
As the trio made their way towards the front of the crowd, Lero noticed them coming and waved over to them.
“Hey, girls. Over here. We’ve saved you a place.” he called.
As she made her way through the crowd, Rainbow held her wings slightly away from her side to gain them a touch more room as they moved. While it wasn't as rude as spreading her wings to full extension, it was still pretty rude but Rainbow thought it was still better than any pony getting close enough to catch wind of the aura of a rather annoyed Twilight.
By now Lyra had managed to pick up on it anyway and, as they reached the front of the crowd, she leaned over and whispered “remember the way” into her herdmate’s ear. Taking a deep breath, Twi recalled some of the grand-master’s teachings. Letting Braeburn’s ill advised - though accidental - words flow over her until they had all been washed away.
“Hey, big guy. Sorry we’re late. My fault” Rainbow lifted herself into the air to plant a quick kiss on her stallion’s lips before drifting back to the ground.
As his eyes flicked between each of his mares, Lero got the distinct impression that their late arrival probably had very little to do with Rainbow Dash, but thought better of saying anything about it.
“Doesn’t matter, you’re here now.” Leaning down he kissed both of his unicorn mares in turn.
Lero was wearing his ‘handyman’ outfit, though Twilight had adamantly insisted that it be his best (and cleanest) set, with his tool satchel over one shoulder while around his waist was the toolbelt Apple Bloom had made for him (by hoof) as a gift when he had first taken her on as his apprentice. Next to him, Big Mac had exchanged his usual day-to-day yoke for an ancient ceremonial yoke made of polished walnut and covered in intricate carvings.
“So how’s Fluttershy?” Lyra asked as she looked around. “I bet this is a few more ponies than she was expecting. Is she going to be able to cope?”
Lero rubbed at the stubble on his chin as he glanced over to Big Mac, who turned his own gaze in the direction of the distant farmhouse. Those who’d come to know the taciturn stallion well enough could see that he was deeply worried.
“Yeah, I think so.” Lero sighed. “She seemed a bit stressed earlier when she saw how many ponies had arrived from the north. Then when the southern and western trains arrived she had a bit of a panic attack for a while, but AJ and Cheerilee are with her now so hopefully she’ll be okay soon. We’ve pushed the start time back by half an hour to give everyone time to arrive so that should help a bit.”
“Well she’s bound to be a little nervous...er than usual.” Twilight added. “It’s her big day after all. It’s not every day somepony, especially a pegasus, asks to become an Apple.”
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Apple Bloom trotted along the front of the crowd towards Mayor Mare. As she moved every step she made had the small chisel and equally small paintbrush hanging around her neck, suspended as they were on a dark pink ribbon in the same shade as those in her mane and at the base of her tail, bounce about. The artist’s paintbrush against her chest matched that which made up part of her cutie mark - that of a bright green apple being painted over in red by said brush. She may have had her cutie mark for the better part of year now but she still liked to emphasise or accessorise it at every opportunity.
What she hadn’t had for the best part of a year though, she thought as she almost tripped on a small mound of earth, was these darn long, gangly, uncooperative, stoopid legs... and they were getting longer almost every day. She’d started to hit a growth spurt just before Uncle Lero’s wedding and it showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Darn puberty, being fourteen sucked. Scoot was lucky, she was still thirteen and her growth spurt hadn’t started yet. Plus pegasi hardly ever got as large as earth ponies.
Reaching Mayor Mare’s side, Apple Bloom stretched up on tippy-hoofs and whispered into the adult’s ear before turning and heading back towards the farmhouse. A few months back she’d never have been able to do that at all, not without Mayor Mare having to bend down her head to her level. Maybe being fourteen didn’t totally suck after all.
***********
“Mares and gentlestallions, could I have your attention please?” Mayor Mare called out as she stepped forward so everypony could more easily see her. In the middle of the small cleared space in front of the crowd a large stake had been driven into the ground ready for today’s events and it was beside this stake that the town’s highest ranking official (unless one wanted to get technical and point out that in cases of extreme emergency Twilight Sparkle was authorised by royal decree to overrule her) placed herself.
“Good ponies of Ponyville, visitors from afar. I bid you welcome. I have just been informed that we are about ready to begin so I won't take up much of your time, I promise.”
A slight groan from the assembled ponies told her that many of them, especially those from major cities, very much doubted that an official’s often repeated promise of ‘not taking up much of their time’ was in any way about to come true.
“As one of the oldest earth pony families in Equestria, the Apple family have a long history of fine traditions, and none more sacrosanct to an earth pony than a petitioning, such as we are here to witness today.
“While the tradition hails back throughout time immemorial to even before government as we know it today came into existence, on this fine morning I am honoured to join you as a representative of Equestria's governing bodies in order to handle the legal aspect of today’s proceedings.
“As many of you are aware, not only not only will this petitioning permanently change the petitioner's name and family records, it has been brought to our attention through Miss Sparkle’s ‘assistance’ that, due to some very old legal loopholes, a successful petitioning held within the Ponyville area will also legally reclassify any non earth pony petitioner as an earth pony under Equestrian law.
A number of gasps came from the crowd. While it wasn’t impossible for a pony to obtain tribal-reassignment, it was so rare that there was probably only a few ponies alive today that had been through the process. It was only usually a pegasus or unicorn that had lost their wings or horn through major injury or, even more uncommonly, a member of one tribe whose self-identity and magical makeup disagreed with the body into which they were born. For a pony to be reclassified due to a ‘legal loophole’, well that was just unheard of.
“As you will no doubt agree, this is a major change for any non earth pony to make and I’m sure everypony here will, as I do, understand and appreciate the seriousness of the commitment being shown here today.”
“Darn tootin this is serious business” came a call from the edge of the crowd as Granny Smith slowly made her way to the centre of the clear spot in which Mayor mare was standing. The elderly mare was assisted by Apple Bloom, the teenager careful to only move as fast as her grandmother could handle. Trailing behind them both AJ carried a chair with her for Granny to sit on, which she placed on the ground next to Mayor Mare.
“Thank ya, deary.” Granny settled into the chair, taking the weight off of her aching hooves. “Alright now ya’ll, settle down and gather ‘round. You there, give a girl some space.”
Taking stock of the crowd around her - many of them Apples, many of them not - Granny smiled. It did an old heart good to see so many wonderful ponies out here today to wish her kinfolk well. She may not be long for this world now, but she felt sure that she’d be able to leave it in good hooves.
“So, first up, who joins me on th’ council of three?” She asked
“That would be us.” came the reply as a pair of elderly Earth ponies, one stallion and one mare, stepped from the crowd and out into the middle of the clearing. With surprising deftness the old stallion plucked the hat from his head and held it in front of his chest. “I, Apple Strudel, and my kin, Apple Rose, offer our wisdom and experience.”
“Why, thank ya kindly.” Granny replied, motioning to her left hoof side for her two kinfolk to join her in the clearing before she continued.
“An’ who brings th’ law to this here petitioning, so this might all be nice an’ legal like?”
From where she had retreated back into the face of the crowd, Mayor Mare once more stepped forward.
“That would be us.” She declared as her stallion made his way out fo the crowd to stand by her side. “As representatives of the Equestrian legal and judicial system, both Due Diligence and myself, Mayor Mare, will be here to witness and record these matters for posterity.”
“Th’ Apple family thanks ya.” Granny replied, motioning to her right hoof side for the two officials to join her in the clearing before once again she continued.
“An’ who is th’ pony that petitions inclusion inter th’ Apple family?” Granny was very careful to enunciate clearly, both to minimise her accent (it didn't help), but also so that her teeth didn't fall out at what would surely be an inopportune moment.
“That would be me.” A bold, confident voice came from within the mass gathering of bodies.
Within seconds the crowd had parted and from within stepped Fluttershy, her head held high as she made her way into the middle of the clearing. As she moved those gathered could see that her mane was filled with brightly coloured flowers of many colours, though the most prominent colour was a bright red that matched Big Mac’s coat.
From between the feathers of her wings poked many other kinds of feathers, duck feathers, eagle feathers, chicken feathers, all carefully placed so that with every movement she looked about ready to take flight in a burst of colour. The element of kindness’s special talent, her calling in life, was to care for and tend to the world’s animals, and all of her animal friends had done their best today to make sure that the rest of world knew how much they appreciated it.
The wry smile on Granny’s face spoke volumes. As far as Sweet Apple Acres was concerned Fluttershy had been both family and clan for a long time now and that she would have the fortitude to go through the whole tradition just showed how dedicated to the family she had become.
Fluttershy took another step forward, her usual timidity lacking, today she had poise and confidence.
“That would be me.” She repeated, as if daring those around her to disagree. “Lady Fluttershy, bearer of the element of kindness, mare of herd Macintosh, child of the Glory family, sired by Champagne Supernova, born of Morning Glory. I come before you today to petition inclusion into the Apple family.”
Granny took in the young mare before her. She looked so young, so fragile. But Granny was well aware that appearances could be deceptive and, in this mare’s case, doubly so.
“Do ya realise...” Granny asked “what it is that ya ask, an’ what it is that ya will have to give up ta achieve it if ya’ll ar’ successful?”
“Yes.” Fluttershy met Granny’s eyes as a moment passed between them. “Yes, I do.”
“Good on you.” Granny grinned before she turned back to the crowd. “An’ who stands with this mare.”
A cry of “That would be me” came again from within the crowd as Cheerilee stepped forward, her back covered in a blanket to which were attached dozens of hoofdrawn pictures, each one crafted for her by one of the children in her class. Within her mane sat Angel Bunny clad in a tiny little white tuxedo.
“That is me. Cheerilee, child of the Spritzer family, born as Cherry Spritzer, birthed from Lemon Spritzer and sired by Bucks Fizz, lead mare of herd Macintosh.”
From between them Twilight and Lyra could both hear Rainbow Dash groan. Ever since their public wedding in Canterlot a few months before, and the associated press coverage that had gone with it, the phrase ‘lead mare’ had very much come back into popular fashion, much to the pegasus’ dismay.
“I have never met...” Cheerilee continued. “a pony as dedicated to the ideals of kindness and compassion as my herdsister who stands before you today and I am proud to stand beside her as her second.” From within her mane Angel Bunny nodded his agreement.
“Thank ya, Miss Cheerilee.” Granny motioned for the schoolteacher to stand next to her herdmate on the Apple matriarch’s left-hoof side. “As an earth pony, your word is your bond an’ your bond has done been accepted. Th’ Apple family thanks ya.”
Turning back to the crowd, Granny locked eyes with her grandson, who was trying his best not to hyperventilate as his human friend rubbed at his shoulders. Public speaking made him almost as uneasy as it did Fluttershy.
“An’ which member ah th’ Apple clan asks fer Lady Fluttershy’s inclusion?”
Stepping forward, Big Mac told himself over and over not to blow it.
“Ah do. McIntosh Apple, child ah th’ Apple family, born ah Jubilee Apple, sired by Pippin Apple, stallion ah herd McIntosh.”
Taking a deep breath, the draft pony tried to remember all that he’d written down over the past few weeks just for this day. But try as he might, the words just weren’t there, his speech just wasn’t coming. In a panic he turned to the crowd, catching Lero’s eye. Unable to help, the human just raised his elbows from his sides in a rough impression of a pegasus.
“Okay then.” Big Mac hissed almost silently under his breath. “He’s right, looks like ah’m jus gunna have ta wing it.”
Resolving himself to whatever the magic of harmony had in store for him, Big Mac opened his mouth and spoke from the heart.
“Ah petition fer th’ inclusion ah Lady Fluttershy inter th’ Apple family as Ah have never met any mare, from any tribe, who embodies everythin’ that th’ Apple family stand fer as completely as she does. She is th’ pinnacle ah love, patience, dedication an’, most ah all, kindness. Ah wish fer us ta spend th’ rest ah our days side by side an’, if it’s our fate, ta raise th’ next generation ah Apples, be they earth ponies or pegasi, t’gether, in love an’ harmony within our herd.
The crowd, who had just moments ago (mostly) believed that the large stallion had forgotten his lines, now stamped at the ground beneath their hooves in applause. While it may not have been the speech that he had written, Big Mac thought it had gone quite well, and so did everypony else by the sounds of it. Sometimes it was just best to sit back and go where harmony wanted you to go after all.
From across the clearing, and though her cheeks were positively burning red by this point, Fluttershy smiled at her stallion. While Big Mac wasn't big on talking when he didn't need to, and she knew beyond a doubt how much he loved her, it was always something extra special to hear him use his words to express how he felt.
As the crowd regained their composure, Granny thought it might be a good idea to get the proceedings back underway before her grandson melted into a big red puddle.
“An’ who stands with this stallion.” She asked, knowing full well what was going to happen next.
Lero stepped forward, eliciting some whispers from the crowd. While non earth pony seconds were extremely rare, though not unrecorded, no non-pony had ever stood before an earth pony petitioning before.
“I do.” The human declared as he moved into the middle of the clearing. turning in place so every pony could get a good look at him. “Bellerophon Michealides, child of the Michealides family, born of Katherine Gallagher-Michealides, sired by Aristotle Michealides, stallion of herd Bellerophon, holder of the title ‘honourary earth pony’ as bestowed upon me by the elders of the moon and former viceroy of the royal sisters.” Lifting a hand he motioned to Big Mac. “I have never met a pony as dedicated to friendship, integrity, family values and good, honest hard work as my friend here and I am honoured to stand with him as his second, both today and any other day.”
“Well then, Mister Handy, seein’ as yer earth pony enough fer th’ running ah th’ moon...” Granny’s eyes moved over crowd, seeking out and finding a couple of members of the Council of Elders who each nodded their agreement “...then yer earth pony enough fer th’ Apple family.”
“Any objections?” she added as she gave the crowd the stink eye. No pony said a word... not even one. “Ah thought not. Mister Handy, as an earth pony, or as close to one as what matters, yer word is yer bond and yer bond done been accepted. Th’ Apple family thanks ya.”
Looking around, Granny caught Applejack’s eye and gave the younger Apple mare a nod.
“So here’s the good bit.” Granny said as AJ came around from behind her to pass a large shovel to her brother. “Two ponies, one shovel. Ya’ll gotta show us that yer can work t’gether ta dig a hole, big enough ta put your future in.”
Holding the shovel out to his herdmate, Big Mac held the tool until Fluttershy had grasped it tightly with her teeth. Just as a unicorn would not be allowed to use their magic, the pegasus was forbidden from using her wings, everything had to be done the earth pony way.
Maneuvering the head of the shovel so it would stick in the ground next to the large stake, Fluttershy held the shaft with her teeth while Big Mac used his forehooves and his considerable weight to drive the shovel into the ground. Then between the two of them they dug out a shovelful of earth and deposited it on the ground in front of the stake. After repeating this sequence a couple of times, they soon had a hole big enough to hide a good sized pumpkin in.
“Good work.” Granny declared. “Now, who has the apples?“
Lero reached into his satchel and pulled an apple from its depths while Cheerilee pulled another from the saddlebags underneath her blanket. As they both held their offerings aloft a murmur made its way through the crowd. It had not gone unnoticed - and in a field full of Apple clan it had been highly unlikely that it would have - that the apple Lero was holding was a Pippin while the one Cherrilee held was a Jubilee.
“Now, pass them to th' couple please.” Granny requested, trying her best to hide the tears coming to her eyes.
As Big Mac and Fluttershy both took an apple, they each took a small bite out of the one they were holding before swapping it with each other for its counterpart, taking a small bite from that apple as well.
“Now, as you plant these apples... that their seeds... might grow...” It was at this point, as both Big Mac and Fluttershy gently placed the two part eaten apples in the bottom of the hole they had dug together, Granny lost her composure, leaving Apple Strudel to carry on with the ceremony in her place.
“As you plant these apples, that their seeds might grow into a mighty tree...” He stated. “with many branches bearing fruit for the benefit of the generations to come after you, strong limbs and healthy leaves providing shade and sustenance for your own descendants, we pass onto you our hopes that your relationship will continue to grow and flourish with similar strength.”
As he motioned to both Lero and Cheerilee, the two seconds again reached into their bags, this time each pulling out a pair of trowels. As the two of them bent down by the hole, they joined Fluttershy and Big Mac in pulling the earth that had been previously excavated back into the hole.
“And we must never forget...” Apple Strudel added. “that through it all, our friends, our families and our herds are there to help us when we need it, as we are there to help them in return. To offer assistance gladly to others and to accept it with grace when it is offered. For that is the earth pony way.”
As Lero and Big Mac used the back of the large shovel to pat down the last of the loose earth, Applejack reappeared carrying a watering can which she deposited between Cheerilee and Fluttershy, the two herdsisters then lifting it between them to drench the freshly replaced soil and the seeds now nestled safely beneath it.
Turning to Mayor Mare, Apple Strudel asked “Is that enough?” at which point both town officials nodded back.
“Well...” The elderly stallion said, turning back to the two petitioners. “then by both Apple and earth pony tradition, Lady Fluttershy...” a large smile spread across his face “you are now an Apple mare. Welcome to the family.”
***************
As whoops, hollers, and a whole heap of stomping resonated across the orchard (a surprising amount of which seemed to come from both the Canterlot and Manehatten parts of the crowd) Big Mac pulled Fluttershy into a passionate kiss, neither of them caring that they were surrounded by untold numbers of other ponies. It was only when a chorus of ‘aaaahs’ made its way through almost every mare present (and a large number of the stallions too) that the pair of them came up for air, just to be glomped by an extremely excited Cheerilee who had currently enough ‘boing’ in her bounce to give Pinkie Pie a run for her money.
As the cheers and shouts finally started to die down, Mayor Mare moved to the front of the crowd and called for attention.
“Mares and gentlestallions, I said I wasn't going to take up much of your time, so here goes.” She looked over to her stallion, who had just finished writing the event up in the town journal, for confirmation. “With this I now proclaim that under Equestrian law, Lady Fluttershy will from this day forth be legally known as the earth pony Lady Fluttershy Apple, a full member of the Apple family with all the rights, responsibilities and obligations that this entails. Congratulations.”
And at that the whoops, hollers and whole heap of stomping started all over again.
“Well, ya heard th’ lady.” Granny Smith shouted above the din, her previous tears having been wiped away. “Ya know what this means don’t cha? This means it’s time fer one hellacious shindig.”
Casting around her, she shouted again.
“Pinkie? Where are you, girl?”
“Here!”
Turning back, Granny found the party pony bouncing on her hooves right by her side.
“Well, lookin’ at all these extra ponies, ah reckon we’re gunna need whole heap more supplies than we’ve got back at the farmhouse. Think ya can handle it, ma’girl?
“Can I ever!” Pinkie’s bouncing had by now reached epic proportions as her brain flew over the one hundred and one best ways to party it up post petitioning style. “I’ll have the farmhouse barn ready to rock before you can say ‘Pretty Pink Party Pony Pinkie Pie Promptly Provides Perfect Party Packages Positively Pronto’!”
And with that she was gone with no sign of her remaining but a stripy toque left spinning in the air.
************
As the crowd of ponies made their way over to the Sweet Apples Acres farmhouse for what the Ponyville residents were promising any non-resident that they could find would be the biggest party since Twilight’s combination debutante ball and twenty fifth birthday party the year before, the purple thaumologist in question suddenly had a brainwave.
“‘A mark of one's destiny, singled out alone, fulfilled.’ I think I’ve got it.” She cried.
“Pardon?” Lero asked, shifting his weight so that he could better support Rainbow who was being quite happily carried on his back.
“Star Swirl’s great unfinished masterpiece. I think I’ve just figured out what the main part of the spell’s supposed to do.” The unicorn hopped back and forth between her left and right hooves. “I just need to do a low level cast on it and then run some tests on the results and then-UMPH.”
“Hey, Miss Excity-Pants.” Rainbow said. “Can’t it wait until tonight? Right now we’ve got a party to get to.”
“She’s right.“ Lyra added as she removed her hoof from Twilight’s mouth. “The journal will still be there when we get back. If it’s not too late you can work on it to your heart’s content before we go to bed.”
“Ok, that’s true.” The excited unicorn reluctantly agreed. “But I’m working on it as soon as we get home.”
“Fair enough.” Rainbow laughed as all four of them resumed their journey to the farmhouse and the party of the century. “What’s the worst that can happen?”
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As much as I love the entirety of this fic, this might be my favorite chapter yet.
At least no one brought up Lacunae.
twilight you dun goofed
Is that a reference to the Great Appleosian Moonshine Run? So the bugger did end up running off and getting plastered.
Murphy doesn't take those challenges as temptations, rather he takes them as opportunities.
BTW: When is Lero going to tell the ponies about Murphy and his Law? It seems like the ponies enjoy trying to antagonize him.
EDIT: 3113670 That wasn't Sparks, rather Dash.
I'm routinely bothered by the tenacious head canon that chopping off a unicorn's horn or a pegasus' wings would make them an earth pony. They would still lack the strength, endurance, and affinity with plants and dirt that earth ponies have. An amputated unicorn or pegasus is a crippled unicorn or pegasus, not an earth pony.
...I'm sorry, I just can't see Granny Smith using the word "hellacious."
Other than that, a fantastic chapter. Great character moments, a wonderful ceremony, and some very amusing foreshadowing. Also, Champagne Supernova continues to be the best name I've ever heard for Fluttershy's father.
Poor choice of words Rainbow Dash.
3113990
True, but legally speaking the pony in question would not fall under the pegasus or unicorn categories. They are no longer capable of casting or flight, and so many of the laws pertaining to such would not apply. While a de-winged pegasus could still stand upon a cloud, any, for example, weather-related responsibilities they might possess (ie, winter wrap up) would be impossible to fulfil. However, they could legally be defined as a very weak Earth pony, in regards to their physical abilities and personal responsibilities. (However, if they also lacked the use of one leg, they'd be out and out disabled, which would be a different classification all together.)
While, magically and genetically, this wouldn't be the case, legally is another thing.
this chapter kinds drags on... not really sure why, but more than once i found myself skipping paragraphs out of boredom...
Great chapter, lots of warm fuzzies, but DAMN YOU for that cliff hanger
I want to see how Twilight's ascension takes place in the Leroverse. Its been hinted before and I can't stand the wait. Somebody needs to make this happen or else I'll lock the author in a room full of Pinkies hopped up on caffeine and quaaludes
I so hope we get some more Moonshine chapters. I can see those being a lot of fun, especially if that is the first time Lero and Luna meet.
I suspect the journal means that Twilight is going to become an alicorn soon. Wonder if that is a tie in with Divided Rainbow or not?
Two years. That's a long time for such a book worm.
Oh shit. That just got me wondering how Lero would take it with Rainbow Dash being part of Big Mac's herd. Oh damn, that would lead to some trouble...
3113990
It's not so much that they're suddenly Earth ponies, but what else are they going to be? Legally speaking, they can't cast spells. An Earth-legal workplace would be different from a Unicorn-leagal workplace, but a unicorn with nothing to cast magic through couldn't access, say, the fire alarm if it was designed for magic-casting unicorns. Think of it as OSHA-legality.
I actually have taken to calling it 'Earthing'.
Congratulations
Reaaaly nice chapter. Choice of apples for Cherilee and Lero, woah. Didn't see this coming. Even if I never know that these are apple types. Good chapter, another bits and pieces of interesting cultural stuff. Hard to not agree that Cherilee, Fluttershy and Big Macintosh are quite good match for a herd.
Damn, Braeburn. That's a serious case of hoof-in-mouth you've got there if you're able to break Lyra out of her zen-like tranquility!
Hell yeah!
3114037 Those words have caused other wise harmless actions to go full on SNAFU. Too bad Pinkie wasn't around to stop her.
Never thought Fluttershy's parents would be Britpop stars.
I wanted to point out that Pinkie's sisters have names now, you can find them on the wiki.
3114041
3114412
I don't really see how or why the law would enter into this, it's like legally defining a person who lost all their limbs as a snake or deciding because a woman had to get her ovaries removed (or breasts, etc) she's not longer female or whatever.
Furthermore, Earth Ponies have their own sort of magic. This is best demonstrated in Hearth's Warming Eve episode, where Applejack-as-Smart Cookie forces a plant to grow. A wingless pegasus or a hornless unicorn is no more an Earth Pony than a unicorn with a horn, or a pegasus with both her wings.
I'm not even sure what is meant by 'legally' an earth pony.
For this experiment, you will require
one
Sterilized
Standardized
Scientificised
owl.
Gotta love the Ponies The Anthology 2 ref.
3113990
This is the same argument about Gender re-assignment surgery. Male <> Female doesn't just work like that. However, according to the law, a person who undergoes such surgery will officially be recognized as the chosen gender, and their ID information will reflect as such. Or at least that is how it works in my country, not 100% sure about America but I'm sure its similar.
My Point here being, that while a de-winged/horned pegasus/unicorn wouldn't actually become an earth pony, they would be legally recognized as such.
Awesome chapter, you hit everything on the head as it were, with this one. I've been on a bit of a proof reader rant today so that would explain all the stuff I'm now going to paste in the comments section. Corrections will be in red.
I apologise if I come across as being a nitpicker with an anal retentative pucker factor of 10. Please feel free to ignore any/all of this.
As Lyra considered moving to intervene, Twilight just blinked a few times before staring at the ground, her few errant strands of mane deciding today was not in fact a good day to die and falling back into line with the others. (should be fell)
This didn't stop the two of them from bickering like children at times though.
“When we heard word that cousin MacIntosh has put in a request for a petitioning then there was no way that any Apple worth their salt lick’s gunna miss it.”
Next to him, Big Mac had exchanged his usual day-to-day yoke for an ancient ceremonial yoke made of polished walnut and covered in intricate carvings. (the and is not needed)
as a representative of Equestria's governing bodies in order to handle the legal aspect of today’s proceedings."
it has been brought to our attention through Miss Sparkle’s ‘assistance’ that, due to some very old legal loopholes, a successful petitioning held within the Ponyville area will also legally reclassify any non earth pony petitioner as an earth pony under Equestrian law."
“That would be us.” She declared as her stallion made his way out fo the crowd to stand by her side. of
“Ah do. MacIntosh Apple, child ah th’ Apple family, born ah Jubilee Apple, sired by Pippin Apple, stallion ah herd MacIntosh.”
be they earth ponies or pegasi, t’gether, in love an’ harmony within our herd."
While non-earth pony seconds were extremely rare, though not unrecorded, no non-pony had ever stood before an earth pony petitioning before.
“Well, lookin’ at all these extra ponies, ah reckon we’re gunna need ah whole heap more supplies than we’ve got back at the farmhouse."
Fallout Equestria Project Horizons reference? fuck to the yeah! beautiful chapter though.
This is an amazing chapter. I especially love Applebloom being Lero's apprentice.
I love that song! Heck, I love em both. Very nice.
Title is a Tears for Fears song, but story is chock-full of Oasis references? I AM CONFOOZ
Still, beautiful story!
I read the stories from this world, I love them all but the one thing that gets me every time is the love they have for each other. Be that Lero, Dash, Twilight and Lyra or in this case Mac, Fluttershy and Cheerilee. It always makes me tear up slightly just thinking back on the moments they have had. The question that always comes to mind is: Is that even something you could find in our world. It seems almost unreal in the power and strength it has. How they love each other so much. It feels like finding love like that in this world is near impossible. The way people act and behave now seems that true love like that is so rare and yet I strive for it. To find the rarity
of true love that makes you smile every time you look into their eyes and treasure your moments together and love completely. But has anyone else found such love? Or does anyone else think it dying like myself?
So then when Rainbow Dash gets herself swapped by Twilight, she'll have the safety and protection of a 'husband' like Big Mac to help keep all her animals from staging a coup, instead of having to fend for herself in that cottage and get herself tied up and thrown in a stewpot, hmm?
"Spritzer"? No, seriously?
3180965
brohoof
I'm right there with ya
Not that I gave up, but I've had to restrain my self from seeking for it, just to cease all the harm that comes from picking the wrong ones.
What did Fluttershy have to "give up" exactly? She only gains that I can see, even with her change in legal status.
Reading this chapter made me think of this song. Particularly apropos if you ask me.