//------------------------------// // The Healings // Story: The Life and Times of Benjamin Inventor (Part 2) // by Bsherrin //------------------------------// The Healings Those who only know, The clear sky, the stormy sky, the red sky of evening, Those who only know, The sigh of the Wind, alone, Those who only know, The stars, cold, beautiful, distant; Those who only know these, Know nothing; For skies are empty without the beat of pegasi wings. “Poems for Pegasi”, The Equestrian Encyclopedia of General Knowledge I woke up the day of the wedding and my first thought was at last, it would soon all be over. I went through my usual ablutions, then came downstairs to find Mrs. Grass setting out breakfast. No apprentice just yet; she was a little slow in the morning and I’d had to roust her with magic and a cold bucket of water several times. “’Morning, Mrs. Grass,” I said yawning as I walked into the kitchen. “Oh, Mr. Inventor, such a day, such a day!” said the usually serene Mrs. Grass, bustling about with more energy than usual. “Aren’t you excited?” “No.” “Oh, of course you are!” she said. “3 o’clock will be here before you know it!” Not you, too, Mrs. Grass, I thought with despair. Fall trotted in and kissed my muzzle. “Good morning, Boss,” she sang in her clear soprano. “Aren’t you ex…? “Don’t you dare ask if I’m excited, Apprentice,” I growled at her. “Okay, I won’t,” Fall said, completely unfazed. She took her seat at the table and I joined her and Mrs. Grass. Fall hadn’t scheduled much today, just for us to deliver the 6 barrels of spikes to the rail depot. Those were part of Fall’s training to learn to shape iron as well as to put up with the scut work of a shop. She’d done well, so I planned to give her 100 bits out of the 120 sale. “Alright, Fall,” I said as we finished, “let’s get those barrels loaded.” “Yessir!” she said, then jumped out of her seat and galloped off to the garage. It was exhausting just watching her, I thought. “We’ll be back around 10 or so, Mrs. Grass,” I said as I headed for the loading dock. “Very good, Mr. Inventor. Lunch at 12 as usual, then.” “Thank you, Mrs. Grass.” Fall had the flatbed backed up to the loading dock by the time I got outside and together we stallion handled the barrels onto the flatbed, chained them together and then chained them down to the flatbed itself. No sense taking chances with such a heavy load. We set off at a good clip. About five minutes out, I asked, “Ready to take over the shop for a few days, Fall?” “Yes, sir,” she answered, looking straight ahead. “Good, good. I know you’ll do fine. I’ve certainly enjoyed having you as my apprentice these last four months. I can’t imagine the workshop without you, now.” “Thank you, Mr. Inventor,” she said, still staring straight ahead as she drove. “I hope you have a good time on your honeymoo…hooo..hooon!” Fall started crying again, so I reached over, pushed the throttle back to 0, set the brake and took her in my hooves. Mrs. Grass told me this might happen so at least I was ready this time. I held Fall as she cried. It was much less violent than last time, thank the Magic for that. When she finally stopped, I pulled a handkerchief out of my pouch and wiped her eyes and muzzle just like when she pulled the whistle on the water heater. “I love you, Boss,” she said as she hugged me again. “And I love you, too, Punkin’. And just because I’m marrying Applejack doesn’t mean I’m leaving you behind or love you any less.” I gently pushed her up and wiped her nose one last time. “Thanks, Mr. Inventor,” she said as she slid back behind the wheel. “I’ll be fine now.” “Of course, Apprentice.” Fall drove on to the depot. We found Bull O’Keefe waiting on the platform next to the supply shed. “Mr. O’Keefe! No yard workers today?” “No, sir,” he rumbled in that bass of his. “They’re on an emergency job outside of Hoofington.” “Well, I’m sure we can manage. Fall?” Fall greeted Mr. O’Keefe with a shy wave, and then helped me unchain the load. Bull O’Keefe reached over and picked up a barrel as if it were empty, then carried it to the supply shed. Fall and I looked at one another in wonder and then struggled to carry a barrel between us. In no time at all, we had all six barrels in the shed. Fall folded the tarp and put the chains back in their compartment while Mr. O’Keefe handed me a 120 bit chit for the spikes. “Thank you, Mr. O’Keefe. Please let us know if the railroad needs anything else.” “Mr. Inventor…,” Bull started, then cleared his throat and started again. “Mr. Inventor, I’ve thought about Spring for some time now.” “Yes, Bull, it is annoying. The young stallions are out of control with Spring Planting coming up.” Bull smiled, a surprisingly gentle smile for such a large stallion. “No, Mr. Inventor, not Spring the season, Spring the mare.” I felt my ears perk as Fall came to stand beside me. “You mean Spring Brickle, Fall’s sister?” “Yes, sir, that’s the one. The most beautiful mare in the county,” Bull said, with a faraway look in his eyes. Fall and I looked at one another in astonishment. Spring had many fine qualities and was quite sturdy, but beautiful? We looked back to Bull. “Ah…yes,” I said, “yes, she’s a delightful mare. A, uh, a hard worker, too.” “Would you and Fall introduce me to her?” he said rather hesitantly. Fall and I looked at one another again. “Are you coming to the wedding?” I asked, looking back to Bull. “Yes, sir. Tomas O’Malley, Lauryn, Seamus and I will be there.” “Well, there you are. Fall or I can introduce you to Spring then. Can’t we, Fall?” At least somepony will have a good time, I thought. Fall just nodded, eyes huge. For the first time, Bull looked nervous. “Do ya think she’ll talk to a railroader?” This again. “Fall has told her family about you and some of the other railponies, Mr. O’Keefe, so I don’t see a problem.” Bull smiled again, that slow smile. “Thank you, sir. And thank you, Fall.” Fall nodded, then we both waved and headed back to the steam car. As Fall drove us away, she started to giggle, then really laugh. “Boss, can you believe it?!? Spring!!” “Now, Fall, your sister is a perfectly...ah...healthy mare in her prime. Of course she’s going to attract attention. I do wonder if Bull realizes how devoted Spring is to the farm, though?” I’d asked Fall to drop me off at Cutter’s so I could pick up the horseshoe. I told her to head back to the workshop, put up the truck and flatbed and then take the rest of the day. She smiled at me, a smile which was both happy and sad, then steamed off. Cutter was just open at 9, so I walked in. Cutter was behind the counter just like yesterday. “Mr. Inventor! I have your horseshoe ready, sir. If you’ll please wait just a moment.” “Certainly, Cutter, thank you.” Cutter went into the back and came out with a little white box. He set the box on the counter and pulled out the silver horseshoe. “Here you are, sir, a 7.” I had to admit, it was impressive. Cutter had polished the silver until it gleamed. “Thank you, Mr. Cutter,” I said, “Your usual superb standard.” Cutter went to put the horseshoe back in the box, then suddenly dropped it on the counter. It gave off a perfect *ting* as it hit. I reached for it at the same time he did and our hooves met. My healer sense jerked awake and I could sense severe arthritis in his right hoof. His left hoof was almost as bad; left alone, he wouldn’t be able to work by this time next year. He must have been in terrible pain, too. Cutter looked up in astonishment as our magic fields met. “Benjamin! You’re a healer!” I didn’t say anything, just used a small amount of magic to heal Cutter’s arthritis. He held up his hooves in front of his muzzle and started crying. “I can keep working now! I can keep the shop open. Oh, thank you, Benjamin!” His magic field reached out and enveloped mine. I let it and learned his ability to shape metals surpassed mine by a wide margin. Beautiful, beautiful magic and phenomenal skill. Even if I polled his cutie mark (which was a single diamond), he had a lifetime of practice I could never match. I nodded to myself. Time to put on the white smock again, I thought. “I’m glad, Cutter,” I said, taking his right hoof in both of mine. “Quietly let the other unicorns know. I don’t want my healing getting outside of Ponyville just yet. And for the love of Magic, don’t let the doctors find out.” Cutter wiped his muzzle with an embroidered cotton handkerchief and nodded, too overcome to say more. I’d talked to the family several times about my healing and finally started working on pegasi since I couldn’t stand to see them maimed. 10 to 12 pegasi died outright each year in accidents. If they survived but couldn’t fly, they just withered and died in a couple of months; there were 6 of those last year before I started healing pegasi. I’d wondered if that was why most pegasi never married since their jobs were so hazardous. I’d told Storm Spotter and he’d been very good about keeping my healing quiet. The family agreed it was time for me to let a few other ponies know, too. “Cutter.” He looked up. “If we opened a bank here, would you sit on the board?” Cutter looked surprised, then gave me that shark smile of his. “If it means Lady Silver leaves town, I’d sit on 10 boards.” “Good stallion!” I said as I shook his hoof. His grip strength was close to mine, now, which pleased me. “We’ll talk about it after Spring Planting.” Cutter’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, yes. I do enjoy this time of year, yes, indeed.” “Hah, Cutter, you sly fox! I might have known.” “You’ll be busy yourself, Benjamin,” he said and we both had a good laugh. As I left the shop he was staring at both hooves again. I deposited the chit at the bank, putting 100 bits in Fall’s account and 20 in the workshop account. I waved to Adding Machine who was with a customer, then walked back to the workshop, horseshoe safely in my pouch. I had four and a half hours until I had to show up for the wedding and nothing scheduled, so I tossed my pouch inside, then walked to my favorite spot overlooking the gorge. I ran through some T’ai Chi katas, meditated and napped for a half hour or so. When I woke up refreshed, I roughed out the next six months including Shining Armor’s wedding at Midsummer, then ate lunch at 12 with the mares. Both were at wit’s end waiting for the wedding to start but I just waved them off and went back outside to my spot. I was wondering which hogger would take us out on the 5:30 excursion (a gift from the Crown) when I head hoofsteps behind me. I turned to find Storm Spotter with a very young pegasus mare who was in terrible distress. Somepony had wrapped a crude bandage around her left wing which stuck out from her side at a strange angle. She also had trouble walking. “Mr. Inventor,” said Storm Spotter, nodding to me. I thought once again a better looking pegasus stallion I’d never seen. Mottled grey hide, jet back mane, blue eyes and larger than normal wings, he was the ideal. He and Summer Breeze had split at Year’s End but there was no bitterness between them. “Storm Spotter! And who is this young mare, may I ask?” The poor mare just looked at the ground and didn’t say anything. She was clearly failing fast. “This is Wind Rider, the fifth member of my team, Mr. Inventor. She joined just before the Pegasus Migration last year. She had a bird strike yesterday.” “Hello, miss. May I look at your injury?” Wind Rider nodded, still looking at the ground. Using magic, I unwound the bandage and removed the splint as gently as I could. The break on the humerous was clean and there was a crack in the scapula. The more delicate radius had splintered into four or five pieces and she had two broken ribs as well. A bad one, sure enough. “Go to sleep, Wind Rider,” I said. The pegasus mare blinked, slowly knelt and then nodded off. “I’m sorry to bother you on your wedding day, Mr. Inventor.” I waved my left hoof as I prepared to fix the wing. “Glad for the diversion, Storm. I was getting tired of just waiting around.” Storm Spotter gave a half grin. “Better you than me,” he said. I grinned back, then concentrated on the healing. The humerous and scapula only took a few seconds. I couldn’t quite make out the radius, so I split the hide so I could see it, holding back any bleeding. I carefully arranged the splinters (seven, including two very small ones) and fused them, then had Storm check my work. He had an excellent feel for healing and a strong stomach, so I relied on him to make sure I hadn’t missed anything during a pegasus healing. He nodded, so I healed the thin muscles and hide over the radius, then set and fused the two ribs. There was some very minor internal damage as well, so I fixed that. By the time I finished I was sweating; the delicate surgeries were always the most demanding. I sat back with a sigh of relief but left the little yellow mare asleep for a few more minutes. “Next time, Storm, I’ll come to you. It’s too hard on the injured to walk all the way here. That or just bring them here directly the minute they’re hurt. I’ll get here right away no matter where I am.” “Yes, sir,” he said. “Thank you, Mr. Inventor.” “Call me ‘Benjamin’ or ‘Ben’ if ‘Benjamin’ is too long,” I said, wiping away sweat. Storm stepped forward, kissed me on my left muzzle and wrapped both front hooves around me. “I can’t thank you enough, Ben. You’ve saved three of us now,” he said, his head resting on my left shoulder. I knew pegasus stallions were affectionate with other pegasus stallions and was honored Storm would treat me like one of his own instead of like a groundpounder. I wrapped my front hooves around his frame, so different from and yet so like a pegasus mare’s. “’For skies are empty without the beat of pegasi wings’,” I quoted. It was from the Encyclopedia’s section on “Poems for Pegasi”. He quivered, then pulled back. His eyes were wet and he smiled that half grin of his. “No wonder the mares talk about you, Ben. You’re a charmer, you are.” I laughed. “I can’t compete with you, Storm, or with those wings of yours. But I do well enough, I think. Now, then,” I continued, “let’s wake up Wind Rider and see how she’s doing.” I touched the mare with a hoof. “Wake up, honey.” She blinked awake, then looked around wildly. She tensed, slowly extended her wing, retracted it, then leapt up and buried her head in Storm’s chest. He put a hoof over her neck as she stood and shivered. “She’s awfully shy, Ben, but she thanks you for saving her life,” said Storm, stroking her white mane and looking at her fondly. “Delighted, young mare. Very light flying for a week or so until your body recovers.” Healing took from the one healed and a serious injury could leave a client very weak. She pulled her head away from Storm Spotter, looked back at me and nodded. Then she and Storm Spotter faced into the Wind. Just before they were going to take off, the pretty mare turned, raced back to me, quickly kissed me on both sides of my muzzle and then touched my nose to hers. Then she and Storm Spotter were gone, flying slowly back toward Cloudsdale. A sweet mare, I thought. And Storm is a good squad leader. I took a deep breath, then looked at the Sun. Around 1:30. Time to clean up, get dressed and have Fall drive me to Sweet Apple Acres for the Dreaded Event. The Wedding By this time the mare will have made up her mind in what particular method she will be married - a matter, however, which is generally settled for her by her position in life, or her means. She has, indeed, her choice, to a certain extent, of marriage by banns, by license, by special license, or before the Registrar; but woe betide the unlucky wight who proposes the last method, either to a young stallion or his parents: let her be careful to do so on the ground-floor. “On Courtship and Marriage in Farming Families”, The Equestrian Encyclopedia of General Knowledge I checked the new Smithson and Sons watch the railroaders gave me for Year’s End. Twenty ‘til 3, almost time for me to take my position on the platform. I looked over the gathering. Ponies were mingling well. Twilight, wearing her new dress, was talking and even flirting a little with Adding Machine, Rarity had her usual coterie of stallions, and the railroaders weren’t clumped together any longer. Granny had done her part and was talking to Tomas O’Malley. I’d introduced Big Mac to Bull O’Keefe earlier. They had faced one another without the slightest expression, then gripped hooves. I could see their muscles working under their jackets and heard the seams creak alarmingly. After 30 seconds or so, both had smiled. “Mr. Apple, it’s a pleasure.” “Mr. O’Keefe, the same.” Many were Apples I’d met at the reunion and I’d spoken to several already. I’d been on the alert for Spring Brickle and finally spotted her standing next to the punch bowl. Rarity’s dress complimented her large frame and shoulder muscles by accentuating both just enough; a truly masterful design. I looked around, caught Bull’s eye and tilted my head. He hesitated just a moment and then walked toward Spring. I took an intercept course and we all met at the punch bowl. “Spring, my dear filly, how are you? Are you enjoying yourself?” “Oh, yes, Mr. Inventor, I’m having a delightful time,” and she actually meant it. She had some color from the excitement, too. Now or never, I thought. I pretended to reach for the punch. “Why, it’s Mr. O’Keefe. Spring, I don’t believe you’ve met Mr. O’Keefe. He’s a conductor on the Ponyville line.” “Fiorello O’Keefe, miss,” said Bull, extending a hoof. “I’m very pleased to meet you.” Fiorello! I thought. Little Flower. No wonder he goes by Bull. Spring’s eyes grew huge and she lifted a hoof (size 10, I thought to myself) and took Bull’s. And just stood. And stood. And stood some more. I cleared my throat. “Spring works the Brickleback Farm, Mr. O’Keefe.” Bull knew that already, of course. “Is that so, Miss Brickle?” said Bull in a gentle voice, still holding Spring’s hoof. Spring just nodded. Fall must have noticed what was going on and trotted over to rescue me. She was in the racing leathers I’d insisted Rarity make for her and looked quite fetching since they matched her eyes exactly. “Spring!” said Fall in a perky voice. “I see you’ve met Mr. O’Keefe. Say, are you hot? Your face is red.” Spring let go of Bull’s hoof and put both of her hooves on either side of her muzzle, her eyes never leaving Bull’s. “Is it?” she answered, softly. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to the platform. The music should start in a few minutes.” Glad to escape, I made a face at Fall who just grinned like the Lord of Hel and gave me an “OK” sign. I was working my way to the platform steps when one of the musicians raced up to me, Octi…something, I couldn’t remember. She had tears in her eyes and was carrying a cello. “Mr. Inventor, Mr. Inventor,” she said in a clipped Trottingham accent. “I’ve found a crack in my tailpiece. She won’t hold a tune.” “Let’s have a look, Miss…ah…” “Octavia Melody, sir. I’m a friend of Lyra’s. She said you could fix anything!” “Hmm, yes, well, we’ll just see about that.” I had Octavia hold up the cello. Sure enough, there was a crack in the rosewood, most likely from the Spring humidity. I found the wood’s essence and grew the crack back together. Thank you again, Lady Astrid. “Try it now, Miss Melody.” Octavia plucked out a two octave A scale, tuned the cello, then added another octave. Very skilled indeed, I thought. “Oh, that’s perfect, Mr. Inventor. Thank you!” She kissed me on the muzzle, then raced off to take her place with the other musicians. They started to play at 2:50 exactly and I climbed the two steps to the raised platform. Farm families didn’t believe in rehearsals, so I had no idea what to expect. Tradition demanded only immediate family stand on the platform, so I was alone since I had none. Big Mac, Granny and Apple Bloom, all in their best clothes, soon joined me. I nodded to them and each smiled at me. My family, I thought. I had more than enough time to look over the audience as they took their seats. There was Carl next to Cadence. He saw me notice him. He let his tongue hang out of the side of his mouth, rolled his eyes up and slowly slid down his seat, pretending to die of boredom. Cadence whacked him and he sat up again; he and I exchanged grins. The rest of the Mane Six, all beautifully dressed, and the Brickles, Spring sitting next to Bull and very conspicuously not looking at him. Adding Machine, Bernie, others of the Stable of Commerce including Cutter. Most of the town showed up, I decided, whether they were invited or not. I’d started to drift and was wondering just how fast Fall could get the steam car to go on the way to the station when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a flash of white. I looked toward the back and saw Tia along with Lady Astrid. They must have teleported in and stayed concealed since nopony noticed they were there. When Tia saw me looking at her, she stuck the tip of her tongue out of the left side of her mouth and pulled down her right lower eyelid. I looked at Lady Astrid and she put both hooves behind her ears, and then waggled her hooves back and forth while she stuck her tongue out of the front of her muzzle. Both mares doubled over laughing when I barely stuck out my tongue at them. Fillies and colts, the Ruler of Equestria and her Deputy. Well, well; Juliette must have taken my Year’s End advice about the Feast of Fools. It took all the willpower I had not to look at my watch. I heard the station clock chime a faint 3 and the music changed to a mild march of some sort. I looked down the aisle as the guests rose. And there was Applejack. She was wearing a white blouse with a bolo and puffed sleeves, black pearl snap buttons and a matching white pleated skirt which fell to her rear fetlocks. Over the blouse was a green vest which matched her eyes perfectly and on her rear hooves she was wearing white cowfilly boots. In place of her usual Stetson she had a white cowfilly hat with a sprig of something or other, I couldn’t tell what. Somepony had braided her mane and tail and she had a chiffon veil which ran from the hat’s crown and flowed over her haunches and down to the ground behind her. She was radiant. She passed between Tia and Juliette who both dipped their horns even though nopony could see them. The guests turned to follow her as she moved up the aisle. Several of the mares were crying already as was Big Mac. Applejack mounted the platform and I joined her facing Mayor Mare who had stepped up to the rear of the platform and was holding a black folio. “AJ,” I said out of the side of my mouth as the guests settled themselves. “P…ppp…part…ner,” she said, shaking like a leaf. I used a calming spell and AJ stopped shaking. “You look pretty good for a filly,” I said so only AJ could hear as the mayor opened the folio. AJ turned red trying to stifle her laughter but a faint “sphhhht” did escape. “Gentlemares and gentlestallions, welcome,” started the mayor. “We’re here today assembled to witness the joining of this stallion to the Apple family. The family filed the Courtship Documents last year and have sworn before me the stallion has met the Courtship requirements. Are there any here who object to this?” Silence. “Very good. I now ask for the family’s approval one final time. Apples, do you accept this stallion into your family from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health?” “We do,” said AJ, Granny, Apple Bloom and Big Mac although Big Mac had some trouble getting it out. “And do you, Benjamin Inventor,” said the mayor, turning to me, “willingly join this family from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health?” “I do.” “Do you have a token to give the bride as a sign of your troth to her, to your new family and to seal the covenant between you?” “I do,” I said as I reached across with my right hoof to my left jacket pocket. I pulled out the silver horseshoe which glistened in the afternoon Sun. I heard a collective “ohhhhh” from the guests. That’s what I’m talkin’ about, I thought. I held out my left hoof and AJ raised hers, smiling as tears ran down her muzzle. Holding her left hoof with my left, I put the horseshoe in place and it fit perfectly. Well done, Cutter, I thought. “Token given and received, I as Mayor of Ponyville with the authority invested in me by the Crown do declare you married. You may kiss the stallion!” I turned as AJ threw both front hooves around my neck and kissed me soundly. I could taste the cinnamon apple flavor I’d come to love so much along with salt from her tears. It took me back to our very first kiss and I felt fine, very fine. I just had time to think it was finally over when the mayor called out as we faced the crowd, “Gentlemares and gentlestallions, it is my pleasure to present to you for the very first time…Mr. and Mrs. Apple!" The rest of the afternoon was something of a blur. We stood in the receiving line which fortunately moved pretty quickly, cut the cake which was a delicious one from Pinkie, then danced our first dance, a reel AJ and I had practiced all Winter. Rarity and I did a number, then I danced with the stallions in a traditional Morris dance. I was between Big Mac and Bull which made me feel like a small book with two large book-ends. Both were surprisingly good dancers and for the finale tossed me up a good thirty feet. I wasn’t as proficient as Pinkie but managed a double somersault and landed on Bull and Big Mac’s outstretched hooves. I was wondering if it was time to leave for the station when Fall came up next to me. “Boss, it’s time to leave,” she said, and pointed to my watch. I checked: 5:10. “So it is, Apprentice. Steam racer warmed up?” Fall just grinned, pulled on her helmet and put down her goggles. I gave an answering grin, then moved close to AJ who was carrying on with the other Mane Six and Lauryn O’Malley. I jumped behind her, grabbed her around the waist and raced for the steam car. The guests knew all about the Stallion Chase, of course, and, once they’d seen what I was doing, started running after me. I made the car, threw a laughing AJ into the rumble seat, made sure the veil wouldn’t get caught in the wheels, sat beside her and tapped Fall on the back of the helmet. Off we went, slowly at first, then faster and faster, leaving the guests far behind. Fall and I agreed 40 mph was a pretty good speed and far faster than the guests could run, so she kept the racer at that. In our trials, we had her up to 87 mph but of course kept that to ourselves since Ma Brickle would have skinned me alive if she’d found out. We got to the station at 5:25. Fall slowed the racer and I swung AJ down. All our luggage was long since aboard, so I turned to Fall who had removed her helmet and goggles. “I’ll see you, Boss,” she said, looking down. I stepped forward and wrapped her in my hooves. “Thanks for the lift, Punkin’.” A tearful Fall hugged me back, kissed me on the muzzle, then waved to us as we raced to the single passenger car. I waved to a grinning Roundhouse and Timothy Martin just as I heard the wedding guests clamoring onto the depot. I slammed the passenger car door and with a double toot, we were on our way. We waved out the window to friends and family as the train left the station. I saw a grinning Carl, Cadence laughing and throwing rose petals, Apple Bloom with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, the O’Malleys, Bull next to Spring and Big Mac, friends, relatives; I wished Lady Magic could see it. After the final wave, AJ and I collapsed into a velvet love seat and just stared straight ahead. A few minutes later, we looked at one another. “Mr. Apple,” AJ said, smiling. “Mrs. Apple,” I answered, grinning like a cat with cream. We leaned toward each other and kissed, really meaning it this time. It was a sweet, loving kiss and held everything we’d meant to one another. My magic surged with it and enveloped both of us, recognizing the bond. We broke off, smiled at each other again, and then looked around. The rail car was most likely Lady Astrid’s private one and posh it was. A full sitting area with a couch, love seat, two chairs and a writing desk, an ice box full of food in a little kitchen, a small bathroom and a single bed. Rarity or somepony had thought ahead and left boxes marked “His” and “Hers” for my mess dress and AJ’s wedding finery; AJ even had a hat box. It was a sprig of heather on her hat, I noticed, her namesake. A very classy touch. We stripped, folding our clothes carefully after I’d cleaned them magically; wouldn’t want them to stain, after all. AJ found her usual hat and ribbons hanging on a peg. I unbraided AJ’s mane and tail, brushed them out for her and put on her ribbons. “I’m so hungry if I ate corn I’d eat th’ cob as well,” said AJ, pulling several plates out of the icebox. I was a little peckish myself, so I had an apple along with some mushrooms. AJ started with one plate of cabbage, finished that, then ate corn, potatoes, mushrooms, apples, more mushrooms, turnips, greens and a bread and honey for dessert, emptying the icebox down to the walls. “That’s the stuff,” she said, stretching out on the velvet sofa. “Whooo-eee,” AJ yawned, “I’m tuckered out. I haven’t slept in a couple of days gettin’ ready for the weddin’.” “Take a nap, Mrs. Apple, and I’ll wake you when we get there,” I said. My answer was a light snore. I covered AJ with an afghan, then watched the countryside go by, glad for the piece and quiet. The landscape slowly turned to desert, and then night fell. The private car had a skylight and the stars were perfectly clear overhead. I noticed the Winter constellations were almost gone for the year. I fell asleep admiring what the railroaders called the Sky Rail and astronomers called the River of Time.