//------------------------------// // Integrity // Story: The Lies We Tell to Children // by GaPJaxie //------------------------------// Twilight had asked Princess Celestia if she could have a small alcove in the palace. She didn’t ask for much, just a nook for a tiny desk and some books—somewhere to study. It seemed a reasonable request. Space in the palace was limited, certainly, but the space Twilight was given was not exceptionally valuable. It was just a small awning in a busy hallway, with barely enough room for a desk and two tiny chairs. It was loud, and it was crowded, and it was certainly far from private. Anypony could just walk up and sit down. Twilight had her muzzle in a book, when she noticed the other mare. The book was Theories on The Distillation of Vis In Proximity to Natural Bauxite Concentrations. The mare was Applejack. Twilight stared. They were quite the pair, sitting across from each other around the little school desk. In many ways, they were quite similar. They were about the same height and the same age, both teenagers whose voices were not done changing and whose legs were not quite the same length. They could have been school fillies together. But they were not. Twilight was brushed and polished, clad in silver and a ruby earring. Applejack was bare save for her bags and a worn stetson hat. Her coat was scuffy. There were bags under her eyes. She smelled like hay. “Would you like some tea?” Twilight offered. He had a thermos under her desk, next to a stack of textbooks. “You look like you’ve had a bad day.” Applejack nodded. Twilight cleaned the rim of her teacup with a cloth, then refilled it, and levitated it to Applejack’s side of the table. There is no dignified way for an earth pony to drink from a cup designed for unicorns, but if Twilight noticed the slurping sounds, she paid no mind. Instead, she calmly put her book away, and cleared the desk. “You’re Applejack, right?” Twilight asked. Across the table, the other mare nodded. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how I know that. We haven’t met before.” “It’s okay. Right back atcha.” Applejack looked around the palace hallway for a time. “I have met Rarity though. She’s a friend. In Ponyville.” “How’s she doing?” “She’s good. She’s good.” Applejack let out a long breath, and looked down at the desk. “I got you something.” Again, Twilight reached down into her pile of books. This time, the book she drew out was wrapped in parcel paper, held together with string. “Actually, it’s for Apple Bloom. It’s an illustrated book about the lifecycle of fruit trees. I loved it when I was her age. I thought… you two might enjoy reading it together.” Applejack stared at the book, and Twilight swallowed. After a moment, AJ took it and put it away. “Thanks. I was uh… gonna visit Manehatten on the way home. You know. Since I’m at the train station here anyway.” “I figured.” Twilight shrugged, her posture stiff as she sat back in her chair. “So. What brings you to Canterlot?” “The uh… the farm. You know I have a farm, right?” She checked Twilight’s face, then went on. “Princess Celestia gave my family the land way back when. But it’s not going so well. Ever since the railroad came in, you know. Price of apples ain’t been what it used to be.” Twilight nodded, listening closely as Applejack continued. “Got griffons and centaurs and harpies in the big cities every day sellin’ apples for less than it costs to ship ‘em in. Everypony in Ponyville’s startin’ to feel mighty squeezed. And… I was hopin’ maybe Princess Celestia could see us to a loan until things blow over.” “If you’re here to ask Princess Celestia for a favor, why are you talking to me?” “Well…” Applejack gestured in Twilight’s direction. “She said no. Is the thing. She said we didn’t have to pay taxes or nothin’ for a few years, and that is mighty generous of her, but the farm’s gotta have profits to be taxed. And I heard uh… I mean, I didn’t hear. But I got a mighty strong feeling you can…” “Fix it?” Twilight asked. Applejack nodded. “Of course.” She smiled. Applejack smiled. “Anything for a friend.” Twilight pulled out a notebook, opening it to a blank page and blotting an ink pen on her spare sheet. “Tell me. What’s the typical price of apples in Canterlot right now?” “Uh… wouldn’t you know better than me?” Applejack asked. She stared at Twilight for a time, and Twilight stared back. A small blush crept into Twilight’s features. “Right. Right.” Applejack letout a nervous laugh. “Don’t buy your own apples. Uh… maybe three bits a bushel.” “And your typical price? From before you started getting squeezed.” “Four and a half bits. But Apple family apples are way better than-” Twilight lifted a hoof, like Celestia did. Applejack fell silent. Twilight’s pen scribbled for several moments. “And I assume your transportation costs are something in the range of 150 to 200 bits a ton? Or roughly 2-3 bits per bushel. So the majority of your costs are actually rail transportation rather than raw materials?” “Uh… yeah. That’s right.” Applejack nodded quickly. “Well, that’s no problem then.” Twilight smiled, and lifted her head from her notes. “I’ll have a word with the rail company. I’m sure they have plenty of unused capacity that’s just going to waste on Ponyville/Canterlot line. Easily enough for them to move your cargo for free. That should make the farm quite profitable.” Applejack cleared her throat. “Beggin’ your pardon, but I was looking for a loan to get back on our own four hooves, not special treatment.” “I’m not a government official, Applejack. I can’t give you a loan.” Twilight gave a small shake of her head. “I just happen to go to the same school as the daughter of Mr. Cross Ties who owns the East Equestrian Rail Company. And in any case, if the farm is losing money on each bushel sold, a loan will only prolong the inevitable. You need to reduce your costs.” Slowly, Applejack took her hat off her head. “I’m not…” She hesitated. “That sounds like special treatment. You askin’ Mr. Cross Ties to charge us less and all.” “Getting a loan and a remittance of taxes from Princess Celestia is special treatment too.” “Well, yeah, but…” Applejack let out half a laugh. “She does that all the time, don’t she? Give away land, or money, or magic junk to ponies who need it. Starts towns and such.” “She asks the railway to do favors for her friends all the time as well.” Twilight’s voice was calm, and she opened her hooves. “And I’m a friend of hers and you’re a friend of mine.” “Twilight. I don’t think you understand. I mean…” Applejack cleared her throat. “You heard me say that all of Ponyville is gettin’ squeezed, right? Like, a lot of farms are as bad off as us or near there.” “Yes, that’s right. The recent reconfiguration of the East Equestrian Rail to open access to the border provinces has been generally unfavorable to near-Canterlot exurb agriculture.” “Uh… sure.” Applejack soon her head. “But the point is, lots of farms are on the brink. And you’re sayin’ we get our shippin’ for free. Does everypony in Ponyville get this 100% discount?” “It’s not a discount. It’s a gift.” Twilight paused. Her eyes flicked over Applejack, up and down. “To you.” After a moment, she frowned. “I… thought you’d be happy.” “I am... “ Applejack let out another breath. “I’m happy you’re trying to help me. But Twilight, what am I supposed to do when my farm’s makin’ money by the hooffull and my neighbors are strugglin’ just to get by.” “You could give the money away.” She shrugged. “Or you could buy their farms, I suppose. Their produce would still get discounted. We do consolidations like that all the time.” Applejack’s jaw fell open. Quickly, she pushed her hat back onto her head. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing!” her tone turned sharp and snappish. “You think I’m going to go live the high life while my neighbors starve just because some gussied-up unicorn in Canterlot decided to shake her tail hairs my way?” Twilight’s frown deepend. “I didn’t mean it that way, Applejack. I really thought you’d be looking forward to this.” “And what part of this would I be lookin’ forward to, exactly!?” “If you’re a landlord—or if you can afford some hired hooves—you’ll have a lot more free time on your hands. So you wouldn’t have to leave Apple Bloom alone all day.” Twilight swallowed. “So she could come back to the farm.” Applejack didn’t say anything for a long time. Her gaze went down to the table. She couldn’t look at Twilight. “She…” Applejack struggled. Her voice cracked. “I just… the family should be back together. You know? Ever since Ma and Pa died. Big Mac and I have been missin’ her something fierce and…” Twilight reached out and placed her hoof over Applejack’s. She waited quietly, until Applejack lifted her head. When their eyes met, Twilight’s expression was soft, and she reached out with her other hoof as well. “You’ll raise her to be a good pony. You will.” Twilight’s voice was firm. “You don’t have to be afraid of the truth, Applejack.” “Heh.” Applejack smile, even as tears started to pool in her eyes. “I know. I know.” Applejack swallowed. “I dream too.”