//------------------------------// // The Creatures of Everfree // Story: Family Secrets: The Reveal // by Schrodinger's Pony //------------------------------// Dark is the night, when our tale is begun ‘Neath the eaves of Everfree! The sky filled with thunder, the wind coldly blowing Through the leaves of Everfree! Granny Smith strolled through the dark forests of Everfree. A Stetson hung on her head, and an axe swung at her side. A worn old book was balanced on her back. Most ponies, even strong youthful ponies, feared the forest Everfree. But to Granny Smith, it was old familiar territory. It was home. “Let’s see now…” She muttered. “Pony eating trap plant…” She passed the plant, which to any other pony would have looked like a normal empty field, but she knew from experience that it was just too big to be seen. “Oh, and there go a swarm of fruit-bats.” A swarm of fruit flew overhead, including oranges, bananas, pears, and even to her surprise, a Watermelon. “That’s a new one.” She took the book off of her back and a pencil from behind her ear. The book was her Big Book of Everfree Wildlife. Princess Celestia herself had given her family this farm on the edge of Everfree, and she was going to look after it. And after her discovery of Zap Apples, looking after the farm was practically the same as cataloguing every critter in the forest. “Next thing you know, them bats’ll have apple shapes.” She chuckled, as she made a note in the margins of the fruit-bat entry. And then came the howling. She shut her book. “And there’re the Timberwolves.” She nodded. “Ah’m getting’ too old fer this.” As one, the shadows parted, and the timberwolves lunged forward. She put her book and her axe gently on the ground, and stretched her hind legs. “Wham! Bam!” Two timberwolves fell back under the assault of her mighty bucks. She’d been bucking apple trees all her life, she could manage these piles of driftwood. She bucked two more, and the wolves fell back. They formed a circle, and began to prowl around her. She looked around, and saw the wolf that was bigger than the others. “Hello there.” She grinned. The Alpha roared in her face. She adjusted her hat, and roared back. The timberwolf whimpered, just a little bit, his ears pulling back at the noise, and she called her pack to back off. “That’s what I thought.” Granny Smith picked up her things. “Too old fer this.” She trotted along, deeper into the forest. She was almost there; the Zap Apple orchard that grew naturally in Everfree. She was almost there, when she saw an unusual sight. There was a tree. The tree was almost pinkish in hue. And it had a face. The face was an angry one, made up of knots and whorls. Surprisingly, they even formed teeth. “Well ain’t you a beaut?” Granny Smith asked. She’d never been afraid in her life, so she found it ludicrously easy to walk up to the glaring tree. She sat down and sketched a picture in her notebook. “Tree unidentifiable. Not sure whether the face was grown nat’rally as one of them self-defense doohickies, or not, but… looks like there’s some sort of green mold glowing where it’s ‘eyes’ are.” Granny Smith thought for a bit, then put her book down and picked up an axe. “Gonna take this one home fer expermentatation. Lightning flashed in the night sky, and the timberwolves howled, as she cut the tree down with one stroke. The pony knew not what she started! With a timber the grim deed was done! And the fates sealed her destiny, And threw away the key, There was nowhere she could run! Granny Smith felt the stump. “Interesting sap.” She muttered. “Almost… like blood.” She shuddered, something she’d not done before. Confused at the outburst, she picked up the fallen tree, ignoring that in a certain light the snarling face looked more like a face whimpering in fear, and made her way deeper into the forest. She was feeling lucky tonight. Usually the timber wolves never let her go this far in. She heard the howling before she saw them, but they didn’t attack her this time. They line up on either side of her, forming a path. “What’re you doin’?” She asked, looking around at the wolves. The just continued to howl menacingly. She cautiously walked along the path they’d outlined for her. She had a bad feeling about this. Ahead, she saw a clearing, lit by lamps placed carefully in trees. In that clearing was an enormous timberwolf, a veritable giant among timberwolves, with skin bleached white like an ash tree and rainbow colored leaves covering her. The wolf didn’t seem to notice her, too busy talking to something in the forest she couldn’t see. “I’m glad to welcome a new species into Equestria.” The giant wolf said. “And after seeing the amazing things you’ve done to Everfree, I’m sure my little ponies will accept you into their folds too.” She heard a hissing rasping voice speak in a strange language. “What? No, I haven’t been sending scouts to prepare for war. I abhor war. Why, is a pony disturbing your forests?” More hissing, this time in clear pony language. “Assssk her youssssselfff.” The timberwolf turned around as Granny Smith stepped into the clearing. Oddly, the other voices belonged to three trees. Three pink trees, with snarling faces and angry bright green eyes. Then in a bright flash of light, the white timberwolf transformed into Princess Celestia. “Princess?” Granny Smith bowed, nervously. “What’s going on? What are you doing in Everfree?” Princess Celestia studied her. “You’re… Granny Smith yes? I gave your parents a farm by Everfree?” Granny Smith nodded. “Yes Princess. Uh… what are these…?” The trees began hissing again. “These are the Jackalopes.” Celestia explained. “They are the guardians of the forest.” “And we have tolerated you for far too long!” The trees hissed and rattled, but one spoke in pony language. “You are lucky you never stole any of our fertilized apples, or we would have hunted you down no matter how much noisssse you made! But now, you have slain one of our own!” Granny Smith gapsed, and remembered the tree she had on her back. She dropped it in a second, horrified by the look of pained shock on the tree’s face. The trees began to sing. “See now the innocent sap that you’ve spilt, ‘Neath the eaves of Everfree!” “I’m so s-s-sorry, I – I didn’t know…” Granny Smith stammered. “Hear the wind blowing the news of your guilt, through the leaves of Everfree!” Tears ran down Granny Smith’s cheeks. “I didn’t know! Ya’ll should have said somethin’ instead of makin’ me think you were just trees!” “You can lie to yourself and your princess, you can claim that your conscious is free… But you never can run from, nor hide what you’ve done from, the trees! The trees of Everfree!” Howls of approval rang out through the clearing, and Granny Smith looked around, realizing she was surrounded by a swarm of glowing green eyes. And for once in her lifetime, full of dauntless bravery, Granny Smith shook like a leaf, under the gaze of Everfree. “Sap demands blood!” One of the tree’s leaders called, and granny Smith’s blood ran chill at the cheers the suggestion received. “Now, that’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Princess Celestia put an arm around Granny Smith. “She didn’t mean any harm. Isn’t there another way?” “I’ll never cut another tree down as long as I live!” Granny Smith swore. The tree who demanded her blood bent over, examining his chopped brethren. “I knew him.” He said. “His mate burned in a forest fire. It was probably why he protected the apple grove so fiercely. He had a sapling on the way.” “I have a son too.” Granny Smith pleaded. “His name’s Big Macintosh. He helps out on my farm…” “Silence!” The tree roared. “Wait.” Said the tree next to him. “There may be another way. A trial by goodwill.” “What do you mean by that?” Celestia asked. “The pony will grow the sapling, raising it as her own. After two decades, we shall come to see her, and bring her back to the forest. If she has been mistreated, then the pony has not learned from her mistakes and deserves death, would you not agree Princess?” Celestia pondered the dilemma. “That is… a fair proposal.” She said, though she detested even the thought of one of her ponies coming to harm. The trees nodded their assent, and a pair of timberwolves came out to the clearing. They gave Granny Smith a Zap Apple, though this one was fatter than the Zap Appes that she made in her jam. And as she felt a soft squirming from inside the apple, she figured out why. The Zap Apples were eggs. She’d been using unfertilized apples for her jam, much like some ponies ate unfertilized chicken eggs. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her, as she placed the apple in her saddlebags. “This shall be your trial.” The timberfolk said. “To this end will we judge your crimes. You may think to run. You may think to cheat us. Don’t. The forest does not care for how long it waits. The forest cannot be cheated.” “Yes sir.” Granny Smith nodded fervently. “I swear, I’ll never take another tree from Everfree again!” And with that, she took off at full gallop. One of the timberfolk stood next to Celestia. “Here is a riddle, answer if you dare, ‘Neath the leaves of Everfree." “I hardly think now is the time for…” Celestia was stopped by an upheld branch. “A riddle to ask of the strange running pair, ‘Neath the eaves of Everfree!” The tree gestured to the pony as she ran wildly, clutching the Zap apple to her. “Which is the monster, and which is the mare!? To the trees… The trees of Everfreeeeeeeeee!” ~0o0! There was a hole in the ground outside of Granny Smith’s farm. At the bottom of the hole were the remains of a buried Zap Apple. Just minutes ago, a baby Jackalope had emerged from it. Princess Celestia and Granny Smith gazed at the infant. It looked just like a rabbit, albeit with antlers. “This is the Jackalope’s true form.” Princess Celestia explained. “They are exceptionally weak, but their magic helps them grow strong. The males can possess trees, and other plantlife. The females grow a protective shell around themselves, often in the appearance of wolves.” Granny Smith sighed. “She’ll never fit in with the other ponies, will she?” Princess Celestia looked at her with appraising eyebrows. “Did you… ask that because you don’t want to die in fifteen years, or did you ask that because you care for her?” Granny Smith considered this. “Ya know… ma mind’s goin’ in my old age, I don’t reckon I know which one.” Princess Celestia scrutinized the blushing cowgirl. She almost questioned why she wanted to fake senility, but decided against it. She was a pretty good judge of character, and she could see the same spark of goodness in her that she saw in her parents. “Granny Smith, I don’t think I have to remind you of the consequences of failing your duty.” Princess Celestia lightly scolded her. “Ah know.” “A new species has come to Equestria. Every other time this has happened, there’s been a war. I do not want another war.” “Ah know.” Princess Celestia sighed. “I know you will take as good care of this sapling as you’ve taken care of your parent’s farm.” “Ah…” Granny Smith stopped talking as she smelt apples in the air, and felt a sunny magic tingling in her hooves. She watched as Celestia began to chant a spell, apple pies floating out of the cupboards toward her. Celestia’s magic descended on the jackalope, and the baby giggled as it was surrounded by pie. Withing mere seconds, the bright green eyes were looking at Granny Smith from the body of a foal, coat and mane the same orange and gold as the crusts of Granny’s pie. “She should instinctively keep her armor up.” Celestia said, nodding her approval at her handiwork. “Just make sure she doesn’t go near fertilized zap apple jam, or her… protective instincts will kick in. I’ve made the horns invisible, but you should give her something to hide them with just in case.” Granny Smith sighed in relief. “Well Ah’ll be… she’s actually a cute little thing, ain’t she?” Celestia smiled, but then she noticed a light on. “I have to go.” She said, embracing Granny Smith. “Remember, the fate of Equestria may depend on how well you can raise this foal.” With that, she spun around, leaped out of the window, and ascended into the night sky. The kitchen door opened. “Ma?” Big Mac asked, walking in. “Ah thought ah heard noises. And Ah smell… are ya baking pie?” “Ah’m jus; whipping up a li’l somethin’ fer yer new sister.” Granny Smith lied, showing her son the foal. The filly was beginning to sniff around, trying to bury her nuzzle in the apple ingredients strewn throughout the kitchen. Big Mac lifted a curious eyebrow, and looked into his new sister’s eyes. “Ah didn’t know you were pregnant – EEEyow!” Applejack had just bit him on the nose. Big Mac sat back and rubbed his nose. “But she’s got the Apple spirit.” He chuckled. “What’s her name?” Granny Smith considered. “Ah was thinking… Applejack.” Big Mac raised an eyebrow. “Ain’t she a bit young to be thinkin’ about drink?” “The name ain’t about drink.” Granny Smith scolded. “It’s about…” She paused, wondering whether she should tell Big Mac or not. Big Mac shrugged. “Well alright. But if this 'Jack' feller comes around again, you let me know so’s I can converse with him about mah new li’l sis.” Big Mac stroked applejack’s head softly, allowing her to bite his hard hooves, before yawning. “Whelp, Ah’m headin’ back to bed.” “G’night.” Granny Smith him goodbye. She smiled and sat Applejack on the counter, where she burped and tried to crawl towards an apple slice. “Well Applejack… guess you an’ I are family now.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Ah… Ah’m so sorry… about yer pa…” Granny Smith cried herself to sleep that night, after tucking Applejack into bed. ~0o0~ Applejack giggled as she ran through her family’s orchards. To her, the sun seemed especially bright, as it shone through the red and golden leaves of autumn. As she almost flew by, she heard the trees whispering on all sides of her. “There goes Ms. Applejack.” “Eeyup, there she goes.” “I wonder why the young miss is in such a hurry?” “Oh, who can tell with ponies?” Applejack spun around. “You guys!” She called. “It’s my birthday!” The trees hissed their approval. “Congratulaions young ‘un.” Applejack blushed. “Aaaaw, thanks fellers. I gotta git goin’ now. My granny has somethin’ special fer this birthday.” She rushed off to the barnhouse where she knew her family was waiting. Sometimes she thought she was weird because she talked to trees. Sometimes she thought she was weird for imagining they could talk back. But she could always count on Granny and Big Mac. Applejack jumped into a leaf pile near the barn. When she got out, she found that the leaves were sticking to her, like a great big beard. This was another one of the reasons she loved autumn. The apple tree leaves were so sticky. She crept silently through the barn. The place was full of streamers, with one of granny’s special deluxe apple cakes right in the center. The pair of them were unsuccessfully hiding behind the cake. Applejack grinned, and snuck up behind them. All of a sudden, Granny Smith screamed, and spun around on Applejack. Applejack flinched at the noise, and Granny stopped screaming. “Oh, sorry Applejack. I thought you was a… somepony else. How many times do ah have ta tell you not ta sneak up on me like that?” “Sorry Granny.” Applejack blushed as Granny Smith absent mindedly began pulling the leaves off of her. “Oh hush now, ain’t nothing to apologize fer, scarin’ an old mare like me.” Granny Smith gestured to the decorated barn. “This here’s yer birthday! Now git an’ open that thar present!” Big Mac grinned broadly. “Ah got you this present!” He said excitedly. “Ah figured, whut could Ah get you that you ain’t already got, an’ then ah asked Filthy an’ he said…” “Big Mac…” Applejack whined, covering her ears. Her ears were so sensitive, Granny reckoned she could hear a butterfly sneeze. She couldn’t, but her hearing helped keep the raccoons at bay. They were a curse though. Big Mac usually had to limit his talking to an eeyup or a nope when she was around, due to his big, deep, rumbling voice. “Right. Sorry.” He rumbled in his big booming voice. He held out a box for her, and Applejack was surprised to see it was moving. She opened it up, and a puppy leaped out and licked her face. “Ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy!!!” The puppy called. “You taste like apple! You taste like apple pie! I love you! I love you so much! Be my pet please! Can I haz apple pony? Oh boy wearegoingtohavesomanyfuntimestogetherplayingandeatingandsleepingandplaying!!!” “Woah, slow down girl!” Applejack set the puppy down. “Ah can’t believe it! Big Mac, ya got me a puppy?” “Eeyup.” Big Mac grinned. Applejack laughed. Surprisingly, the puppy’s voice didn’t hurt her ears at all. “What’s yer name girl?” “Winona! Winona! My name’s Winona!” “What’re you gonna call her?” Granny Smith asked. “Ah’m thinkin’ Winona.” Applejack said. No need to tell Granny she could hear the dog talkin’ to her. She already knew she was mad, she didn’t need Granny to confirm it. “An’ here’s mah present to you.” Granny Smith held out her hat. Applejack gasped, and held the hat reverently. “Granny… is this yer special hat?” “Eeyup.” Granny Smith beamed. “An’ it’s even more special now, ‘cause it’s yers. I took it to some fancy magic doctor, and she went and enchanted it so it’d dim yer ears a smidge.” “Wow…” Applejack took the hat onto her head. It hung low over her face, but her beaming smile was still visible. “This way you can go to school.” Granny Smith smiled proudly. The world seemed to stop for Applejack. “Whut?” “You need an education young filly.” Granny Smith announced. “We’re sendin’ you ta school!” Applejack frowned. “Big Mac didn’t go to school… you didn’t go to school… why do I hafta go to school?” “I reckon you might git yer cutie mark.” Granny Smith explained, in a reasonable tone. “An’ ya need friends too.” Applejack almost shook. She talked to trees and dogs and imagined them talking back. She needed a special hat just to leave the farm. There was no way she was going to school where all the other foals would call her names. She looked at the hat on her head, and began to wonder if inheriting a priceless family heirloom was worth the price. ~0o0~ Applejack frowned at the school house. It was a small little thing. Ponyville had only begun to blossom as a town recently, so there wasn’t much call for schooling. But with one of Big Mac’s friends getting a Cutie Mark, and a few couples moving away from Canterlot to escape the city’s hustle and bustle, there began to be a need for a school. Applejack smiled nervously at the foals around her. She was the first in her family to go to school, so she had no idea what to expect. Big Mac asked Cheerilee to come around and help her sort a few things out, so she felt confident that actually attending school would be a breeze. But she’d promised Granny that she’d do her best to enjoy school and make friends. Neither of which she had any idea how to do. A flash of color caught her attention. Curious, she stopped her nervous fretting, and trotted over. The white unicorn looked up as she approached. “Hellooooo!” The unicorn said, in a sing song voice. “Howdy.” Applejack nodded. She caught herself staring, and looked away. The unicorn smiled. “Do you like my mane?” She asked. Applejack nodded. “What color is it?” “Can’t you see?” Rarity flourished her mane in front of her. Applejack blushed. “Ah’ve never seen that color before.” Rarity gasped in horror and shook Applejack's hoof. “My name's Rarity. And my mane's violet. I can't believe you've never seen that color before!" Applejack blushed. "Well, I don't get much violet on the farm." Rarity's eyes shone. "You live on a farm? Oh my, you really haven't seen much of the world have you?" She perked up. "Ideeeaaa! Do you want to be my friend?” ~0o0~ She was never going to be friends with Rarity again, that much was clear. Applejack ran back to Sweet Apple Acres. She couldn’t believe she’d let that filly talk her into leaving her home. She saw Big Mac waiting for her at home. He called, and Granny Smith came running. All three of them had tears in her eyes, as they hugged again. “We thought you was gone forever.” Big Mac said. “Well Ah ain’t.” Applejack hugged him tighter. “And ya better git used to it, ‘cause I ain’t leavin’ again.” Big Mac looked up. “Sis! Ya got yer Cutie Mark!” Granny looked in surprise as Applejack beamed. “Eeyup. I’m gonna use what I learned at school to run this place. I’m gonna be the best manager of Sweet Apple Acres Ponyville has ever seen, or ever will see! This is ma home, and ah’ll take care of it.” Granny tried to speak, her mouth opening and closing in rapid succession, before she finally managed to get her jaw in control. “Applejack… ah think it’s time ah was honest with you about something…” Granny Smith took Applejack and Big Mac inside of the barn. Her usual eccentric old lady demeanor gone, replaced with a grim expression. She told Applejack about her true species. About the death of her father. The deal the Jackalopes had struck with the Princess. Applejack cried at parts. She felt shaken, and scared. “An' now, Ah reckon ah can’t lie any more.” Granny Smith finished. “Ya got a cutie mark, that means you ain’t a foal no more. Lyin’s only acceptable if it helps keep a pony safe, and it ain’t helpin’ you no more.” Applejack, slumped on the floor in emotional exhaustion,raised a weary and confused head. “Granny, did ya tell Big Mac about this?” Granny shook her head. Applejack spun around. “So when ya cried, they weren’t because ya thought I was gonna start a war by leavin’?” “Naw, it was ‘cause yer mah sister.” Big Mac said. “An’ ya still are,whether yer a pony or a jackalope.” Tears welled up in Applejack’s eyes, and she hugged her family. “Yer right Big Mac. And yer still mah brother. An’ Ah’m a pony; mah Cutie Mark proves it. An’ ah ain’t leavin’ you again.” ~0o0~ “An’ that’s why ah told Twilight that what ya see is what ya get with me.” Applejack explained, as she and the others were walking down the caverns into the dragon’s world. Princess Luna had thrown up an illusion around them, like a moving wall, so thte dragons wouldn't hear them talking, and would only see them walking next to each other. “Jus’ like Fluttershy’s a dragon, even though she’s a pony. Ah’m a pony, an’ I won’t let anypony tell me other…wise… uh, Pinkie…” Pinkie Pie advanced, and with surprising speed shot her tongue out and licked Applejack. “You do taste like apple pie!” Applejack jumped away from her. “Pinkie, stop that!” “But you’re made of pie!” Pinkie Pie squealed. “So you mean…” Rainbow Dash looked at the Zap Apple jam smeared onto her mane. “This isn’t just jam… this is baby Jackalope?” Applejack grimaced. “No. If somepony did steal a fertilized apple, Ah can’t imagine them still being alive. Ah reckon that’s just a discarded apple shell, picked up from the grounds after season’s end.” She sighed. “It’s happened afore.” Rainbow Dash still looked sick, and spat out some of the 'jam' she'd tried to clane off by licking. Pinkie Pie visibly contained herself and calmed down. “Okay, you’re right. Now, Applejack. If you were to tell a certain somepony…” She pointedly glanced at Twilight, who was walking a short distance away. “How sorry you were, for not telling her you were one of the trees that Nightmare Moon sicced on us that had to run away when we laughed too loudly, how would you apologize?” “Ah would say…” Applejack turned to Twilight. She remembered the horrifying vision Discord had shown her, of all of her friends breaking up. She still had nightmares about it. She remembered Granny Smith telling her it’s okay to lie if it keeps a pony safe, if there’s nothing to be gained from the truth. “Ah would tell her that Ah never meant to hurt her none. She’s mah very best friend, and if Ah had to be her friend all over again, Ah’d tell her what Ah was right away so’s this would never happen. Ah never thought keeping this secret would hurt her. As far as Ah’m concerned, Ah’m still her best friend Applejack.” Twilight sighed. “You know the one thing that really gets me Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked. “What Twilight?” Pinkie Pie asked, hopping next to her. “What gets me, is that Applejack is like a sister to me. And I don’t have much of a basis for sisters, but I do have an older brother. And when Shining Armor messed up, when he forgot to tell me that he was getting married, it was because he was being brainwashed. Applejack almost killed Rainbow Dash, because she forgot to mention over one of the six thousand four hundred and twelve times we’ve hung out together, that she had a trigger that she knew would cause her to go wild and… and might have made her eat me…” Traitorous tears poured out of her eyes. Princess Luna looked between the two, and decided to repay the debt she owed them. “Twilight, you do recall that my sister, Princess Celestia, did bid Granny Smith to raise Applejack in secret? Doth thou think she is wrong?” Twilight stopped and stared at Princess Luna. The thought of Princess Celestia – THE Princess Celestia, her beloved mentor – being wrong, even accidentally!? Why, that was preposterous. It just didn’t bear thinking about. But Applejack, her best friend, being a timberwolf – a jackalope! – and not telling her for all the years they’d been together? Equally preposterous. So there was only one logical thing to do – go with the option that didn’t involve being angry at her best friend for any longer. “I – you’re right. Of course you’re right.” Twilight nodded. “If Princess Celestia was keeping the secret, then it’s okay.” Applejack glared at Princess Luna, and prepared to own up to her own actions. “Now Twi, don’t go blaming the Princess. Ah should have told you…” “But you didn’t, because you couldn’t, because Princess Celestia wanted you to be kept a secret!!” Twilight raced forward and hugged Applejack. “You would have if you could have, right?” She looked up with pleading eyes. Applejack looked down at Twilight, and remembered her Granny’s words on honesty. She would never cheat in any competition. She would always be open with her friends. But sometimes… sometimes somepony deserved more than the truth. Sometimes they deserved to have their faith rewarded. “Sure would have sugarcube.” She lied, bittersweetly. The things she’d do for her favorite color. Their hug ended, and Twilight rounded on Rainbow Dash. “But what about you? When I asked if anypony else wasn’t a pony, or was an illegal Equestrian…” Rainbow Dash froze. “Um… I kind of…” “We all shared ours dear.” Rarity said. “Well, except for Pinkie Pie.” “Shush!” Pinkie Pie giggled nervously. “I have loads of secrets! I make lots of pinkie promises! You can’t ask Pinkie Pie to break a Pinkie Promise! That’s the ultimate paradox! It can’t be done!” “I… alright, I’ll tell you.” Rainbow Dash grimaced. “It’s sort of… dangerous too. But not in front of the Princess.” “Why not?” Twilight asked. “Because she is enemy of the crown number one.” Princess Luna declared, with a soft smile on her lips. Rainbow Dash went white as a sheet, and began to shake in the knees. “Now now… it’s not that bad… is it… number one?” “You needn’t fear, Rainbow Dash.” Princess Luna shook her head and laughed. “I knew who thou were the moment I saw thine pink eyes charging at Nightmare Moon as she declared her domination of Canterlot. Already, she had defeated mine sister, but she spent the rest of the night in fear of you, as she was right to be. I’m sure Princess Celestia knoweth too, she merely hath not told anypony.” Rainbow Dash’s tail was tucked beneath her legs, and she shook all the harder. “You… you knew?” “Of course we knew.” Princess Luna strode up to Rainbow Dash, and bowed before her. “How could we forget, after how we treated thou a millennia ago? I would like to apologize to you for the way I behaved. And I promise I shall never allow anything like that to happen again… to the knewest regeneration of The Doctor.” Rainbow Dash stopped shaking, and her face formed an expression that was half confusion, and half mirth. “Doctor Who?” She asked.