It has been so long she last was down in her and Luna's old teacher's study. Celestia hasn't been down here since Star Swirl disappeared, it had been too many memories for the back then grieve stuck alicorn. Star Swirl disappeared in a very bad timing as Celestia was grieving over she had been forced exiling her sister to the moon. She never found out what happened to their old teacher, but she is very sure that he is dead. Not to mention it has been 1000 years now and she cannot think about those troubled times. Now she has to be in the present and focus on the mystery on why creatures from another world have been brought here and how come another Element has appeared. She sure hopes that Star Swirl had studied into the subject about other world transportation or at least the Elements of Harmony. It would be nice knowing if there exists more she and Luna did not know about.
Celestia walks slowly into the study, feeling very hesitant about disturbing the room as Star Swirl left it all those years ago but it has to be done. Letting out a small sigh, Celestia levitates a book over to her; after having read a few pages she returns it exactly back where she found it. Doubting the dictionary of the stars will be any help.
She heads over to the large bookshelf, for a moment thrown back to when she and Luna were foals, studying along several of these books with Star Swirl. Celestia smiles sadly at the memory and if she hasn't a mission, then she would've left by now. But since three from another world counts on her, she pushes her own feelings aside, continuing searching the shelf for anything useful.
Her eyes stop on a book with the title of 'Pathway to other worlds' that one sounds promising and Celestia levitates it out.
'Over my years of researching the nature of the Pillars of Virtue, I have discovered that there have been several more Pillars than just the six I know about. It is unclear what exactly happened to them, but I have a theory that the dark forces I and my fellow pillars are fighting against have thrown the missing Pillars of Virtue into another world. One I yet have to reach even with all my magical powers. Until then, I and my fellow Pillars will ensure the element found will not be forgotten if the dark forces will defeat us. We will infuse our magic- our virtue into a crystal seed and plant them deep inside Harmony's Forest.'
Celestia stops reading her old teacher's writing, these Pillar's of Virtue the old unicorn spoke about. Could it be the Elements of Harmony? And there had been more, how many more and what kind of elements would they be- better yet, who could become their bearers? That is questions she has to find answers on later. Celestia flips through the pages and finds a paragraph about the subject of her reason coming down here in the first place.
'I have found a way and created a spell there can take somepony into another world very different from our own. I realize there are many such worlds, some I would have to be very careful exposing to ours as beings on the other side may be a threat or worse; allies to the dark forces at play. But even with that threat, I has to try. The forces of darkness are growing and I realize that the six Pillars of Virtue are not enough defeating them. We may represent and hold the power the dark forces fear, but we do not have any conduit in order to tap into the Spirit of the Virtue itself. The seeds we planted might give us such a conduit. All I and my fellow Pillars of Virtue can do for now is keeping the darkness at bay. But if my theory is correct, then the dark forces have thrown certain of the virtues into another world in attempt denying us a fighting chance. The destruction of the conduit will render the current user defenseless but like with the dark forces; the Spirit of the Element can never be truly destroyed. Exiling the spirits of the element has been the dark forces attempt getting rid of the power keeping them at bay. I will search for them in other worlds. I have already created a pathway to one of these other worlds and hope one of the spirits of the virtue is trapped there.'
Celestia is deeply troubled by what she is reading but also has a spark of hope, are Spy, Soldier, and Demo from the world where the Spirit of Virtue had been trapped? Do they have the spirit inside of them? She does not know but is carefully optimistic that is the case. According to Twilight, this new element; the Element of Guidance seems to have been inside Spy before it found its place at this Zecora and he got a silver necklace as well. She will have to speak with Spy about this, hear if he had any idea about the element resting inside of him. It still does not answers the question: who brought them here in the first place? And did the one know about the Elements? She has no idea, but at least it seems her old teacher did. So that's one good thing in all of this confusions.
***
(in Ponyville)
"Wait, you going to have a baby?" Demoman asks flabbergasted at what Mrs. Cake has just told him the reason she and her husband would like the extra help down the shop. The pair eyes one another with somewhat dorky smiles before Mrs. Cake turns back to Demo, nodding.
Okay, he did not see that coming. Mrs. Cake does not look pregnant, but maybe it's just him unable see the difference between being plum and being pregnant. "What do you need help with?" He asks as he is sure being pregnant will be exhausting, plus he does owe them a place to live while stuck here.
Mr. Cake gestures him over to the desk where he pulls out a list of the orders they have gotten. "We would very much like if you made these delivers. The cakes and boxes under the desk are over there." The yellow stallion explains, showing Demo the spots of each object he would need for the deliveries.
Demoman is more than willing to lend them a hand- or hoof. He goes straight to work and trots over to the certain addresses for the delivery. He has finished them about past midday, the last being with his new mare-friend in form of Berry Punch.
"Here ya go lass." He hands the light-plum mare the oat-chocolate cookies.
"Thank." Berry Punch says and gives him the bits for the payment. The box with cookies gets placed inside his private quarters and before Demo leaves, she asks hopefully. "How many more delivers do you have left?"
"This is my last." Turning back to the mare, curious what she has in mind.
"Oh, good, I was hoping you got time." Berry Punch sighs in relief and pulls out a bottle, explaining; "I got this from Saddle Arabia, good drink but one I find best shared with a good friend." Eyeing the one-eyed stallion with a hopeful smile and glad her coat color hides the small blush on her cheeks. "Care for a drink?"
Demo grins, that is why he likes this mare so much; like him, she appreciates good liquor. "It would be my pleasure." She pours them a glass each, he takes his with his magic, not trying to use his hooves- doing everything with magic is so much easier. "Cheer lass." They hit the glasses gently together and take sips of the drink. Demo realizes it is wine, not exactly his choice of liquor but he must admit this is good stuff. "Do you have more in storage?" He asks Berry, "I am certain a certain stallion—" still weird saying that "— would appreciate this brand very much."
"I have two more in storage." Berry Punch replies, tilting her head slightly. "Is that stallion you talk about one of your friends?"
"I won't call him a friend, more a fellow co-worker."
Berry nods, having an idea who her one-eyed friend talks about. "It's Spy right? He seems like a stallion with luxurious taste. Very much like the ponies at Canterlot, is he from there?" Demo gives her a questioning look, hm she guesses not if he does not recognize the name. "It's our capital, you can see it on top on the mountain up north." Pointing at the location.
Ah, he has seen that city when the sky is clear. Looks like a fancy place, not for him but— "Spy's not from there, but I am sure he would like the place."
"Me too, I wouldn't though, bit too refined for me." Berry laughs and takes another sip of the wine. Speaking of Canterlot. "If you ever need an excuse going there, I do at time transport some of my homemade apple cider up there. It's stronger stuff compared to what the Apple family sells."
"I believe you." Demo grins and does think a delivery up there could be a good excuse checking the capital of this country out. "If you ever lack a delivery pony, I can help you out with it." Might as well get to see more of this place now they are stuck here. Who knows, maybe he finds something he— "What that racket?" He asks from that horrible sound coming from the streets. It sounds like his mother trying to sing the national song when drunk— which can shatter his scrumpy bottles. And he is sure Berry might have gotten more than just that wine if that racket makes her smile.
"Oh my gosh, is it time again?" Berry asks excited and hastily leaves the shop, leaving behind a very confused Demo. He follows her outside, finding the source of the horrible singing being an old green mare. Demo snorts amused, it seems like every old lady cannot sing. "Whose that?" He asks Berry Punch.
Oh right, he's not from around here and probably yet haven't met the Apples. "That's Granny Smith; she's the matriarch of the Apple family." Berry explains, watching the old mare heads towards a stand selling pots. "She is usually only this... vocal when it's Zap apple season."
Did he hear that right? "Zap apples?" Does this place has electric apples? If that's the case then he wants to see if they will create a shock-wave if greeting thrown. "What's a Zap apple?"
"The best apple you'll ever taste!" Berry exclaim joyous, it's a wonderful timing for she has just run out of zap apple cider too. "The Apple family are the only ones in Equestria who knows how to make them. And they can only harvest them once per year. When the harvest is done, I'll share a bottle Zap apple cider with you. Trust me, it'll be the best cider you'll ever taste." She smiles at the still bit confused unicorn. Noticing this, Berry thinks that perhaps it is best the Apples explains him the deal. "What about you asks them the Zap apples? I'm sure they can tell you more about it."
"I'll do that." He replies for that zap apple stuff sounds both weird and glorious at the same time. He will ask them about it, but first, he needs to be sure that the Cakes doesn't need his aid anymore for today. He says bye to Berry Punch and trots off.
Demo couldn't return that day he first heard about Zap apples, the Cakes needed him all day. But the next he could have a day off and after have gotten the directions right, Demo heads over to the Apple Farm. Here he finds a light orange mare with a cowboy hat and a red big stallion walking around, both watering a glade of trees. He walks over to them, "Excuse me?" the two turn towards him. "Are you one of the Apples?"
"Sure are." The mare replies with a Southern accent, pointing at herself. "I'm Applejack, and this is Big Macintosh." Her brother gives the brown one a nod as a hello.
Guess like even in a world of sentient ponies there are Southern, oh Engie would be so proud. "Nice to meet you, I'm Demo." Demoman introduces himself before asking his question of the reason coming here. "Could you tell me what a Zap apple is. Berry Punch suggested I should ask you about them."
The two- he presumes siblings eye one another, Applejack turns back to him with a small smile. "I can tell you: as long you allow me to work while doing it."
That he can do, help too if they would like. Demo suggests that and the siblings look both surprised but happy about it.
"Thanks for the help mister." Applejack says and gestures over to the wheelbarrow filled with watering cans. "Now if you could water these trees, I'll be happy tell you about Zap apples." Demo levitates two cans and Applejack leads him over to the tree needing watering as she explains. "Zap apples are a very special sort of apple, they only grow when certain signs occur. You see, they are made out of a special magic, both make them heavenly delicious but tricky to harvest."
"How's that?" Demo asks as he empties the second watering can.
Applejack nods up the blooming trees. "The Zap apples will disappear in a matter of hours after ripening. If we don't get them before that; we will have to wait until the signs appear again."
Alright, that sounds like a tricky crop to deal with but it also makes Demo here very curious about tasting those apples. This world is strange in some wondrous ways he must say.
He levitates two more watering cans but stops in his track for a moment when a pale yellow with bright red mane filly trots past him with a worried look on her face. This filly walks over to Applejack, sits and lift her hooves with a face there reminds Demo about a begging puppy.
The moment Applejack notices the filly, she sigh turns to her. "I'm sorry Apple Bloom," the filly's whole body posture drops. "I've already told you I just can't take a break from harvest and come to your school. You know what will happen."
The filly nods sadly. "I know... after the fifth day the Zap apples will disappear..." and just then a strong wind starts blowing and the sky gets clouded by hoards of ravens, much to a certain mercenary astonishment as the ponies looks like they have been expecting this. The old mare especially. With a speed beyond her age, that old pony Demo faintly remembers the name Granny Smith storms up beside her grandchildren; shouting like caught on fire. "The third sign! Right on time!"
Demo stares dumbfounded how the ravens fly in a certain pattern of a heart, more so when the trees around start blooming with electricity surrounding them. He admits that is quite a display.
"Alright, you lazy-daisies!" Granny Smith cries out, breaking the moment of awe. "Move your caboose!" and the elderly mare leaves in a pace way more suiting someone her years.
Applejack eyes her sister, giving the filly a small smile. "I'm sorry Apple Bloom, but don't you fret." After all, Granny Smith has seen a lot in her many years. "Granny has no shortage of entertaining stories to tell." She winks but that did not help on her sister's worries, in fact:
"I know... that's what I am worried about..." Applejack blinks, not sure why her sister is so worried about their grandmother has many stories. Before she can asks though, Apple Bloom leaves. Watching her sister for a moment, Applejack returns back to work, glancing at the stallion there came to help not long ago.
"The wee lass seems rather worried, eh?"
Applejack sighs in a nod, but she can't see what's her sister is so worried about. "I don't get why; Granny has so many good stories. I'm sure Apple Bloom's class will love to hear about them." The stallion Demo hums in thoughts for a moment, then turns his remaining eye to where her sister went. "I might know what is bothering the lass. If you don't mind, I would like to talk to her."
Applejack is a bit hesitant, this is a stranger she barely knows, but something about him makes her trust this stallion. She hears no ill will in his tone, he sounds honest that he wishes to help her sister. "Alright, she might be heading to her friends' clubhouse, it's located in a tree over there." Applejack points at the location.
Demo nods and heads towards the spot, leaving Applejack to wonder why she feels a strange sort of attachment to this stallion. Like she can see herself in him.
Finding the tree house is not hard, it is located just outside the glade of zap-apple trees. He finds the filly heading up the stairs to the tree house, he stops her before she goes through the door. "Can I have a word with you lass?" He asks up to the young girl, explaining his idea what is bothering her. "You're worried your granny will be an embarrassment for your fellow classmates." Apple Bloom winches slightly, looking slightly bad about having such thoughts. He brushes it off with a chuckle. "Don't worry, I won't tell. You see, I have a mother very much like your granny."
"You do?" Apple Bloom asks, taken by surprise of what this newcomer of a brown stallion is telling her.
Demo admits he is worried how his old mother is doing. He can only hope his clone is taking good care of her in his absence. It is sort of nice getting the extra hand, but Demo would've preferred his clone didn't visit his mother like he would. It always made it harder figuring out which one of them was the real deal, for apparently they also have the same memories of his childhood. His old mother had never been a help, for she couldn't spot the differences between the two. Pushing those feelings and thoughts asides; "Aye, my mother can be a bit overbearing at times. But if there is one thing I love doing with her; it is hear all the stories she has to tell about my great grandparents and what my grandfather did in his youth." He chuckles and does wish he could've met the man who blew up a whole castle and got away scot-free. The way his mother told him about his grandfather often made him think he and that old guy had a lot in common. Except for the eye thing.
Apple Bloom slowly walks back down to this other pony. "You think Granny has stories like your mother?" She asks carefully. The stallion nods, but she is still worried about the presentation. "But what if she does something embarrassing or forgets? I'll be the laughing stock in the class for the rest of my life!" Apple Bloom cries and just thinking about it makes her feel sick, the stallion puts a hood on her shoulder as a sign of comfort.
"We all do embarrassing stuff all the time, old ponies do it mostly because they tend to forget but you can't blame them for it." Demo says, thinking about his own mother forgetting her teeth some weird places. It could be embarrassing for a kid but nothing others will laugh about for ages, after all; that's just how old people- and talking colorful ponies are.
"Alright, I guess I can take Granny forgetting stuff..." Apple Bloom agrees quietly, she can after all not blame Granny forgetting in her old age. But that does not excuse what she finds most embarrassing. "But that's not what I am worried about..."
"Then what is lass?"
But Apple Bloom can't describe it, he has to see what she is talking about. "You have to see it before you believe me." And takes the stallion back to the farm. Not sure it is luck or not that Granny is currently doing one of the embarrassing stuff: this time yelling at the jars with a military helmet on. She glances up to the brown coated stallion, winching in how he stares as in trying to comprehend the scene. Then to her bigger embarrassment, the stallion grins widely. "You see what I mean...?"
Okay, he did not expect this and can partly see this filly's problem. But he can't go over and make that old mare stop this. No, he is going to encourage it! "I have to get Solly," and he storms off, for the moment forgetting about poor Apple Bloom.
Demo hurries into town, he finds Spy speaking with a middle-aged mare with a scroll for a cutiemark. "Spy! Have you seen Soldier around lately?" He asks, trotting over to the shapeshifter.
Spy and the mare give him a confused look, the mare mostly as Spy does look more annoyed over the interruption.
"He was lecturing some pony about his haircut the last time I saw him."
"Find him, the ponies of Sweet Apple Acers needs him." Demo urges the blue pegasus who looks almost offended being commanded around by a RED. Rolling his eye. "Just do it! Trust me, it will be worth your time."
"It better." Spy grumbles and takes to the sky. He and Soldier arrive about ten minutes later. Barely landed, Demo tells the green pegasus with a very goofy face; as if trying to hold it straight but utterly failing. "Solly, there is an urgent discipline problem at Sweet Apple Acers and only you can help!"
Soldier gets all excited and stepping into his drill sergeant mode. "Lead the way! I'll whip those maggots into line!" Spy, on the other hand, is starting to get the idea that whoever Demo has in mind to be disciplined by Soldier will be a complete joke. And that is why he follows the two back to the apple farm.
Indeed it proves to be a joke as the 'troops' shows to be a bunch of jars.
Soldier looks around after the troops, but not finding anyone but an old mare with a helmet on. Eyeing her, he presumes it is her but just as he's about to discipline her. Demo turns his head down to the jars.
"There are your troops, be sure to discipline them right."
He might not be the smartest, but even Soldier finds this stupid, he shoots his pal a glare. "You gotta be joking."
Demo really struggles to hold his face straight. "It is very important you discipline these rascals—right Granny Smith?" He asks the green old mare.
Taken a bit off guard someone else should do the discipline, Granny Smith nods. "That's darn right, if not told; the jars won't keep the jam fresh."
"They are jars!" Solider growls, glaring at the grinning Demoman. "I can't discipline jars!"
"You discipline bloody heads!"
"Yes, because they have ears! Jars do not have ears!" Soldier exclaims angrily. Not seeing Apple Bloom and her two friends appearing from upstairs to see what is going on.
Not wanting to waste a huge opportunity for a good laugh, Spy scribbles down three stars onto a paper and puts it onto Granny Smith's helmet. "Just go with it." He tells her and calls for Soldier's attention. The pissed green pony turns away from Demo and over to him. Spy points at the sticker on the elderly mare's helmet. "Don't come and tell me you're denying a higher officer, oh Soldier how low the mighty has fallen." He taunts his fellow BLU.
Greatly offended by Spy's taunt, Soldier jumps at the blue pegasus, would've hit his teeth out but gets stopped by the old mare.
"Ten-hut Soldier!"
Looking up, Soldier is caught off guard seeing three stars- a higher officer before him. He let go of Spy and whacks himself over the head in his attempt saluting the one before him. "Ow!- Sorry, I didn't see you there sir- I mean ma'am!"
At times he loves that Soldier is so easy to deceive. "He's all yours." Spy says smugly from his spot on the floor.
Seeing what that fancy-pansy pegasus have been doing and deciding just go for it, Granny Smith points at the jars. "Discipline these troops for the Zap apple season, or you will be cleaning the whole farm for a week!" Stepping forward the saluting pegasus, glaring into his eyes with one of her closed. "Unless you cannot do it, is that it Cadet?!"
"NO SIR! I WILL DISCIPLINE THE TROOPS SO THEY CAN PLAY THE AMERICAN SONG WHEN I'M DONE!" Soldier shouts and turns to the jars, now so caught up in the moment that he did not see how stupid what he is about to do is. "Men, we have a grave fight ahead of us. And that is keeping the jam soon in you fresh and delicious! And I will not accept any failure, do I make myself clear?!"
Apple Bloom and her friends carefully walk up beside Demo and Spy; both grinning at the ridicules of the whole scene. "What's going on?" Apple Bloom asks up to them and blinks at the brown stallion replying.
"Helping your granny discipline the jars."
Now so caught up in the moment like when he disciplined those heads, no longer seeing jars but soldiers. In Soldier's head, he heard his men haven't shouted 'yes, sir' loud enough. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" He stomps on the table, the shock going through it made one of the jars crack. In his delusion, he thought that soldier has passed out. "Is that weakness I see there private?!" He grabs the trembling soldier- cracking the jar further between his hooves. "COWARDLY MAGGOTS LIKE YOU DO NOT DESERVE THE UNIFORM!" and hurls the jar into the nearby wall, smashing it to pieces. But he is not done, stomping over to the broken pieces he yells down to the shards. "And that is a fact!"
By then neither Spy or Demo can hold it back anymore, both drops onto the floor, howling in laughter from that whole scene. Spy laughs so hard that he starts snorting, and that makes the three fillies start laughing.
Soldier blinks, snapping out from his delusions and realize that the cadet he lectured has been a jar all this time. He grumbles at the two laughing on the floor, just knowing they will make fun of this for weeks. Well, not on his watch! "Let's see how funny you find it with both your num-skulls cracked!" and with a battle cry, Soldier charges at them.
Spy and Demo, both wise enough to get the hell away from the pissed Soldier's take the run for it, although having trouble getting too far ahead because they are still laughing so hard.
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootalo all stare at the door where the three stallions were three seconds ago. Meanwhile, Granny Smith looks over the jars and is very satisfied with what she sees. "He did a good job that Soldier. Jar's never been more ready for the Zap apple jam!" Snapping the fillies out from their confusions of what just happen, the three turn their gaze back to Granny Smith; now cleaning up the jar Soldier broke.
'maybe Granny isn't so bad' Apple Bloom thinks in her careful optimism, after all, Granny Smith wasn't as loud or... imaginative as that green pegasus was. Good thing he wasn't the one having to come tomorrow.
Back in Ponyville, Soldier has calmed enough down that he didn't try and kill the two others, now all three walking more or less calmy through the town. Didn't stop Soldier from glaring at Spy and Demoman for fooling him like that though. "Discipline troops my ass..."
"Worth it." Demo grins, elbowing the sulking pegasus on the side. "You did a good job, Solly. "
"And made a nice fool out of yourself." Spy remarks, he really wishes he had a camera for the whole scene.
Demo levitates Spy away. "Shut up Franchise." Turning back to Soldier. "It looked mighty important for that old mare, and knowing you." Smiling to his best pal. "You had as much fun yelling at jars as when you yell at your heads."
"God, don't remind me of those..." Spy gags of the mere thought, he never wanted to know but still saw how his head would look like after have been rotting for a week.
Soldier snorts at Spy's weak stomach. "Pansy." Now it is his turn laughing at the annoyance of another. He must admit if looking past the ridicules: it was enjoyable pretending to be a drill sergeant again.